Text:
स त्वं प्रियान्प्रियरूपाँश्च कामानभिध्यायन्नचिकेतोऽत्यस्राक्शीः ।
नैताँ सृङ्कां वित्तमयीमवाप्तो यस्यां मज्जन्ति बहवो मनुष्याः ॥ ३ ॥sa tvaṃ priyānpriyarūpām̐śca kāmānabhidhyāyannaciketo’tyasrākśīḥ ।
naitām̐ sṛṅkāṃ vittamayīmavāpto yasyāṃ majjanti bahavo manuṣyāḥ ॥ 3 ॥3. Oh Nachiketas, thou hast renounced desires and desirable objects of sweet shape, judging them by their real value; thou hast not accepted this garland of such wealth, in which many mortals sink.
Shankara’s Commentary:
You, though repeatedly tempted by me, have renounced objects of desires, such as sons, etc., and also objects of sweet shape, such as nymphs, judging well of them and ascertaining their faults, i.e., their ephemeral and sapless nature. Oh Nachiketas, how intelligent you are! You have not taken up this contemptible path of wealth, trodden by the ignorant men, in which many fools come to grief.