Highest state of bliss is where"knowledge of Brahman becomes a fact of direct experience.”
Introduction to Katha Upanishad
Dr. C.S. Shah
All Upanishads are written in Sanskrit, and the commentary by Acharya
Shankara is taken as the most authentic. Upanishads are based on the
dialogue between a realized soul acting as the Teacher, Rishi, and a
sincere seeker of Truth who approaches Him as a disciple.
In Katha Upanishad the teacher is Yama - The Death Himself - and the
student is a young Nachiketa in his teens. This Upanishad is one of
the most popular Upanishads for its simplicity and clarity in making
the subject matter regarding the highest truth easily comprehensible.
It consists altogether of 120 verses.
This summary is based on the English exposition of Katha Upanishad by
Swami Ghambhirananda of Ramakrishna Order, which in turn takes
Shankara's commentary as its basis. I am not a scholar, nor do I know
Sanskrit. I accept the Truths of Upanishads because I know Sri
Ramakrishna had objectified - personified - Upanishadic Truths in his
life. Later Swami Vivekananda, his foremost disciple, decided to make
all these truths broadcast all over the globe for the benefit of
humanity.
The Contents
As the story goes, Vajashrava, Nachiketa's father, decided to acquire
fruits of sacrificial ritual -Viswajit Yagna- in which the performer
had to give away all his precious possessions. Cows were designated
as valuable and special possessions in those very ancient days, and
hence Vajashrava decided to donate all his cows to Brahmins.
Nachiketa was in his teens, and he was observing the sacrificial
ritual with innocent interest. However, he was surprised to notice
that his father was giving away only old and disabled cows, cows 'who
had given their milk for the last time and who were not capable of
bearing calves'.
This 'worldly cleverness' of his father produced unfathomable change
in the heart of this young boy in whose heart now entered Shraddha -
Faith. Nachiketa, in order to dissuade his father from engaging in
further mean acts, asked," O father, whom have you decided to give me
away?” (The purport was to bring to the notice of his father the fact
that he has to give his everything and not just old cows.)
Initially, the father did not take any notice of this 'childish'
question, but Nachiketa was insistent. He repeated the question
thrice when the irritated father said," O. K. O Nachiketa, I give you
to Death.”
Thus ordained, young Nachiketa went to the kingdom of Yama - The
Death - where he waited for the return of Death from his duties. On
his return, Yama was told about the 'Brahmin boy waiting for him for
there days without food or water'.
Yama praised sincerity of Nachiketa to wait for him, but also felt
grieved that he was responsible for keeping a Brahmin boy waiting for
him. Therefore, he granted three boons to Nachiketa one each for a
day of waiting.
The Boons
"O Death, of the three boons you have offered me, I ask for the first
to the effect that my father may become freed from anxiety about me
and he may recognize me and talk to me when freed by you,"
The boon was granted. As the next boon Nachiketa asked for granting
him the knowledge of the means to attain higher life in the heaven
and immortality. There is a dialogue between Yama and the boy about
the primordial Fire and sacrificial rituals to attain to heavenly
life. Yama tells him about the methods and ways of performing these
Yagnas etc. Death tells him that it is the sharpened intellect of
the enlightened one, which qualifies that sadhaka to become fit to go
to heaven. In heaven there is no fear, fear of old age, etc. having
transcended both hunger and thirst, and crossed over sorrow, one
rejoices in the heavenly world.
The Third Boon
Then comes the main subject matter of this Upanishad. As regards his
third boon, Nachiketa wants to know:
"This doubt that arises, consequent on the death of a man - some
saying 'It (The SELF) exists', and others saying 'It (The SELF) does
not exist'. I would like to know this, under your instruction, O
Death, what is the Truth.”
Nachiketa had asked for the ultimate knowledge. What is death, what
is after death! What is Reality and what is Truth. Yama tries to
dissuade the young boy from going into these subtle questions of
immense intricacies for Death was not sure whether Nachiketa was
qualified to receive this knowledge for which only an occasional and
rare aspires. Yama says to the boy," O Nachiketa, ask for health,
life, riches, jewels, and enjoyment. Ask for lasting kingdom and
armies, ask for anything in this world or of heaven, I will grant you
all this as your third boon, but do not force me to go into the
secrets of life and death. Do not insist for ultimate knowledge.”
But Nachiketa argues that all worldly treasures and heavenly
pleasures come to an end sooner or later. If not day after, after
hundred years. These are not permanent means of enjoyment. He insists
to get the ultimate knowledge of Self, 'for, O Death, you have
promised me the third boon'.
Seeing the determination, faith, sincerity, and perseverance of
Nachiketa, seeing him to be the perfect disciple, Death agrees to
tell him about the Ultimate Reality: Brahman or Atman.
And as Death goes on elaborating the subtlety and nuances of means
and methods to achieve that transcendental state, consciousness of
Nachiketa also is getting established in that altered state to
experience those Truths.
It is wonderful fact that if the Teacher and the taught are of
highest qualifications, it is a matter of minutes to enter the state
of samadhi. As the Teacher explains so does the disciple experiences
the Truths spoken.
Nachiketa gets established into highest state of bliss where
'knowledge of Brahman becomes a fact of direct experience'. The same
thing can be seen when Arjuna experiences the cosmic form of Sri
Krishna when the Lord is telling him the Gita!
— Dr. C.S. Shah
January 2000
http://www.boloji.com/hinduism/026.htm
Disclaimer: Our material may be copied, printed and distributed by referring to this site. This site also contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available to our readers under the education and research provisions of "fair use" in an effort to advance freedom of inquiry for a better understanding of religious, spiritual and inter-faith issues. The material on this site is distributed without profit. If you wish to use copyrighted material for purposes other than "fair use" you must request permission from the copyright owner.