Once there was a Brahmana named Vajashrava, who desired to accumulate good deeds through the performance of a great sacrifice. The Vedic concept of sacrifice, known as yajna, is central to Hindu rituals and is believed to lead to spiritual merit or punya. Vajashrava announced that after the sacrifice, he would be donating his wealth, which was mostly cattle, to learned Brahmanas. In Hindu tradition, giving gifts to Brahmanas during a yajna was considered a sacred act that could cleanse one’s soul and elevate one toward higher realms.
However, as the time came to distribute his wealth, Vajashrava’s greed overshadowed his sense of righteousness. He chose to keep all the healthy and strong cattle for himself, and instead, donated only old and infirm cattle to the Brahmanas. This act directly contradicted the principle of dāna (charitable giving), a key aspect of Hindu Dharma, which teaches that only sincere and valuable offerings bring merit.
Nachiketa’s Concern and Questioning
Vajashrava’s son, Nachiketa, who was observing the proceedings, became deeply troubled by his father’s actions. In Indian mythology, Nachiketa’s character stands as a paragon of a questioning spirit, moral integrity, and the pursuit of truth. He understood that donating unworthy offerings could not accumulate the spiritual merit his father sought, but instead, would only yield negative consequences, both spiritually and karmically.
Filled with sorrow and a sense of righteousness, Nachiketa approached his father, saying, “O Father! Why are you giving only those cattle that are useless? The scriptures speak of the importance of sattvic (pure and valuable) offerings. Your intention was to accumulate punya (good deeds), but with these offerings, the opposite will happen. Please reconsider and give the Brahmanas your best cattle.”
In Hindu texts like the Bhagavad Gita, proper actions and the spirit behind the offering are often emphasized over the quantity or external show of gifts. Nachiketa’s words echo this sentiment, highlighting how pure intentions and genuine acts of charity are essential for accumulating merit.
Vajashrava’s Anger and the Gift to Yama
Vajashrava, preoccupied with the yajna rituals, became angry at his son’s persistence. He replied sharply, “You are too young to understand the ways of the world. If I give away all the good cattle, how will we survive?” Nachiketa, despite his disappointment, remained silent out of respect for his father. In Vedic culture, obedience and reverence toward one’s elders, especially parents, were considered sacred duties.
However, Nachiketa’s conscience urged him to speak again. He suggested a radical form of sacrifice, based on an ancient belief that children are the greatest wealth of their parents. Nachiketa said, “Father, the scriptures state that children are the true wealth of a person. Why don’t you gift me to someone as part of your offering? To whom will you offer me?”
At first, Vajashrava ignored his son’s plea. But after Nachiketa persisted with his question repeatedly, Vajashrava, in a fit of exasperation and anger, shouted, “I give you to Yama, the Lord of Death!” In this moment of impatience, Vajashrava unknowingly set in motion a profound journey for his son.
Nachiketa, devoted to his father’s command and to the path of righteousness, took his father’s words seriously. He donned simple robes made of tree bark and coarse cotton, as was customary for ascetics, and began his journey to the abode of Yama, the God of Death. In Hindu mythology, Yama is not only the ruler of death but also the embodiment of Dharma, or cosmic order and justice.
Nachiketa’s Journey to the Abode of Yama
When Nachiketa arrived at Yama’s palace, he found that the deity was not present. Despite the absence of Yama, the young boy waited outside the palace for three days and nights without food or water, showing his patience, discipline, and devotion to dharma.
Upon Yama’s return, he was surprised to see a boy waiting patiently outside. Understanding the gravity of hospitality, Yama invited Nachiketa into his home and inquired about the purpose of his visit. In the Mahabharata and Ramayana, as well as in many other Hindu texts, the value of hospitality, or atithi devo bhava (the guest is god), is held in the highest regard.
When Nachiketa explained the events that had transpired between him and his father, Yama, moved by the boy’s honesty, discipline, and commitment, said, “Your father spoke in anger, and his words were hasty. A gift offered in such a state does not hold true. You are too young and have much life ahead of you. Return to your father. However, since you have waited for three days without food or water, I must offer you three boons as compensation.”
Nachiketa’s Three Boons
Nachiketa, with the clarity of thought and wisdom far beyond his years, chose three profound boons. First, he requested that his father’s anger be appeased, and that his father would welcome him back home without any resentment. Yama granted this request, ensuring that harmony would be restored between Nachiketa and his father.
For his second boon, Nachiketa asked for the knowledge of how to perform the agni-vidya, a sacred fire ritual that leads to the heavens. Yama, pleased with the boy’s devotion to learning, taught him the details of this ritual, and in some accounts, this is referred to as the Nachiketa Fire, which became famous among the Brahmanas.
For his third and final boon, Nachiketa asked the most profound question—“What happens after death?” He sought the ultimate truth, a knowledge that transcended the material world and addressed the mystery of the soul’s journey after death.
Yama hesitated. This question, concerning the nature of the atman (soul), life after death, and the nature of moksha (liberation), was one of the most guarded secrets of the cosmos. Yama attempted to dissuade Nachiketa by offering him wealth, long life, and pleasures of the world, but Nachiketa remained steadfast. He was determined to know the truth.
Seeing Nachiketa’s unwavering resolve, Yama finally relented. He revealed to him the knowledge of the immortal soul, teaching him that the atman is eternal, indestructible, and beyond the physical body. This knowledge is central to the Upanishads, particularly the Katha Upanishad, where this story is told. Yama’s teachings became a cornerstone of Hindu philosophy, explaining the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, and the path to liberation.
Nachiketa’s Return
Having received the ultimate knowledge from Yama, Nachiketa returned to his father’s house, now enlightened with the truth about life, death, and the eternal soul. He imparted the wisdom he had gained to his disciples, ensuring that the teachings of Yama spread far and wide.
Nachiketa’s story is more than just an individual journey of discovery. It is symbolic of the human quest for truth, the challenge of confronting death, and the pursuit of eternal wisdom, themes deeply embedded in Hindu philosophy. His unwavering pursuit of the truth, despite worldly distractions, is celebrated in Hindu mythology as an exemplar of devotion, wisdom, and spiritual insight.