Adhyaya 194: The Return of Naciketas from Yama’s Abode: Inquiry into Death, Karma, and Dharmic Release

Verse 1

अथ नचिकेतसो आगमनवर्णनम् ॥ वैशम्पायन उवाच ॥ गतश्च परमं स्थानं यत्र राजा दुरासदः ॥ अर्चितस्तु यथान्यायं दृष्ट्वैव तु विसर्जितः

Now, the description of Naciketas’ arrival. Vaiśampāyana said: He went to the highest place where the formidable King (Yama) is; having been honored according to custom, and merely upon being seen, he was then dismissed.

Verse 2

ततो हृष्टमना राजन्पुत्रं दृष्ट्वा तपोनिधिः ॥ परिष्वज्य च बाहुभ्यां मूर्द्धन्याघ्राय यत्नतः

Then, O king, the treasure-house of austerity—his heart delighted on seeing his son—embraced him with his arms and carefully kissed (smelled) him upon the crown of the head.

Verse 3

दिवं च पृथिवीं चैव नादयामास हृष्टवत् ॥ स संहृष्टमनाः प्रीतस्तानुवाच तपोधनान्

Joyfully he made both heaven and earth resound; then, delighted and pleased, he addressed those tapodhanas—ascetics rich in austerity.

Verse 4

पश्यन्तु मम पुत्रस्य प्रभावं दिव्यतेजसः ॥ यमस्य भवनं गत्वा पुनः शीघ्रमिहागतः

“Let them behold the power of my son, radiant with divine splendor: having gone to Yama’s dwelling, he has quickly returned here again.”

Verse 5

पितृस्नेहानुभावेन गुरुशुश्रूषयापि च ॥ दैवेन हेतुनाचायं जीवन्दृष्टो मया सुतः

“Through the potency of filial affection, and also through service to teachers, and by a divine causal factor as well, this son has been seen by me alive.”

Verse 6

लोके मत्सदृशो नास्ति पुमान्भाग्यसमन्वितः ॥ एष मृत्युमुखं गत्वा मम पुत्र इहागतः

“In the world there is no man as fortunate as I: my son, having gone to the very mouth of Death, has come here.”

Verse 7

कच्चित्त्वं न हतो वत्स नैव बद्धो यमालये ॥ कच्चित्ते स शिवः पन्था गच्छतस्तव पुत्रक

Surely you were not harmed, dear child, nor indeed bound in Yama’s abode? Surely, my little son, the auspicious path of Śiva was yours as you went.

Verse 8

कच्चित्ते व्याधयो घोरा नान्वगच्छन्यमालये ॥ किमपूर्वं त्वया दृष्टं कच्चित्तुष्टो महातपाः

Surely dreadful illnesses did not pursue you in Yama’s abode? What unprecedented thing did you see? Surely the great ascetic was satisfied.

Verse 9

कच्चिद्राजा त्वया दृष्टः प्रेतानामधिपो बली ॥ परुषेण न कच्चित्त्वां यमः पश्यति चक्षुषा

Surely you saw the king—Yama, the mighty lord of the departed? Surely he did not look upon you with harsh eyes?

Verse 10

कच्चिद्दौवारिकास्तत्र न रौद्रास्त्वां यमालये ॥ कच्चिद्राज्ञा विसृष्टं तु न बाधन्तेतरे जनाः

Surely the gatekeepers there in Yama’s abode were not fierce toward you? And once you were released by the king’s command, surely other beings did not trouble you.

Verse 11

कच्चित्पन्थास्त्वया लब्धो निर्गमो वा यमालये ॥ अयं मम सुतः प्राप्तः प्रसन्ना मम देवताः

Surely you found a path—an exit—from Yama’s abode? This son of mine has returned; the divine powers, the protective deities, are favorable to me.

Verse 12

ऋषयश्च महाभागा द्विजाश्च सुमहाव्रताः ॥ यन्मे वत्स पुनः प्राप्तो यमलोकाद्दुरासदात् ॥

The fortunate sages and the twice-born, endowed with very great vows, (thought): “My child has returned to me again from Yama’s realm, hard to attain.”

