KATHA UPANISHAD ON ENIGMA OF LIFE AND DEATH

KATHA UPANISHAD ON ENIGMA OF LIFE AND DEATH

--A Dialogue of Nachiketas with Mrityu (Yama)

(Compilation for a Discourse by N. R. Srinivasan, Nashville, TN, USA,   January 2021)

 

Vājaśravas father of Nachiketas, was giving away all his possessions in charity.  Nachiketas, though young but enlightenhed, was curious to know, being also his possession to whom he will be given away.    Annoyed by his repeated question,   in a fit of anger, Vajasravas told his son that he would give him to Mṛtyu (Yama, The Lord of Death).  The innocent boy on hearing the angry words of his father began to think how he could be useful to Mṛtyu. Without any clue therefore, he reached the abode of Mṛtyu, but had to wait there for three nights to have a meeting with Mṛtyu. As a recompense for this 3-night delay, Mṛtyu allowed Nachiketas to ask three boons from him.

The first boon Nachiketas asked was that his father be pacified and no longer be angry with him; the second was for obtaining a ‘fire’ of the gods, which is capable of leading one to heaven and immortality; Mṛtyu readily gave him these boons. Then Nachiketas asked the third boon: “On the question of a dead person, some say that he continues to exist, whereas others say that he ceases to exist (at death); I wish to be taught by you on this issue.’ To the third question,   Mṛtyu said, “This is a very subtle issue; even the gods (deva) had this doubt in the past. It is not easy to know; ask for any other boon. Do not compel me”

 Nachiketas replies, “If even the gods had doubts, I see none other than you to tell me about this secret knowledge. So, I am not going for an alternative boon” (verses 1.21 and 1.22).

Following this, Mṛtyu tried to entice Nachiketas with offers of all kinds of worldly pleasures and possessions like wealth, horses, elephants, cattle, gold, longevity, sons, grandsons, etc. He also promised to fulfill all the desires of Nachiketas and asked him to desist from pressing the question. But Nachiketas spurned all these offers, saying that they were all ephemeral and therefore had no attraction for him; he remained firm in his resolve to know the secret of death. Seeing the unflagging determination of Nachiketas in pursuing the path of knowledge against the lures of worldly pleasures, Mṛtyu finally became pleased to impart the knowledge asked for. But, he did not go directly for answering the question. Instead, he discoursed at length on death and immortality and at the end came out with a brief answer in a single verse. He was actually following a well-designed scheme that culminates in delivering the intended answer.  .

“He is an atheist who does not believe in himself. Those of you who have studied that most beautiful all the Upanishads, the Katha, will remember how the king was going to make a great sacrifice, and, instead of giving away things that were of any worth, he was giving away cows and horses that were not of any use, and the book says that at that time Shraddhâ entered into the heart of his son Nachiketas.  Shraddha   is a wonderful word to understand, and much depends on it; we will see how it works, for immediately we find Nachiketas telling himself, “I am superior to many, I am inferior to few, but nowhere am I the last, I can also do something.” And this boldness increased, and the boy wanted to solve the problem which was in his mind, the problem of death. The solution could only be got by going to the house of Death, and the boy went. There he was, brave Nachiketas waiting at the house of Death while fasting for three days, and you know how he obtained what he desired.

This Shraddha must enter into every one of us! Whatever of material power we see manifested by the Western races is the outcome of this Shraddha, because they believe in their muscles and if you believe in your spirit, how much more will it work!

This Shraddha is what I want, and what all of us here want, this faith in ourselves, and before you is the great task to get that faith. Give up the awful disease that is creeping into our national blood, that idea of ridiculing everything, and that loss of seriousness. Give that up. Be strong and have this Shraddha, and everything else is bound to follow” said Vivekanada in Chicago addressing the World Forum of Religions.

Vajasravas, the old king, the performer of Yajna, was trying to give away in charity all that he owned as his own. Nachiketas, a young learned scholar and his son, overcome by his sense of duty towards his father, walks up to the old man who is busy engaged in the distribution of the cows, and enquires him: “father, to whom will thou give me?” Not able to catch the attention of his father who was otherwise busy, Nachiketas went on repeating his question. To the old man, the young boy’s insistence was unbearable. At first, his father ignored the repetition. But, on hearing the repeated question for the third time, in sheer despair and disgust at the nuisance, the father in a harmless curse burst out, “Unto God of Death do I give thee”--equivalent to Englishman’s “Go to Hell”

Vajasravas, the old man and the yajna performer was to Nachiketas both father and Guru in one.  Nachiketas, though young was a rare type awakened person.  He, therefore, took the words of his father seriously, who was also his Guru and did not dismiss it as an outburst of anger. The words of such a scholarly Guru can never be futile. There should be something deeper he could learn from Yamaraja than what he has already learnt from his   Nararaja father!

