Page 84 - Moral Stories Vol 5

Nachiketa was the son of Rishi Vajashrava. Vajashrava decided to do a yagnam (ceremonial sacrifices) one day. At the end of the yagnam, Vajashrava was supposed to donate all his wealth to seers1 and Brahmins. He announced that he would give all his cows but gave only weak and diseased cows, that did not give any milk. Young Nachiketa was sad when he saw this wrong act of his father. He knew that such a sacrifice would be of no use as it would not benefit the people who are given such cows. So he asked his father, “Whom will you give me to, Father? I can be of some use to them.” The Rishi first ignored his son but Nachiketa asked again. “Whom will you give me to, Father? This annoyed Rishi Vajashrava. He said in a fit of anger, “I will give you to Yama, the Lord of Death’’. After sometime, the Rishi realized his mistake that he had given his son to the God of Death. He became sad. But Nachiketa was strong in his resolve2. He said, “Do not grieve3 father. I will go to Yama and obey your orders.”
Nachiketa reached the doors of Yamlok, but Yama was not there and he was also not allowed inside. So, Nachiketa waited for three days without food or even water. When Yama returned, he was sad to see a small boy like Nachiketa waiting for him for three days, without any food or water. He admired the boy for his amazing courage and determination to face the Lord of Death. He asked Nachiketa to ask for three boons that he could grant. Nachiketa asked, “My first wish is that my father may become peaceful, loving and free from anger when I return home. My second wish is to grant me the knowledge by which one attains the life of heaven or immortality4. My third wish is to know what happens to the self after death.”
Listening to this, Yama said, “I can grant you the first two wishes but I cannot grant you your third wish. Instead, I can give anything
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