Previously:
During the conversation, Nachiketa casually asked his father - 'since you are giving away your possessions and belongings to these old Brahman priests, to whom you will give me?
Surprisingly, he was bombarded with the most unexpected and cruel answer by his father -
'To death shall I give you.'
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Nachiketa does not seem to be an ordinary child.
Instead of letting his emotions cloud his judgment and make him confused and angry, he starts thinking logically.
He thought - his father surely does not want him to die.
There must be some other meaning of what his father had said.
He also knew from his knowledge of scriptures and personal experience that death is not an uncommon, unnatural, or even avoidable phenomenon.
He says to himself:
बहूनामेमि प्रथमो, बहूनामेमि मध्यमः
किं स्विदयमस्य कर्तव्यं यन्मया अद्य करिष्यति
Bakhunamemi prathmo, bahunamemi madhyamah
Kim swid yamasya kartavyam yanmayaadya krishyati
(Kathopnishad 1-5)
"Of many, I may go first (before) - of many, I may go midst. (with them or after them)
What is there for Yama to do, which he (Yama) can now do by me (or through me)?"
Nachiketa knew that there is no certainty of life.
He must have observed people dying at different stages of their life - young, old - people of all different ages.
He knew that he could die before his peers - or his peers could die before him. There are no guarantees - No one knows how long they are going to live.
In other words, he knows that he may go before or after many others, yet, he is contemplating that there must be a reason for his father to say those words now - at that particular moment.
He wants to understand and obey the wish of his father - without questioning him. He knows his loving father definitely could not have any ill-wishes towards his son, so he is wondering -"what is there, which will be accomplished by Yama through me, to whom I am being sent by my father."
Everyone is afraid of death. Most people do not feel comfortable even talking about it.
But here is this young boy, who is thinking so wisely and analyzing the situation in a very mature manner.
I remember, during the last few weeks of her life, in February 1994 - my mother said to me that she knew her time is up, and she wants to be prepared and ready for the next phase.
I asked her - "why are you thinking and talking about death and all that stuff?
She said - "do you remember your school days?
Few days before the final exams, you always used to get so worried and scared, and I used to tell you that you don't need to be afraid. All you have to do is study and prepare well and be ready for it.
Now it's my turn. My end time is approaching soon, and instead of being scared, I want to be ready, and I want you to help me prepare for it".
I was astonished by her wisdom and courage. I stopped asking her such questions after that and started spending time with her talking about Adhyatm (regarding Atma - Parmatma) and doing Sumiran.
However, Nachiketa is thinking even a step further; in fact, in a different realm.
There is no sense of fear at all in his mind.
In fact, he is being very optimistic when he says - 'What is there that will be accomplished by Yamaraj through me - to whom I am being sent by my father.'
He is thinking about his purpose - what is there that he can accomplish by meeting Yamraj - for himself and for the benefit of others.
'Rajan Sachdeva'
(To Be Continued)