 The best bones are those who knowing the wish of the Guru, always serve him; the so-so are those who are infallibly obedient and execute and execute any order from the Guru when expressly commanded; and the bad ones are those despicable wretches who fail to execute even when commanded by the Guru.

 With this background story, let us try to understand the following mantra from Kathopanishad:

Bahunaamemi prathamo bahunamwmi madhyamah| kimsvid yamasya kartavyam yanmayaadya karishyati || Katha 1-1-5 ||

It is the darkness of not-knowing that is spiritual death. Nachiketas thought: “What is the business of Yama that is being achieved through me? Why should I go to him? I have served my father well. I may be the first or at least the next, but not the worst. What is the intention of his offering me to Yama?”

 Nachiketas thought: I go, the first of many who will die, in the midst of many who are dying, on a mission to Yama, King of Death.

 Nachiketas was fasting for three days and nights with Shraddha, eagerly waiting for the Lord of Death.  Here is what Gita says about the Shraddha: 

śhraddhāvān labhate jñānaṁ tat-paraḥ sanyatendriyaḥ | jñānaṁ labdhvā parāṁ śhāntim achireṇādhigachchhati (Gita 4-39)

Those whose faith is deep and who have practiced controlling their mind and senses, attain divine knowledge. Through such transcendental knowledge, they quickly attain everlasting supreme peace.

 Shree Krishna   introduces the concept of faith in the context of knowledge. Not all spiritual truths are immediately perceptible; some of them can only be experienced after having attained sufficient elevation on the path. If we only accept what we can presently verify or comprehend, we will be bereft of the higher spiritual secrets. Faith helps us accept what we cannot understand at present.

 Jagadguru Shankaracharya has defined faith as follows: guru vedānta vākyeṣhu dṛiḍho viśhvāsaḥ śhraddhā “Faith means firm confidence in the words of the Guru and the scriptures.”  When such   is placed on the true Guru, it opens the pathway for eternal welfare. Nachiketas, directed by his father-guru, knocked at the door of God of Death and waited for three days as he was elsewhere.

We should not go by blind faith but strive to deepen our faith in a Guru, and surrender to God under his guidance. The Shvetashvatara Upanishad states: yasya deve parā bhaktiḥ yathā deve tathā gurau | tasyaite kathitā hyarthāḥ prakāśhante mahātmanaḥ (6.23)

“The imports of all the Vedic knowledge is revealed within the hearts of those who engage with unflinching faith in devotion toward Guru and God.”

Nothing places the question “Who am I” in such stark relief as the fact of death. Nachiketas represents that rare type awakened person in whose this presence, once glimpsed, can never go away.  He waits for three days to  face the God of Death, and boldly asks him,” now that I  have to meet my death in my journey of life that continues, what can I enjoy as  Ananda. When a person dies, there arises this doubt--“He still exists” say some; “he does not” say others, and enlightened Guru says “Rare few can enjoy perennial joy”. I want to teach me the truth.

 But again, Gita talks about this divine knowledge that again is described as “Vedanta Vijnana” which we usually translate as Intellect.

na hi jñānena sadṛiśhaṁ pavitramiha vidyate  tatsvayaṁ yogasansiddhaḥ kālenātmani vindati (Gita 4-38)

In this world, there is nothing as purifying as divine knowledge. One who has attained purity of mind through prolonged practice of Yoga, receives such knowledge within the heart, in due course of time.

Knowledge (Vijnanena atmanam vedayati) has the power to purify, elevate, liberate, and unite a person with God. It is thus supremely sublime and pure. But a distinction needs to be made between two kinds of knowledge—theoretical information and practical realization.

There is one kind of knowledge that is acquired by reading the scriptures and hearing from the Guru. This theoretical information is insufficient by itself. It is just as if someone has memorized a cookbook but has never entered the kitchen. Such theoretical knowledge of cooking does not help in satiating one’s hunger. Similarly, one may acquire theoretical knowledge on the topics of the soul, God, Maya, karm, jñāna, and bhakti from the Guru, but that by itself does not make a person God-realized. When one practices sādhanā in accordance with the theory, it results in purification of the mind. Then, from within one gets realization of the nature of the self and its relationship with God. The Sage Patañjali states: śhrutānumāna-prajñābhyām anya-viṣhayā viśheṣhārthatvāt (Yog Darśhan 1.49)

“The knowledge attained by realization from within through the practice of Yoga is far superior to theoretical knowledge of the scriptures.” Such realized knowledge is being extolled by Shree Krishna as the purest sublime thing.

But it is for the first time we hear about Nachiketas Crossing over the three nights, piercing the three (Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra)] knots, has arrived at the fourth state – the Turiya. Please go through a very detailed explanation as to how Nachiketas solved his problem on Death and also how to conquer the Death, presented  by  Sri. Anirvan. Shri Anirvan was a Vedic scholar, philosopher and author. He was widely known as a great scholar who wrote commentaries on Vedas and other Hindu scriptures as well as Hindu arshan and spiritual traditions. He is the author of three volume treatise “Veda Mimamsa”. He also blessed Shri Ram Swarup and Shri Sita Ram Goel and their publishing house, “Voice of India”, widely credited as the intellectual foundation of Hindu Renaissance.

 Three Nights as Three Knots in Consciousness: Spiritual Symbolism in Kathopanishad

 (by: Shri Anirvan )

What is the symbolic meaning of three nights that Nachiketa spent in fasting? Read this insightful piece to find out.

 “At Yama’s place, Nachiketa passed three nights, fasting, When Yama came home, his people told him – A Brahmana guest enters the house like a Fire, O, Vaivasvata Yama, bring water for him and propitiate him – all (householders) do it.” (Katha Upanishad 1.7)

With the help of his heart’s illumination, taking the Sun-Path, Nachiketa is moving forward. First there is the light of the day; then comes darkness of night. Like that he crosses over three nights. The story moves forward. Here there is a similarity with a hymn in Rgveda (10/135). The Rishi is Kumara Yamayana and the deity (Devata) is Yama. The story is told in detail in the Taittiriya Brahmana (3/11). There the story is alluded to with reference to Nachiketa Fire.

In the Upanishad its spiritual and philosophical ideas are developed. Truths are presented in the Veda mystically, in Brahmans ritualistically and in the Upanishads philosophically. Three nights are three darknesses, three knots in the consciousness (granthi).

In the individual consciousness the three knots are 

(1) Brahma-granthi at the Navel, 

(2) Visnu-granthi at the heart and 

(3) Rudra-granthi at the middle of the brows – bhru-madhya. 

Crossing over the three nights, piercing the three knots, Nachiketa has arrived at the fourth state – the Turiya.

Brahma-granthi-the knot at the Navel is the knot of ordinary natural – Prakrti-consciousness. Nachiketa’s vision that creatures die again and again – “Punarapi Jananam, Punarapi Maranam” – the cycle of birth and death is of that nature. He sees all creatures fall in the snare of death again and again.

Ignorance – avidya – holds on to ‘ego’-I-ness. Those who think only of ordinary worldly, life are the atheists. They are bound by the knot of Brahma-Prajapati. They are bound by the noose of death, “This is one night. But in it aspiration arises. Aspiration for knowledge. It had arisen in Nachiketa. Yet there is bondage. The bondage of worldly things, worldly happiness. One has to rise above it.

These nights cannot be crossed over only by one’s efforts: Grace is necessary. Of course one has to be alert, awake, always mindful and pure – samanaska–suchi. The first night is brahmi ratri, brahmi maya – night of creator god, illusion of Brahma! Though spiritual thirst, aspiration for knowledge awakes, it is difficult to find the way to cross over. By the grace and power of some unknown force (god’s force and Grace) the Sadhaka is able to cross over. The second dark night is called Vishnu granthi. The knot of God, Vishnu – the sustaining, maintaining power of God. This is Vaishnavi Maya – illusion power of Vishnu.

The Sadhaka moves forward. Goes on performing many sacrifices – sadhanas – spiritual practices. As a result of sacrifice one attains desired worlds. There is no dearth of worldly enjoyments, even heavenly enjoyments. Even death is not there. One can go beyond death, disease and old age. But he is still bound by Karma – fruits of actions. Fine emotions, good and noble desires arise. But one has to go beyond these good and noble desires. This is more difficult. When one tries to go beyond Good, then he faces another darkness. If one has arrived at this state properly, here too the law of illumination will begin to work. To save oneself from this vaishhnavimaya one has to go beyond all relish – all desires – all tastes – There should be renunciation of all desires – even the desire for realization or liberation – rasavada – varjana.

In Mandukya-Karika – commentary on the Mandukya-Upanisad by Gaudapada, the great-guru of Shankaracharya, the sadhaka is advised to give up, relinquish four things, the first is Kashaya Varjana all types of tastes, flavors, emotions, passions etc. are to be relinquished. The second is Vikshhepa Varjana’ – throwing away, removing all types of obstacles, confusions of mind etc. Concentrated meditation is a great help here. The third is ‘Haya Varjana’. As a result of concentration and meditation, a type of sleep, unconsciousness, stupefaction comes over. That has to be overpowered. One has to remain alert and conscious within all the time. And the fourth is ‘Rasavada-varjana’. Sadhaka will have attractive visions, allurements of cosmic, heavenly worlds of many types. Desire to enjoy all these heavenly worlds becomes powerful.

