In ancient times, there lived a very rich man who performed a sacrifice that required the sacrificer to give everything he had. But this man was not sincere. He wanted to gain fame and glory for performing such a sacrifice by sacrificing objects that had lost value to him, such as old, barren and crippled cows.
This man had a son whose name was Nachiketas. The boy saw that his father had done wrong, that he had broken his vow and must die. In India, father and mother are living gods, and children in their presence do not dare to speak or do anything without permission, but must simply stand. Therefore, the boy approached his father and, not daring to ask a direct question, asked him:
-Who will you give me to? Sacrifice requires that everything be given.
The father was very upset by the question and answered:
-What are you saying, child? Can a father give away his own son?
The boy repeated his question a second time and a third time, and the father, getting angry, finally said:
- I will give you to Yama (the god of Death).
And the boy really went to the Lord of Death. But the god Yama was not at home, and the young man had to wait for three days at the door of the Lord of Death. On the third day Yama returned.
“Ah, learned man,” he said, “you waited for me for three days without eating anything; you are a guest worthy of full respect. Welcome! I really regret that I was not at home. But for this I will reward you. Ask me three things - one per day of waiting.
“My first request,” said the boy, “is that my father will stop being angry with me, be kind to me, and recognize me when you allow me to return.”
Yama promised that this would be fulfilled.
The next request was for clarification regarding the sacrifice that carried a person to heaven.
Then the boy said the third wish:
- I am completely perplexed. When a person dies, some say that he exists after that, others say that he no longer exists. I want your clarification on this problem!
This question confused Yama. He was ready to fulfill other requests, but then he said:
“In ancient times, the gods themselves found it difficult to answer this question. This law is not easy to understand. Ask for something else, don’t insist, and free me from the need to fulfill this request.
But Nachiketas was a determined youth and said:
“You say, Lord of Death, that even the gods had doubts about this problem and that it is not easy to understand such things. But I cannot find another mentor like you, and no other mercy can replace this one.
Then Yama said:
- Ask for sons and grandsons who would live a hundred years; ask for cattle, elephants, horses, gold. Ask for an earthly kingdom and whatever long life you want. Or choose other mercies that you think are equal to these. I can give you the ability to satisfy all your desires. Ask even for those things that are most difficult to obtain in this world. Now, look at these heavenly maidens, at this music, at these chariots, the like of which mortals do not know; let them serve you, O Nachiketas, but do not ask me about the secret of death.
“All these, O Lord of Death, are transitory things,” said Nachiketas. “They deplete the energy of the senses. Even the longest life is short. Keep your horses, dancers and musicians. A person cannot be satisfied with wealth. Will we keep our wealth when we look you in the face? No, we only live as long as you want. Therefore, the mercy that I have already asked for is the only one that I want to receive from you.
Yama liked the boy's courage and said:
“Indeed, my child, perfection is one thing, but pleasure is another.” These two things, having different results, define a person. He who chooses perfection becomes pure; the one who chooses pleasures does not achieve the true goal. Perfection and pleasure offer themselves to man, and only the wise explore them and distinguish one from the other. He chooses perfection as superior to pleasure; but a fool chooses pleasure for the sake of his body. You, Nachiketas, having discussed the nature of the things that are so desired in this world, have quite rightly rejected them.
And then Yama began to teach Nachiketas the secrets of life and death.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru