The Questions of Nichiketas
The Kathopanishad, one of the most important of the 108 greater Upanishads, deals with the true nature of man and with what happens to him after death. It is woven around, or rather grows out of the story of Nachiketas.
His father, a Brahmin, performed a sacrifice which involved giving away all his possessions. Nackiketas made a nuisance of himself criticising the poor quality of the cattle given away and then said: "A son too is property so who are you going to give me to?"
Exasperated, the father replied: "Oh, I'll give you to Yama."
Yama is the God of Death.
Nachiketas, taking his father at his word, went to Yama. Yama was away on his errands when the boy arrived and it was three days before he returned so the boy had to wait three days for him. During these three days he fasted and, when Yama did get back, he offered Nachiketas three boons to atone for this discourtesy. For the first Nachiketas asked that his father's anger might cool down and any anxiety he felt at his son's absence be appeased. For the second he asked to be instructed in the mysteries of the fire sacrifice. And for the third he asked Yama to teach him what happens after death. Who should know if not Yama?
Yama first tried to avoid answering this last question, offering the boy instead all manner of prosperity and a long and successful life, but Nachiketas was firm. Finally the answer was given. Yama mentioned two possibilities : Rebirth and Release. "If the buddhi is yoked to a distracted mind it loses discrimination and remains ever impure ; then the incarnate soul fails to attain its goal but enters the round of rebirth. But if the buddhi is yoked to a restrained mind it possesses discrimination and then the incarnate soul attains that state from which there is no rebirth" (I, III, 7).
Later he mentions still a third possibility, this time lower than rebirth. "Some souls enter a womb for rebirth and some enter into stationary objects, according to their works and knowledge" (II, II, 7 ). It is possible to fall below rebirth as well as to rise above it.
– July 1966 issue of 'The Mountain Path", p.237