Verse 13

एवमाभाषमाणं तु श्रुत्वा सर्वे वनौकसः ॥ त्यक्त्वा व्रतानि सर्वाणि नियमांश्च तथैव च ॥

Hearing him speak in this manner, all the forest-dwellers set aside for the moment all their vows and likewise their observances.

Verse 14

जपन्तश्चैव जाप्यानि पूजयन्तश्च देवताः ॥ ऊर्ध्वबाहवः केचित्तिष्ठन्तोऽन्ये सुदारुणम् ॥

Some recited the mantras that are to be recited, and some worshipped the deities; some stood with arms raised upward, while others maintained harsh postures.

Verse 15

एकपादेन तिष्ठन्तः पश्यन्तोऽन्ये दिवाकरम् ॥ एवमेव परित्यज्य नियमान्पूर्वसञ्चितान् ॥

Some stood on one foot; others gazed at the sun. Thus, setting aside their previously accumulated observances,

Verse 16

वैश्वानरा महाभागास्तपसा संशितव्रताः ॥ आगतास्त्वरितं द्रष्टुं नाचिकेतं सुतं तदा ॥

Those noble ascetics, their vows sharpened by austerity, came swiftly at that time to see Nāchiketa, the son.

Verse 17

दिग्वाससश्च ऋषयो दन्तोलूखलिनस्तथा ॥ अश्मकूटाश्च मौनाश्च शीर्णपर्णाम्बुभोजनाः ॥

Sages clad in the quarters (sky-clad), and those who used their teeth as a mortar (for food), as well as those who pounded with stones; those observing silence; and those who lived on withered leaves and water—

Verse 18

धूमदाश्च तथा चान्ये तप्यमानाश्च पावके ॥ परिवर्य तथा दृष्ट्वा तस्य पुत्रं तपोनिधिम् ॥

And others—“smoke-eaters”—and others who practiced austerity in fire; having gathered around, they beheld his son, a treasury of ascetic power.

Verse 19

तं नाचिकेतसं दृष्ट्वा यमलोकादिहागतम् ॥ भीतास्तत्र स्थिताः हृष्टाः केचित्कौतूहलान्विताः ॥

Seeing Nāchiketa, who had come here from Yama’s realm, some stood there afraid; others were delighted; and some were filled with curiosity.

Verse 20

केचिद्विमनसश्चैव केचित्संशयवादिनः ॥ तमूचुः सहिताः सर्वे ऋषिपुत्रं तपोधनम् ॥

Some were downcast, and some spoke in doubt; then all together they addressed him—the sage’s son, rich in austerity.

Verse 21

ऋषय ऊचुः ॥ भो भो सत्यव्रताचार गुरुशुश्रूषणे रत ॥ नाचिकेतः सुत प्राज्ञ स्वधर्मपरिपालक ॥

The sages said: “O! O you whose conduct is grounded in truthful vows, devoted to service of the teacher—O Nāchiketa, wise son, guardian of your own dharma—”

Verse 22

ब्रूहि सत्यं त्वया दृष्टं श्रुतं च सविशेषकम् ॥ ऋषीणां श्रोतुकामानां पितुश्चैव विशेषतः ॥

Speak the truth—what you have seen and what you have heard, together with its particular details—especially for the seers who wish to listen, and most especially for (my) father as well.

Verse 23

अपि गुह्यं च वक्तव्यं पृष्टे सति विशेषतः ॥ सर्वस्यापि भयं तीव्रं यद्द्वारा प्रतिदृश्यते ॥

Even what is secret should be spoken, especially when it is asked; for through that teaching the intense fear perceived by all is made manifest (and can be understood).

Verse 24

मृतं नैव परं तात दृश्यते कालमायया ॥ स्वकर्म भुज्यते तात प्रयत्नेन च मानवैः ॥

One does not truly ‘see’ what lies beyond death, dear one, because of the illusion wrought by Time (kāla-māyā). Yet human beings experience the fruits of their own karma—through effort (and the conditions they have set in motion).

