Text: ओं सहनावितिशान्तिः । ओं उशन्ह वै वाजश्रवसः सर्ववेदसंददौ । तस्य ह नचिकेता नाम पुत्र आस ॥ १ ॥ oṃ sahanāvitiśāntiḥ | oṃ uśanha vai vājaśravasaḥ sarvavedasaṃdadau | tasya ha naciketā nāma putra āsa || 1 || 1. From desire, as story tells, the son of Vajasrava made a gift of all his wealth; he had a son, so the story goes, by name Nachiketas. Shankara’s Commentary: Ushan, desiring for the fruits of the sacrifice....
Text: तँ ह कुमारँ सन्तं दक्षिणासु नीयमानासु श्रद्धाऽऽविवेश सोऽमन्यत ॥ २ ॥ tam̐ ha kumāram̐ santaṃ dakṣiṇāsu nīyamānāsu śraddhā’‘viveśa so’manyata || 2 || 2. Him, though young, zeal possessed when rewards were being distributed; he thought. Shankara’s Commentary: Him, i.e., Nachiketas, though in the prime of life, i.e., young and not possessed of the power of procreating zeal, i.e., faith in the existence of a future state, entered, induced by the desire of good to his father....
Text: पीतोदका जग्धतृणा दुग्धदोहा निरिन्द्रियाः । अनन्दा नाम ते लोकास्तान्स गच्छति ता ददत् ॥ ३ ॥ pītodakā jagdhatṛṇā dugdhadohā nirindriyāḥ | anandā nāma te lokāstānsa gacchati tā dadat || 3 || 3. (These cows) have drunk water for the last time, eaten grass for the last time, have yielded all their milk and are devoid of vigour. Joyless verily are those worlds; them he attains who gives these. Shankara’s Commentary: How he thought is explained; the epithet Pitodakah and those which follow describe the cows to be given as rewards....
Text: स होवाच पितरं तत कस्मै मां दास्यसीति । द्वितीयं तृतीयं तँ होवाच मृत्यवे त्वा ददामीति ॥ 4॥ sa hovāca pitaraṃ tata kasmai māṃ dāsyasīti । dvitīyaṃ tṛtīyaṃ tam̐ hovāca mṛtyave tvā dadāmīti ॥ 4॥ 4. He said unto his sire, ‘father, to whom wilt thou give me’; he said this again and for the third time. To him, he said ‘unto Death do I give thee.’ Shankara’s Commentary: Thinking that, as being the duty of a good son, he should ward off the undesirable consequences, which might befall his father on account of the imperfection in the sacrifice, by even giving himself away and thus perfect the sacrifice, he approached his father and said to him, ‘father, to whom, i....
Text: बहूनामेमि प्रथमो बहूनामेमि मध्यमः । किँ स्विद्यमस्य कर्तव्यं यन्मयाद्य करिष्यति ॥ ५ ॥ bahūnāmemi prathamo bahūnāmemi madhyamaḥ | kim̐ svidyamasya kartavyaṃ yanmayādya kariṣyati || 5 || 5. (Nachiketas thought) of many I go the first; of many I go midmost; what is there for Death to do which he can now do by me? Shankara’s Commentary: Thus addressed, the son alone in himself, anxiously reflected; how will be explained; among many, i....
Text: अनुपश्य यथा पूर्वे प्रतिपश्य तथापरे । सस्यमिव मर्त्यः पच्यते सस्यमिवाजायते पुनः ॥ ६ ॥ anupaśya yathā pūrve pratipaśya tathāpare । sasyamiva martyaḥ pacyate sasyamivājāyate punaḥ ॥ 6 ॥ 6. Call to mind how our ancestors behaved and mark also how others now behave; like corn, decays the mortal and like corn is born again. Shankara’s Commentary: Remember and reflect how your deceased ancestor’s father, grandfather and the rest conducted themselves; seeing them, it behoves you to travel in their path; see also how others, good men, now behave....
Text: वैश्वानरः प्रविशत्यतिथिर्ब्राह्मणो गृहान् । तस्यैताँ शान्तिं हर वैवस्वतोदकम् ॥ ७ ॥ vaiśvānaraḥ praviśatyatithirbrāhmaṇo gṛhān । tasyaitām̐ śāntiṃ hara vaivasvatodakam ॥ 7 ॥ 7. Like fire, a Brahman guest enters houses; men give this to quiet him. Vaivasvaia! fetch water. Thus addressed, the father sent him to Death to keep his word and he having gone to the mansion of Death fasted for three nights, Death being away; when Death had gone and returned, his ministers or wife said to inform him, ‘a Brahman guest, verily like fire itself, enters houses burning them; and good men to allay his burning heat as that of fire, propitiate him by giving water to clean his feet, seat to sit upon, etc....
Text: आशाप्रतीक्शे संगतँ सूनृतां चेष्टापूर्ते पुत्रपशूँश्च सर्वान् । एतद्वृङ्क्ते पुरुषस्याल्पमेधसो यस्यानश्नन्वसति ब्राह्मणो गृहे ॥ ८ ॥ āśāpratīkśe saṃgatam̐ sūnṛtāṃ ceṣṭāpūrte putrapaśūm̐śca sarvān । etadvṛṅkte puruṣasyālpamedhaso yasyānaśnanvasati brāhmaṇo gṛhe ॥ 8 ॥ 8. Hope and expectation, company with good men, true and pleasant discourse, sacrifices, acts of pious liberality, children and cattle, all these are destroyed in the case of the ignorant man, in whose house a Brahman guest fasting stays. (8)...
