Nachiketa- A Tender Firmness

Swami Vivekananda has said, “If I get ten boys with the faith of Nachiketa, I can turn the thoughts and pursuits of this country into a new channel.”

Let us see the virtues of perseverance in a seven year old boy, whose obedience reaped Godliness Itself.

Once there lived a affluent brahmin, in a town. He was renowned for charities. He had a good family as well. His son was Nachiketa. He even, owned thousands of milch cows and sturdy bulls.
One day, he performed a yajna, where he took a vow of donating the ‘best of his assets’ to the needy. After the yajna was completed successfully, he began giving old and sick cows and bulls to the people. His son was not happy with his father’s deeds. He went to his father and asked him the name of the Lord, to whom his father would offer in the sacrament. Listening to the words of a naive boy, his father ignored. Nachiketa asked him the second time, his father neglected the question. The boy was obstinate and asked for the third time, placing his feet at the margins of the grand fire of the alter. With a stern look, amidst all the guests in the yajna, his father said that he would give Nachiketa to Yamaraja, Lord of Death. Nachiketa accepted the words of his father as a command, and left to meet Yamaraja. In Yamalok, Yamaraja was not present. He waited for his arrival for three days and nights, without food and water. On the third day, he saw Yamaraja approaching his palace. Nachiketa paid respects to him. Yama asked him the reason ffor visiting him, despite death had not knocked at his doorstep. Nachiketa narrated the happenings, and asked Yama to tale him to Lord, for he had come to him, for his Eternal purpose. Yama was perplexed, he tried to console the boy, and asked him to ask for any three materialistic boons, but denied to take him to Lord. The boy was not ready to accept the worldly boons. He pleaded. At last, Yamaraja became his Guru and taught him the Eternal lessons of the True Self. And, soon the boy realized It. Chanting and meditation practices were taught and he attained It. Yama was happy with his shishya and told him to ask for remaining two boons. The boy asked Yama to ask Lord, to render forgiveness to his father, despite his treachery after the yajna. Yama bestowed it. Then, Nachiketa asked the most….. important boon, after realizing the Self. He asked Yama to bestow him simplicity on the Earth, so that no one, except his father, was aware about the potencies of Nachiketa. He wanted his father to be aware of the notion, for he may not rebuke him for his mischief of running away. Yama smiled and blessed the boy.
Nachiketa paid respects to his Guru and left for the abode of mortals, and lived a lucid life. He lived a simple, but lucid boy, serving his father.

Such were the penances of Nachiketa, who loved Lord for the sake of Lord. We have to live a life like Him, may we pick up some priceless virtues from His life. He forgave the deeds of his father’s bad deeds, and even asked Lord to forgive him. He even avoided the limelight to adorn him, but only wanted the glories of the Eternal Lord to echo in the planet. This parable is not imaginary, but a true one from the Vedas.

A large target awaits… let us begin our journey.