This very subtle desire too has to be overcome and relinquished. At this stage, at the borderline of this state, comes another darkness. This is the third night. The consciousness has become very clear, illuminated. It is full of positive experience. This is the state when, one has to crossover from all positive = iti – experience to neti – to negative, to nothingness, sunyata. The place of Rudra granthi – the knot of Rudra – the deity of dissolution is at the middle of the brows – bhrti madhya. One has to die, die to everything, and hyembrace Death. There is no peace till then. Nachhiketas will talk to Yama – the death – god from, this third state.

Nachiketas has to say something about all these three stages. That is shown through the three boons he asks for. In the first boon, he wants to return to the world. In the second place he asks for strength to achieve fully all bliss and heavenly happiness. In the third boon, he wants to know the state after the third state, after Death. Yama easily grants his first two boons, but hesitates, does not want to give a direct  answer to the third boon.

[Source: 37-39, Kathopanishad – Anirvan, Akshay Prakashan, New Delhi]

 

CONCLUSION

“The problem of the Katha Upanishad may be regarded as what pertains to the enigma of life and death. The great question of life is also the great question of death. While life is a great mystery before us, death stares at us as a still greater mystery. Both these sides of the same coin of experience stand before us as an eternal query which sages and saints from time immemorial have been trying to confront and solve to the satisfaction of each individual seeker.

The Katha Upanishad is given to us by the Lord of Death in the context of the aspiration of Nachiketas who sought for eternal life. It is death that leads to life, as it were. ‘Die to live’, is the main theme of one of the songs of His Holiness Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj. Unless you die to the self, you cannot live the life eternal. "Unless you be reborn and be as children, you cannot enter the gates of heaven", said the Christ. All great men think alike.

Life and death are a continuous process. They are not ends in themselves. And the three questions of Nachiketas, as well as the boons bestowed on him by Yama, pertain to the evolutionary process of the cosmos from sense to mind, from mind to Spirit; from objects to the internal conditioning factors of perception, and finally to the Absolute. Sense, mind and Spirit are the stages of the Katha Upanishad exposition. That is why we have here an explanation of the world of experience through the senses, as well as the world of pure thought, ending with the exposition of the nature of the Spirit. And the Spirit is the death of all things—mrityur yasyo-pasechanam. The Nasadiya Sukta of the Veda says that both death and immortality are shadows of the Eternal. Even immortality is a reflection cast by it. Life and death are relativistic counterparts of each other and they become a mystery, an enigma before us when we try to understand them with our intellect working in terms of sensory perception. The Spirit is the absorber of all things. It is the explanation of everything. There is a vidya in the Chhandogya Upanishad, called Samvarga-vidya, which means the ‘Knowledge of the absorber of everything’. Objects are absorbed into the All-mind, which, again, is absorbed into the Supreme Spirit. This is the philosophical and spiritual secret behind the sublime knowledge given to us in the Katha Upanishads.”--Swami Krishnananda

In the last Valli  Mṛtyu repeats the concept of immortality that he had described at length  before and discusses aspects of attaining it. Those who realize this all-pervading Ātmā attain immortality (verse 6.2). Everything in this universe is under the control of Ātmā and follows its rules (6.3). Ātmā is the ultimate of all and is beyond the grasp of the senses; those who know it become immortal (6.7 to 6.9, 6.12, 6.13 and 6.18). Since Ātmā is not within the reach of senses, seekers have to rely on other means. They must refrain from going after the senses; instead, they have to control their activities; this control of senses is called yoga. This will take them to realization of the ever-existing Ātmā (6.11). When one gets rid of all the Kāma within (through this control of the wandering senses) he will become immortal (6.14 and 6.15). Mentioning about the different types of nerves in the ‘Heart,’ verse 6.16 points out the particular nerve that lays down the path to immortality. Path to immortality is  the theme of all Upanishads, that they do in their own style that we have discussed in the past.

REFERENCES:

1.   Swami Chinmyananda, Kathopanishad, Central Chinmaya Mission  Trust, Mumbai, India

2.   Eknath Easwaran, The Upanishads, Nilgiri Press, www. easwaran.org

3.   Swami Prabhipada, Bhagavad Gita, Thew Macmillan Company, New York.

4.   Swami Krishnanda, Discourse on Kathopanishad, Internet

5.  Sreedharan Kartikeyan,  Science Of Upanishads, direct Communication