Verse 25

इह चैव कृतं यत्तु तत्परत्रोपभुज्यते ॥ करोति यदि तत्कर्म शुभं वा यदि वा अशुभम् ॥

Whatever is done here is experienced there (in the other state/world). If one performs an action—whether auspicious or inauspicious—its result is undergone accordingly.

Verse 26

तथात्र दृश्यते काले कालस्यैव तु मायया ॥ म्रियते च यथा जन्तुर्यथा गर्भे च तिष्ठति ॥

Thus it appears here, in time, by Time’s own illusion: how a creature dies, and how it abides within the womb (in gestation).

Verse 27

तस्य पारं न गच्छन्ति बहवः पारचिन्तकाः ॥ तत्र स्थिते जगत्सर्वं लोभमोहतमोवृतम् ॥

Many who speculate about “the far shore” do not reach its end. While that condition prevails, the entire world remains veiled by greed, delusion, and darkness.

Verse 28

धर्मराजस्य किं रूपं कालो वा कीदृशो मुने ॥ किंरूपा व्याधयश्चैव विपाको वापि कीदृशः ॥

What is the form of Dharma-rāja, and what is Time like, O sage? What is the nature of diseases, and what is the character of karmic ripening (vipāka)?

Verse 29

किं च कुर्वन्प्रमुच्येत किं वा कर्म समाचरेत् ॥ आस्पदं सर्वलोकस्य तत्कर्म दुरतिक्रमम् ॥

And by doing what does one become liberated, or what action should one undertake? That action is the foundation of all worlds, and it is not easily transgressed.

Verse 30

क्रोधबन्धनजं क्लेशं कर्षणं छेदनं तथा ॥ येन गच्छन्ति विप्रेन्द्र लोके कर्मविदो जनाः ॥

Suffering born from the bondage of anger—dragging and cutting as well—by which, O best of brahmins, those who know karma proceed along their course in that world.

Verse 31

जितात्मानः कथं यान्ति कथं गच्छति पापकृत् ॥ यथाश्रुतं यथादृष्टं यथा चैवावधारितम् ॥

How do the self-controlled depart, and how does the doer of evil go? Explain it as it has been heard, as it has been seen, and as it has been ascertained.

Verse 32

वैशम्पायन उवाच॥ ऋषिभिस्त्वेवमुक्तस्तु नाचिकेतो महामनाः ॥ यदुवाच महाराज शृणु तज्जनमेजय

Vaiśampāyana said: Thus addressed by the ṛṣis, the great-minded Nāciketa spoke. O king—listen, Janamejaya, to what he said.

Verse 33

प्रणयात्सौहृदात्स्नेहादस्माभिरभिपृच्छितम् ॥ वद सर्वं महाभाग याथातथ्येन विस्तरम्

Out of affection, friendship, and fond regard, we have questioned you. O fortunate one, tell everything in detail, in accordance with the truth as it truly is.

Verse 34

कच्चिन्न तुष्टो भगवान्स्त्वां दृष्ट्वा स्वयमागतम् ॥ कच्चिच्छीघ्रं विसृष्टोऽसि धर्मराजेन पुत्रक

Was the Blessed Lord satisfied upon seeing you—since you came of your own accord? And, dear child, were you quickly dismissed by Dharmarāja?

Verse 35

उपविष्टास्तथा चान्ये स्थिताश्चान्ये सुयन्त्रिताः ॥ ते सर्वे तं तु पृच्छन्ति ऋषयो वेदपारगाः

Some sat down, and others stood—well-composed and restrained. All those ṛṣis, masters of the Vedas, questioned him.

Verse 36

चिन्तयेत न चिन्ताऽत्र मृगयन्ति च यद्धितम् ॥ करोति चित्रगुप्तः किं किं च जल्पत्यसौ पुनः

Let him not worry here; they seek what is beneficial. What does Citragupta do, and what does he say again and again?