193 - Departure of Nachiketas

Lomaharshana said:

1-5. King Janamejaya, the last of the Kuru line, after completing the twelve-year-long expiation for his killing a Brahmin after the performance of Ašhvamedha sacrifice, impelled by his own action and very much worried, approached Vaišhampäyana, the great sage, disciple of Vyäsa, living on the bank of Gañgä, soon after he had finished his morning rites, and spoke to him in great repentance.

Janamejaya said:

6. O sage, when I think more and more about the deeds of man, I feel convinced how we have to face their results unavoidably.

7. I therefore, wish to know, of what kind is the abode of Yama, how extensive it is and how one sees it on going there.

8. Also how I can avoid going to that place of the king of the dead, the king of dharma who directs the whole world.

Suta said:

9. Asked thus by the king, the sage replied in sweet voice.

Vaishampäyana said:

10-11. O king, listen to this old story, which is auspicious, conducive to dharma and fame, purifying, bringing about good, the favourite of the learned and narrated in Itihäsas and Puränas.

12. In days of yore, there was a great sage by name Uddälaka Who had mastered the Veda with all its accessories.

13. He had a son by name Nachiketas who was a yogi, very intelligent and virtuous and a master of Vedic lore.

14. But he was cursed by the angry father to quickly go to Yama and see him.

15. The brilliant son said ‘yes’, meditated for a while and entered into yoga.

16. Soon he became invisible and told his father in great humility:

17-18. “O virtuous father, your words can never go false. I am, therefore, leaving for the glorious abode of Yama, the lord of dharma. But, doubtless, I shall return here”.

The father said:

19. You are my only son and I have no other relative. So let it be false, against dharma or affecting your fame. (Please do not go).

20. You will be able to save me although have said something wrong in my anger, and it is true that he who utters something unbecoming mercilessly in anger defiles his entire family.

21. I who cursed you, the virtuous boy thus, have become so defiled as not to be deserving of being spoken to.

22. I have become one who does not say the proper thing, but I don’t wish any outrage on dharma.

23. O you good son, you have always been obedient, composed, forbearing and devoted to dharma. You have been sincerely attending on me and you alone are capable of enabling me to gain liberation.

24. I, therefore, earnestly request you not to go there.

25. If lord Yama happens to see you there even accidentally, he will never release you in his anger.

26. Know, then, that I will perish as one who has cut off the family line, condemned by all as a base sinner.

27. Hell is horrible and it is known as ‘put’. The son is ‘putra’ because he saves the father from this.

28. Whatever penance the son performs, whatever he gifts and whatever he offers in fire, all that nourish his ancestors. To one without a son this is not there.

29. One may be a Šhüdra engaged in service (prescribed for him), a Vaišhya engaged in cultivation, a Kshatriya engaged in protection of the produce, or a Brähmana doing his deeds.

30. He may perform intense penance and make munificent gifts. But if he is without a son, he never attains heaven. So have I heard.

31. A father gets gratification through his son, a grandfather through his grandson and a great-grand-father through the son of the grandson.

32. I shall not let you go, the potential continuer of our family line. So I implore you in all earnestness not to go there.

Vaishampäyana said:

33. The virtuous son spoke with composure and pleasure to the wailing father.

The son said;

34. “Don’t be sorrowful, O father, you will sec me return here. After seeing that god (Yama) who is revered by all, I shall certainly return to you, for I have no fear of the god of death.

35. That king (of the dead) will honour me because of your compassion.

36. You remain in truth and uphold truth. Truth is the ladder to heaven as the boat is the means of crossing the ocean.

37. The sun shines by truth, the fire blazes by truth and the earth remains firm by truth.

38. The sea does not advance over the shore because of truth; the mantra produces its wholesome effect over the world because of truth.

39. The sacrifices with their purifying mantras and honoured worship rest in truth. The Vedas sound by truth. The whole world is set in truth.

40. The Säman sings by truth. Everything is established in truth. Heaven is truth, so too dharma. There is nothing outside truth.

41. O father, I have learnt that everything is got by truth. There is nothing that transcends truth.

42. It is well known that Brahma, the very repository of the Vedas, was banished by Rudra remaining in truth and Brahmä remains in austerity controlled by him.

43. Similarly, Agni was thrown into the mouth of the submarine horse by Aurva remaining in truth.

44. O father, all the worlds and gods Were held by the valiant Samvarta out of compassion for gods.

45. Bali remains in the netherworld, protecting truth.

46. The great mountain Vindhya with hundreds of its rising peaks, does not grow because of truth. The whole world, with all its moving and stationary beings, goes on in truth.

47. All the duties of the householder, those of the Vänaprastha and the rules of all austerities are based on truth.

48. If a thousand Ašhvamedhas and truth are weighed against each other, it is truth that weighs more.

49. Dharma is ruled by truth, and dharma protects when itself is protected. Therefore, follow truth and save yourself by your own self.”

50-51. Having said this cheerfully, the effulgent and truthful son of the sage, resorted to his power of yoga attained by penance and reached the place of king Yama.