Katha Upanishad

पीतोदका जग्धतृणा दुग्धदोहा निरिन्द्रियाः । अनन्दा नाम ते लोकास्तान् स गच्छति ता ददत्

They are waterless, have eaten grass, have yielded their milk, are powerless. Those worlds are called joyless; he who gives such goes to them.

स होवाच पितरं तत कस्मै मां दास्यसीति । द्वितीयं तृतीयं तँ होवाच मृत्यवे त्वा ददामीति

He spoke to his father: 'To whom will you give me?' He asked a second and third time. The father replied: 'I give you to Death.'

बहूनामेमि प्रथमो बहूनामेमि मध्यमः । किँ स्विद्यमस्य कर्तव्यं यन्मयाऽद्य करिष्यति

Among many, I am the first; among many, I am the middle. What is this that my father intends to do with me today?

अनुपश्य यथा पूर्वे प्रतिपश्य तथाऽपरे । सस्यमिव मर्त्यः पच्यते सस्यमिवाजायते पुनः

Look at how those before have acted, and observe how those after will act. Like grain, mortals ripen and are harvested; like grain, they are born again.

वैश्वानरः प्रविशत्यतिथिर्ब्राह्मणो गृहान् । तस्यैताँ शान्तिं कुर्वन्ति हर वैवस्वतोदकम्

The fire of Vaiśvānara enters the homes as a guest, the Brahmin. They make peace with him. Bring water for Vaivasvata.

आशाप्रतीक्षे संगतँ सूनृतां चेष्टापूर्ते पुत्रपशूँश्च सर्वान् । एतद्वृङ्क्ते पुरुषस्याल्पमेधसो यस्यानश्नन्वसति ब्राह्मणो गृहे

Hope, expectation, companionship, pleasant speech, actions, offerings, sons and cattle—all these are taken away from the man of little understanding in whose house a Brahmin guest dwells unfed.

तिस्रो रात्रीर्यदवात्सीर्गृहे मे- ऽनश्नन् ब्रह्मन्नतिथिर्नमस्यः । नमस्तेऽस्तु ब्रह्मन् स्वस्ति मेऽस्तु तस्मात्प्रति त्रीन्वरान्वृणीष्व

For three nights you have stayed in my house, O Brahmin, without eating, as a revered guest. Salutations to you, O Brahmin. May there be well-being for me. Therefore, choose three boons.

शान्तसंकल्पः सुमना यथा स्याद् वीतमन्युर्गौतमो माऽभि मृत्यो । त्वत्प्रसृष्टम् माऽभिवदेत्प्रतीत एतत् त्रयाणां प्रथमं वरं वृणे

May Gautama, my father, be calm in mind, kind, free from anger toward me, O Death. May he recognize me, released by you, and greet me with joy. This is the first boon I choose.

यथा पुरस्ताद् भविता प्रतीत औद्दालकिरारुणिर्मत्प्रसृष्टः । सुखँ रात्रीः शयिता वीतमन्युः त्वां ददृशिवान्मृत्युमुखात् प्रमुक्तम्

As before, Auddalaki Aruni, my father, will be as he was, at peace, having slept pleasant nights, free from anger, having seen you, freed from the jaws of death.

स्वर्गे लोके न भयं किंचनास्ति न तत्र त्वं न जरया बिभेति । उभे तीर्त्वाऽशनायापिपासे शोकातिगो मोदते स्वर्गलोके

In the heavenly world, there is no fear at all. You are not there, nor is one afraid of old age. Having crossed hunger and thirst, sorrow is gone; one rejoices in heaven.

स त्वमग्निँ स्वर्ग्यमध्येषि मृत्यो प्रब्रूहि त्वँ श्रद्दधानाय मह्यम् । स्वर्गलोका अमृतत्वं भजन्त एतद् द्वितीयेन वृणे वरेण

O Death, teach me the fire that leads to heaven. Tell it to me, who has faith. Those in heaven attain immortality. This is the second boon I choose.

प्र ते ब्रवीमि तदु मे निबोध स्वर्ग्यमग्निं नचिकेतः प्रजानन् । अनन्तलोकाप्तिमथो प्रतिष्ठां विद्धि त्वमेतं निहितं गुहायाम्

I will tell you; listen to me. Nachiketa, knowing the fire that leads to heaven. Know the attainment of endless worlds and the foundation. Understand this, hidden within the cave.

लोकादिमग्निं तमुवाच तस्मै या इष्टका यावतीर्वा यथा वा । स चापि तत्प्रत्यवदद्यथोक्तं अथास्य मृत्युः पुनरेवाह तुष्टः

He explained to him the fire that is the origin of worlds, what bricks, how many, and in what manner. Nachiketa also repeated it as instructed. Then Death, pleased, spoke to him again.

तमब्रवीत् प्रीयमाणो महात्मा वरं तवेहाद्य ददामि भूयः । तवैव नाम्ना भविताऽयमग्निः सृङ्कां चेमामनेकरूपां गृहाण

The great soul, pleased, said to him: 'Today I grant you another boon here. This fire will bear your name. Take this many-formed chain.'

त्रिणाचिकेतस्त्रिभिरेत्य सन्धिं त्रिकर्मकृत्तरति जन्ममृत्यू । ब्रह्मजज्ञं देवमीड्यं विदित्वा निचाय्येमाँ शान्तिमत्यन्तमेति

He who performs the three Nachiketa fires, who does the threefold ritual, crosses birth and death. Knowing the divine Brahma-born, worthy of praise, he attains ultimate peace.