Text: तिस्रो रात्रीर्यदवात्सीर्गृहे मेऽनश्नन्ब्रह्मन्नतिथिर्नमस्यः । नमस्तेऽस्तु ब्रह्मन्स्वस्ति मेऽस्तु तस्मात्प्रति त्रीन्वरान्वृणीष्व ॥ ९ ॥ tisro rātrīryadavātsīrgṛhe me’naśnanbrahmannatithirnamasyaḥ | namaste’stu brahmansvasti me’stu tasmātprati trīnvarānvṛṇīṣva || 9 || 9. As you have lived here. Oh Brahman, a venerable guest in my house for three nights fasting, be my prostration to you, Oh Brahman, may good befall me. Therefore, ask three boons in return. Thus addressed, Death having approached Nachiketas worshipfully, said ‘as you have been living in my house fasting for three nights, a Brahman guest worthy of reverence, therefore be my prostration to you....
Text: शान्तसंकल्पः सुमना यथा स्याद्वीतमन्युर्गौतमो माभिमृत्यो । त्वत्प्रसृष्टं माभिवदेत्प्रतीत एतत्त्रयाणां प्रथमं वरं वृणे ॥ १० ॥ śāntasaṃkalpaḥ sumanā yathā syādvītamanyurgautamo mābhimṛtyo | tvatprasṛṣṭaṃ mābhivadetpratīta etattrayāṇāṃ prathamaṃ varaṃ vṛṇe || 10 || 10. (Nachiketas said) That Gautama may be freed from anxiety, be calm in mind, not wrath against me, that he may recognise and welcome me let go by you—is, Oh Death, the first of the three boons I ask....
Text: यथा पुरस्ताद्भविता प्रतीत अउद्दालकिरारुणिर्मत्प्रसृष्टः । सुखँ रात्रीः शयिता वीतमन्युःत्वां ददृशिवान्मृत्युमुखात्प्रमुक्तम् ॥ ११ ॥ yathā purastādbhavitā pratīta auddālakirāruṇirmatprasṛṣṭaḥ || sukham̐ rātrīḥ śayitā vītamanyuḥtvāṃ dadṛśivānmṛtyumukhātpramuktam || 11 || 11. (Death replies) Auddalaki, the son of Aruna will recognise you, as before, with my permission, will sleep during nights in peace and when he sees you returned from the jaws of Death, will lose his wrath. Shankara’s Commentary: Death replied ‘just as your father’s heart was affectionate towards you before, so your father Auddalaki, the son of Aruna (or the Dvyamushyayana, son of both Uddalaka and Aruna), will be affectionate towards you and confide in you with my permission; he will sleep the rest of the nights in peace of mind and will lose his wrath when he sees you released from the jaws of Death....
Text: स्वर्गे लोके न भयं किंचनास्ति न तत्र त्वं न जरया बिभेति । उभे तीर्त्वाशनायापिपासे शोकातिगो मोदते स्वर्गलोके ॥ १२ ॥ svarge loke na bhayaṃ kiṃcanāsti na tatra tvaṃ na jarayā bibheti | ubhe tīrtvāśanāyāpipāse śokātigo modate svargaloke || 12 || 12. (Nachiketas says) In heaven there is no fear. You are not there; nor there do they in old age fear. Having crossed both hunger and thirst, one in heaven rejoices being above grief....
Text: स त्वमग्निँ स्वर्ग्यमध्येषि मृत्यो प्रब्रूहि त्वँ श्रद्दधानाय मह्यम् । स्वर्गलोका अमृतत्वं भजन्त एतद्द्वितीयेन वृणे वरेण ॥ १३ ॥ sa tvamagnim̐ svargyamadhyeṣi mṛtyo prabrūhi tvam̐ śraddadhānāya mahyam | svargalokā amṛtatvaṃ bhajanta etaddvitīyena vṛṇe vareṇa || 13 || 13. Oh Death! thou knowest the fire which leads to heaven; explain to me who am zealous that (the fire) by which those, whose world is heaven, attain immortality. I pray for this by my second boon....
Text: प्र ते ब्रवीमि तदु मे निबोध स्वर्ग्यमग्निं नचिकेतः प्रजानन् । अनन्तलोकाप्तिमथो प्रतिष्ठां विद्धि त्वमेतं निहितं गुहायाम् ॥ १४ ॥ pra te bravīmi tadu me nibodha svargyamagniṃ naciketaḥ prajānan | anantalokāptimatho pratiṣṭhāṃ viddhi tvametaṃ nihitaṃ guhāyām || 14 || 14. (Death says) I will tell thee well; attend to me, Oh Nachiketas, I know the fire leading to heaven; know the fire which leads to heaven and also the support of the universe and which is seated in the cavity....
Text: लोकादिमग्निं तमुवाच तस्मै या इष्टका यावतीर्वा यथा वा । स चापि तत्प्रत्यवदद्यथोक्तंअथास्य मृत्युः पुनरेवाह तुष्टः ॥ १५ ॥ lokādimagniṃ tamuvāca tasmai yā iṣṭakā yāvatīrvā yathā vā | sa cāpi tatpratyavadadyathoktaṃathāsya mṛtyuḥ punarevāha tuṣṭaḥ || 15 || 15. Death told him the fire, the source of the worlds what altars (to be raised), how many and how, and Nachiketas repeated it all as explained. Then Death, being delighted, said to him again....