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Nachiketa (Samskrit : नचिकेता) is the son of Vaajasrava (also Uddalaka) who at a young age is known to have sought [[Brahmavidya (ब्रह्मविद्या)|brahmavidya]] from Yama (Mrityu devata) himself. Kathopanishad describes in great detail the story of brahmajnani Nachiketa, with lofty thoughts, who takes upon the consequences of the imperfection he observes in his father's Vaajasrava's performance of Visvajit yagna.  

Nachiketa (Samskrit : नचिकेता) is the son of Vaajasrava (also Uddalaka) who at a young age is known to have sought [[Brahmavidya (ब्रह्मविद्या)|brahmavidya]] from Yama (Mrityu devata) himself. Kathopanishad describes in great detail the story of brahmajnani Nachiketa, with lofty thoughts, who takes upon the consequences of the imperfection he observes in his father's Vaajasrava's performance of Visvajit yagna.  

Accordingly, upon questioning his father thus he receives the answer that he will be given to Mrityu (Death)<blockquote>'''कस्मै मां दास्यसीति ॥ to whom will you offer me to?'''</blockquote><blockquote>'''मृत्यवे त्वा ददामीति  ॥ to Mrityu (Death) I offer you.'''</blockquote>With perseverance he undertakes the journey to the Yamapuri (land of death) and awaits the return of Yama at his abode for three nights. For his exceptional courage to face death, Yama grants him three boons, the dialogue between them forms the essence of brahmavidya as elucidated in Kathopanishad (Krishna Yajurveda shaka of Taittriya Samhita).  

Accordingly, upon questioning his father thus he receives the answer that he will be given to Mrityu (Death)<blockquote>'''कस्मै मां दास्यसीति ॥ to whom will you offer me to?'''</blockquote><blockquote>'''मृत्यवे त्वा ददामीति  ॥ to Mrityu (Death) I offer you.'''</blockquote>With perseverance he undertakes the journey to the Yamapuri (land of death) and awaits the return of Yama at his abode for three nights. For his exceptional courage to face death, Yama grants him three boons, the dialogue between them forms the essence of brahmavidya as elucidated in Kathopanishad (Krishna Yajurveda shaka of Taittriya Samhita) as put forth in this article<ref>Vasu, Srisa Chandra. (1905). ''Kathopanishad.'' Allahabad: Allahabad Press. https://archive.org/stream/KathaUpanisad/Katha_upani%E1%B9%A3ad#page/n11/mode/1up</ref><ref name=":1">Saraswati, Sw. Sivananda, (1936). ''Dialogues from Upanishads.''Amritsar: Em. Airi, Editor Ideal Home Magazine.</ref><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3">Asopa, Govind Narayan (1940) ''Dasopanishatsaara, With Hindi Translation.'' Jodhpur: Govind Bhavan</ref>.  

== कठोपनिषद्सारम् ॥ Kathopanishad Saaram ==

== कठोपनिषद्सारम् ॥ Kathopanishad Saaram ==

'''Brahmavidya as in Kathopanishad'''  

'''Brahmavidya as in Kathopanishad'''  

Having found in Nachiketa, a persevering pupil in search of the truth of Spirit ( Atma or Self), Yama imparts the Knowledge of Brahman to him (From 1st adhyaya 2nd Valli to end of 3rd adhyaya).  <blockquote>एतद्ध्येवाक्षरं ब्रह्म एतद्ध्येवाक्षरं परम् । एतद्ध्येवाक्षरं ज्ञात्वा यो यदिच्छति तस्य तत् ॥ १६॥ (Kath. Upan. 1.2.16)</blockquote><blockquote>etaddhyevākṣaraṁ brahma etaddhyevākṣaraṁ param । etaddhyevākṣaraṁ jñātvā yo yadicchati tasya tat ॥ 16॥ (Kath. Upan. 1.2.16)</blockquote>Meaning : This letter '''ॐ ॥ OM''' '''is Brahman''', this is indeed the supreme. Knowing which one letter, one obtains what he desires.

Having found in Nachiketa, a persevering pupil in search of the truth of Spirit ( Atma or Self), Yama imparts the Knowledge of Brahman to him (From 1st adhyaya 2nd Valli to end of 3rd adhyaya). Yama being a Brahmanistha himself explains about Atma - which is difficult to understand as it is subtler than the subtlest and cannot be comprehended by any logical explanation. This omnicient "it" is not born, nor does it die. It does not come from anywhere and it does not become into anything, hence called as "Asti" or "Exists"<ref name=":1" />.  <blockquote>नैव वाचा न मनसा प्राप्तुं शक्यो न चक्षुषा । अस्तीति ब्रुवतोऽन्यत्र कथं तदुपलभ्यते ॥ १२॥ (Kath. Upan. 2.3.12)</blockquote><blockquote>naiva vācā na manasā prāptuṁ śakyō na cakṣuṣā । astīti bruvatō'nyatra kathaṁ tadupalabhyatē ॥ 12॥ (Kath. Upan. 2.3.12)</blockquote>Meaning : It cannot be attained (understood) through speech (words of expression), nor through mind (intellectual processes), nor through the eye (sense organs). How can It be known to anyone apart from him who speak of It as existing?

The knowledge, untouched by the outer objects, reveals itself to the man of concentrated mind on the utterance of the word OM<ref>Swami Gambhiranand, (1957) ''Eight Upanishads, With the Commentary of Sankaracarya, Vol 1.'' Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama http://estudantedavedanta.net/Eight-Upanisads-Vol-1.pdf</ref>.   