त्रिणाचिकेतस्त्रयमेतद्विदित्वा य एवं विद्वाँश्चिनुते नाचिकेतम् । स मृत्युपाशान् पुरतः प्रणोद्य शोकातिगो मोदते स्वर्गलोके

He who knows the three Nachiketa fires, who thus understands and establishes Nachiketa, drives away the bonds of death before him, and, freed from sorrow, rejoices in heaven.

एष तेऽग्निर्नचिकेतः स्वर्ग्यो यमवृणीथा द्वितीयेन वरेण । एतमग्निं तवैव प्रवक्ष्यन्ति जनासः तृतीयं वरं नचिकेतो वृणीष्व

This is your Nachiketa fire, leading to heaven, which you have chosen as your second boon. People will speak of this fire as yours. Nachiketa, choose your third boon.

येयं प्रेते विचिकित्सा मनुष्ये- ऽस्तीत्येके नायमस्तीति चैके । एतद्विद्यामनुशिष्टस्त्वयाऽहं वराणामेष वरस्तृतीयः

There is this doubt among humans concerning the departed: some say 'he exists,' others say 'he does not exist.' I wish to be instructed in this knowledge by you; this is the third boon I choose.

देवैरत्रापि विचिकित्सितं पुरा न हि सुविज्ञेयमणुरेष धर्मः । अन्यं वरं नचिकेतो वृणीष्व मा मोपरोत्सीरति मा सृजैनम्

Even among the gods, this matter was debated in the past; this subtle law is not easily understood. Choose another boon, Nachiketa, do not press me, let go of this request.

देवैरत्रापि विचिकित्सितं किल त्वं च मृत्यो यन्न सुज्ञेयमात्थ । वक्ता चास्य त्वादृगन्यो न लभ्यो नान्यो वरस्तुल्य एतस्य कश्चित्

Even among the gods, this was indeed debated; and you, Death, say it is not easily understood. A teacher like you is not found elsewhere; no other boon equals this one.

शतायुषः पुत्रपौत्रान्वृणीष्वा बहून्पशून् हस्तिहिरण्यमश्वान् । भूमेर्महदायतनं वृणीष्व स्वयं च जीव शरदो यावदिच्छसि

Choose sons and grandsons who live a hundred years, many cattle, elephants, gold, and horses. Choose a vast domain on earth, and live yourself as many autumns as you desire.

एतत्तुल्यं यदि मन्यसे वरं वृणीष्व वित्तं चिरजीविकां च । महाभूमौ नचिकेतस्त्वमेधि कामानां त्वा कामभाजं करोमि

If you consider any boon equal to this, choose wealth and long life. Become lord of great lands, Nachiketa; I will make you the enjoyer of all desires.

ये ये कामा दुर्लभा मर्त्यलोके सर्वान् कामाँश्छन्दतः प्रार्थयस्व । इमा रामाः सरथाः सतूर्या न हीदृशा लम्भनीया मनुष्यैः । आभिर्मत्प्रत्ताभिः परिचारयस्व नचिकेतो मरणं माऽनुप्राक्षीः

Whatever desires are hard to obtain in the mortal world, ask for them all freely. Here are these beauties with chariots and musical instruments; such things are not gained by mortals. With these, given by me, enjoy yourself; Nachiketa, do not inquire about death.

श्वोभावा मर्त्यस्य यदन्तकैतत् सर्वेंद्रियाणां जरयंति तेजः । अपि सर्वं जीवितमल्पमेव तवैव वाहास्तव नृत्यगीते

All that is mortal ends tomorrow; these consume the vigor of all the senses. Even all life is short; yours are the chariots, yours the dance and song.

न वित्तेन तर्पणीयो मनुष्यो लप्स्यामहे वित्तमद्राक्ष्म चेत्त्वा । जीविष्यामो यावदीशिष्यसि त्वं वरस्तु मे वरणीयः स एव

Man is not satisfied by wealth. We could obtain wealth if we saw you. We could live as long as you rule. But the boon I desire is that one alone.

अजीर्यताममृतानामुपेत्य जीर्यन्मर्त्यः क्वधःस्थः प्रजानन् । अभिध्यायन् वर्णरतिप्रमोदान् अतिदीर्घे जीविते को रमेत

Having approached the undecaying, the immortal, the decaying mortal, dwelling among perishable things, knowing this, who, reflecting on beauty and pleasure, would delight in a long life?

यस्मिन्निदं विचिकित्सन्ति मृत्यो यत्साम्पराये महति ब्रूहि नस्तत् । योऽयं वरो गूढमनुप्रविष्टो नान्यं तस्मान्नचिकेता वृणीते

That about which there is doubt, O Death, that great matter concerning the hereafter, tell us that. This boon, which is hidden and entered deep, Nachiketa chooses; he asks for no other.

अन्यच्छ्रेयोऽन्यदुतैव प्रेय- स्ते उभे नानार्थे पुरुषँ सिनीतः । तयोः श्रेय आददानस्य साधु भवति हीयतेऽर्थाद्य उ प्रेयो वृणीते

There is one thing called the good, another called the pleasant; both approach a person with different purposes. Among them, the one who chooses the good fares well; the one who chooses the pleasant falls away from the goal.

श्रेयश्च प्रेयश्च मनुष्यमेतः तौ सम्परीत्य विविनक्ति धीरः । श्रेयो हि धीरोऽभि प्रेयसो वृणीते प्रेयो मन्दो योगक्षेमाद्वृणीते

Both the good and the pleasant come to a person; the wise, after examining them, distinguishes. The wise chooses the good over the pleasant; the foolish chooses the pleasant for the sake of gain and preservation.