. I am not the original author of those stories. I am only the compiler. I convey my respects and thanks to all the original authors and translators. This is a purely children—service venture. I gain nothing and nothing personally by publication of this blog. So I hope I will not be bound by any copy-right and such restrictions. I dedicate all these stories in the blog to Sri Parama VISVA-Paalakas (Supreme Rulers of this entire Universe): Bhagavan Sri Siddhi Vinayaka, Sri Lakshmi Narayana and Sri Gouri Sankara and Sri Saraswathi and Bhagavan Sri Venkateswara ! I ask them only one boon / blessing from Them in return. Aayu. Aarogya, Aiswaryam and Happiness and the most important Boon of Sri Kaivalayapadam for me (liberation from the cycle of birth and death and oneness with Parama-atma!). I firmly believe They grant me this Boon, because I led a pious life all these years! I also pray Bhagavan: Sarva Janah Sukhino-bhavanthu! (May He / She bestow Peace and Happiness to All the persons in this world) !

Nachiketa

Part-1 Jan—22-2011 Saturday

The Kathopanishad deals with the complex matter of life and death, dealt in the simple manner of a dialogue between the Bhagavan (Bhagavan (Lord)) of death, Yama, and a little boy named Nachiketa. The story of Nachiketa is an inspiring one, and is what forms the basis of the entire Kathopanishad.

Nachiketa was the son of the rishi Uddalaka. Uddalaka was a great Rishi with great capability, but just one flaw – he was a miser. Once, he performed a great Yagna to please the gods. It is customary to donate cows, money, clothes and food to Brahmins during a yagna, but Uddalaka loathed spending precious money to make the donations. He sought an easy way out, donating old and weak cows past their milk-bearing stage, which no one would otherwise take, to the Brahmins who arrived for the yagna. Nachiketa was aware of this, and was deeply disturbed by the parsimony of his father.

He attempted to speak to his father, warning him of the effect of his wrong-doing, but Uddalaka turned a deaf ear to his wise son. Nachiketa did not give up, but instead asked his father, “I too am your property, a property which does not yield any returns. Whom will you donate me to?” This question annoyed / irritated Uddalaka so much that he finally lost his patience and shouted, “I shall donate you to God Yama!” Yama was the Bhagavan (Bhagavan (Lord)) of death, presiding over the nether regions called ‘Yama Puri’, and Nachiketa decided to go there, as commanded by his father.

As soon as Uddalaka realized what had happened, he repented for his anger as well his greed, and tried to persuade Nachiketa to stay back. However, Nachiketa was firm. He had been given to Yama in charity by the word of his father, and he would gladly go to the abode of death in fulfillment of his father’s command. --------- Compiler : Prof. Komaragiri Venkata Ramana Rao. Ph.D., (Retired Professor; Andhra University College of Engineering); Astrologer-Scienitst. Durham. NC; U.S.A.: (Tatayya = Grand-father). My e-mail address : pandit@jyothishi.com---------- I dedicate all these stories in the blog to Sri Parama Paalakas (Supreme Rulers of this entire Universe): Bhagavan Sri Siddhi Vinayaka, Sri Lakshmi Narayana and Sri Gouri Sankara and Sri Saraswathi and Bhagavan Sri Venkateswara ! =========================================================