NACHIKETA
His is a revered
name that figures even in one of the Upanishads,
For Nachiketa
was the first spiritual seeker, and also the youngest.
He was a just a tender five year old boy, but
blessed with great maturity,
Nachiketa chided
his father when he was giving useless goods in charity.
When Nachiketa
asked him to whom he would donate his young self,
His father told
in sudden rage he would give him to Yama himself.
Though the
father regretted the rash words spoken in anger and haste,
Nachiketa went
on to meet the God of Death, without a moment to waste.
However it so happened he could not meet the
busy Yama any too soon.
After 3 days,
the Death God, seeing his persistence, offered three boons.
The first one
was easy, where Nachiketa wanted his father to be a king,
The second, whence he wanted ritualistic knowledge was also no big thing.
But the
Nachiketa’s request against the third boon took away Yama’s breath,
For this little
boy wanted to know what transpired after one’s death!
Though Yama
tried to dissuade him and ask another instead,
Nachiketa stood
his ground and for that boon only insisted.
It is said that
though Yama tried all methods of distraction,
Nachiketa
finally got enlightenment due to his determination.
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