The idea is that "It" is not perceived in any way by external means. If the world had no root, this creation would be filled with non-existence and would be perceived as non-existent. However, this not being the case, creation is perceived as "existing", just as a pot produced from mrittika or earth are perceived as permeated with earth.  Therefore the Self, the root of the Universe, is to be realized as existing. Why? <blockquote>अस्तीत्येवोपलब्धव्यस्तत्त्वभावेन चोभयोः । अस्तीत्येवोपलब्धस्य तत्त्वभावः प्रसीदति ॥ १३॥ (Kath. Upan. 2.3.13)</blockquote><blockquote>astītyēvōpalabdhavyastattvabhāvēna cōbhayōḥ । astītyēvōpalabdhasya tattvabhāvaḥ prasīdati ॥ 13॥ (Kath. Upan. 2.3.13)</blockquote>Meaning : The Self is (primarily) to be realised as existing and then only as It really is. Of these two aspects, the true nature of It reveals itself to one who believes It as existing.<blockquote>यदा सर्वे प्रमुच्यन्ते कामा येऽस्य हृदि श्रिताः । अथ मर्त्योऽमृतो भवत्यत्र ब्रह्म समश्नुते ॥ १४॥ (Kath. Upan. 2.3.14)</blockquote><blockquote>yadā sarvē pramucyantē kāmā yē'sya hr̥di śritāḥ । atha martyō'mr̥tō bhavatyatra brahma samaśnutē ॥ 14॥ (Kath. Upan. 2.3.14)</blockquote>Meaning : When all the desires that are dwelling in one's heart cease to be present, then a mortal becomes immortal and attains Brahman here. <blockquote>एतद्ध्येवाक्षरं ब्रह्म एतद्ध्येवाक्षरं परम् । एतद्ध्येवाक्षरं ज्ञात्वा यो यदिच्छति तस्य तत् ॥ १६॥ (Kath. Upan. 1.2.16)</blockquote><blockquote>etaddhyevākṣaraṁ brahma etaddhyevākṣaraṁ param । etaddhyevākṣaraṁ jñātvā yo yadicchati tasya tat ॥ 16॥ (Kath. Upan. 1.2.16)</blockquote>Meaning : This letter '''ॐ ॥ OM''' '''is Brahman''', this is indeed the supreme. Knowing which one letter, one obtains what he desires.   

Yama being a Brahmanistha himself explains about Atma - which is difficult to understand as it is subtler than the subtlest and cannot be comprehended by any logical explanation. This omnicient "it" is not born, nor does it die. It does not come from anywhere and it does not become into anything, hence called as "Asti" or "Exists". <blockquote>नैव वाचा न मनसा प्राप्तुं शक्यो न चक्षुषा । अस्तीति ब्रुवतोऽन्यत्र कथं तदुपलभ्यते ॥ १२॥ (Kath. Upan. 2.3.12)</blockquote><blockquote>naiva vācā na manasā prāptuṁ śakyō na cakṣuṣā । astīti bruvatō'nyatra kathaṁ tadupalabhyatē ॥ 12॥ (Kath. Upan. 2.3.12)</blockquote>Meaning : It cannot be attained (understood) through speech (words of expression), nor through mind (intellectual processes), nor through the eye (sense organs). How can It be known to anyone apart from him who speak of It as existing?

The knowledge, untouched by the outer objects, reveals itself to the man of concentrated mind on the utterance of the word OM<ref name=":2">Swami Gambhiranand, (1957) ''Eight Upanishads, With the Commentary of Sankaracarya, Vol 1.'' Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama http://estudantedavedanta.net/Eight-Upanisads-Vol-1.pdf</ref>. <blockquote>अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः पुरुषोऽन्तरात्मा सदा जनानां हृदये संनिविष्टः । तं स्वाच्छरीरात्प्रवृहेन्मुञ्जादिवेषीकां धैर्येण । तं विद्याच्छुक्रममृतं तं विद्याच्छुक्रममृतमिति ॥ १७॥ (Kath. Upan. 2.3.17)</blockquote><blockquote>aṅguṣṭhamātraḥ puruṣō'ntarātmā sadā janānāṁ hr̥dayē saṁniviṣṭaḥ । taṁ svāccharīrātpravr̥hēnmuñjādivēṣīkāṁ dhairyēṇa । taṁ vidyācchukramamr̥taṁ taṁ vidyācchukramamr̥tamiti ॥ 17॥ (Kath. Upan. 2.3.17)</blockquote>Meaning : The Purusha, अन्तरात्मा indwelling Self called as Atma, of the size of a thumb, is ever seated in the heart of all living beings.  One should courageously separate Him from one's body like a stalk separated from the reed (Munja). Know that it is pure and immortal.

Unborn, eternal, perpetual and ancient, beyond decay, this Atma is not killed when the body is killed. Addressed as "It" Self, Atma or Brahman is said to be seated in the innermost cavity of the heart and attained only by abstracting the senses and mind from outer objective world and resolving this energy into Brahman<ref name=":3" />.     

 

Unborn, eternal, perpetual and ancient, beyond decay, this Atma is not killed when the body is killed. Addressed as "It" Self, Atma or Brahman is said to be seated in the innermost cavity of the heart and attained only by abstracting the senses and mind from outer objective world and resolving this energy into Brahman.     

==  सम्वाद || Discussion ==

==  सम्वाद || Discussion ==

== References ==

== References ==