Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Story of Nachiketa Part 14- Swarg Lok (Kathopanishad)

Nachiketa says: Tell me ‘what needs to be known… what needs to be done’ in order to attain Swarg-Lok - the free of fear, worry-free peaceful life and ‘Immortality’.

This is the desire of a great number of people as well… to attain Swarg or Heaven in the ‘afterlife’. Though, the description of the Swarg and Christian heaven or Muslim ‘Jannat or Bahisht’ (paradise) may vary a little but nevertheless, it is a place of everlasting happiness. 
Even those, who do not believe in ‘afterlife’, also strive to live a happy and prosperous life on earth. 
Therefore, while praying at their respective religious places, or to the Guru or some Revered Saints, most people ask for prosperity, happiness and peace.  
“O Lord! Please bless me with Bhakti, Sukh aur Shaanti -devotion, happiness and a peaceful life” is a popular phrase we quite often say and hear in the Satsangs as well.

Certainly, a life full of freedom, happiness and bliss is what everyone wants in this world. Some work for it and earn their happiness by doing the right Karmas with Gyana; the knowledge and understanding. And some believe it would be simply given to them by the grace of a ‘Higher-being’ - even if they keep doing bad deeds of cheating and hurting others.
Shehanshah Baba Avtar Singh ji used to say “I have not forbidden anything for you. Previous saints and Gurus did forbid some specific things. I have only said don't do these few things. 
1. Don't insult or abuse anyone 
2. Don't Hate 
3. Don't steal 
4. Don't cheat or deceive anyone.

If you keep doing these things, then just having the ‘Gyan’ cannot save you.”
                    (From Avtar Updesh)

Nachiketa could have easily asked for a guaranteed place in Swarg as his second boon – since Dharm Raj had promised to grant anything he wanted. But Nachiketa did not want any shortcuts. Instead, he asked for the ‘sacred fire’ – the sacred knowledge that leads to the ‘Swarg. He wants to earn it. Therefore, he says “Tell me about that ‘fire’; the Gyana - by knowing which - one attains freedom from fear. And the knowledge of those great Karmas that lead to Swarg, the life of happiness and bliss.”

Undoubtedly, through this story of Nachiketa, the author of this great Upanishad wants to convey the importance of 'Gyan and Good Karmas' in order to attain the Swarg - ‘the heavenly blissful state of mind’.

        ‘Rajan Sachdeva’

                                           'To be Continued'

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