Part One, First Valli

Om. May he protect us both.May he nourish us both.May we work together with strength.May our study shine brightly.May we not hate one another.Om. Peace, peace, peace.

1.1.1 Om. Vajashravasa, seeking favor, gave away all he possessed.He had a son named Nachiketas.

1.1.2 As the gifts were being led away, faith enteredthat boy's heart, and he thought:

1.1.3 “Cows that have drunk their water, eaten their grass, yielded their milk, lost their strength—joyless indeed are the worlds reached by one who gives such gifts.”

1.1.4 He said to his father, “Father, to whom will you give me?”A second time, then a third, he asked; his father said, “To Death I give you.”

1.1.5 “Among many I rank first; among many I rank midway.What task has Yama that he will accomplish through me today?”

1.1.6 “Look back at those before us; look also at those who follow.Like grain a mortal ripens; like grain he is born again.”

1.1.7 “A Brahmin guest enters houses like the universal fire.To appease him they offer this: ‘Son of the Sun, bring water!’”

1.1.8 Hopes and expectations, the fruit of fellowship and kind words,the fruit of sacrifice and good works, sons and cattle—all theseare stripped from the man of little understandingin whose house a Brahmin dwells without food.

1.1.9 “Three nights you have stayed in my housewithout food, Brahmin, an honored guest.Homage to you, Brahmin; may all be well with me.For this choose three wishes in return.”

1.1.10 “May Gautama be calm of purpose and gracious,free of anger toward me, O Death;when you send me back, may he greet me with recognition.This I choose as the first of my three wishes.”

1.1.11 “As before, he will recognize you;Aruni Auddalaki will greet you when I send you back.He will sleep peacefully at night, his anger gone,when he sees you freed from the mouth of Death.”

1.1.12 “In heaven's world there is no fear at all;you are not there, nor does anyone fear old age.Crossing beyond both hunger and thirst,free of sorrow, one rejoices in heaven's world.

1.1.13 You know the fire that leads to heaven, O Death;tell me of it, for I have faith.Those who dwell in heaven share in immortality:this I choose for my second wish.”

1.1.14 “I shall tell you; attend to my words,Nachiketas, for I know the heavenly fire.Know it as the means of attaining endless worlds, the foundation,this fire hidden in the heart's secret place.”

1.1.15 He taught him the fire that is the origin of worlds,what bricks to use, how many, and how to place them.Nachiketas repeated it just as he had been taught;then Death, pleased, spoke to him again.

1.1.16 Delighted, the great one said to him,“Here and now I give you another gift.This fire shall bear your own name;take also this necklace of many forms.

1.1.17 One who performs the Nachiketas fire three times, joins with the three,and carries out the three works crosses birth and death.Knowing the worshipful god born of Brahman,and recognizing him, one reaches this everlasting peace.

1.1.18 One who performs the Nachiketas fire three times and knows these three things,and, knowing, builds the Nachiketas fire,casts off the snares of Death before himand, free of sorrow, rejoices in heaven's world.

1.1.19 This, Nachiketas, is the heavenly fireyou chose as your second wish.People will call this fire by your name alone.Choose your third wish, Nachiketas.”

1.1.20 “When a person has died, this doubt arises:some say he exists, others that he does not.I would know this, instructed by you;this is the third of my wishes.”

1.1.21 “Even the gods once doubted this;it is no easy thing to know, so subtle is this truth.Choose another wish, Nachiketas;do not press me. Release me from this.”

1.1.22 “Even the gods doubted this, you say,and you, Death, say it is not easy to know.No other teacher like you can be found;no other wish can equal this one.”

1.1.23 “Choose sons and grandsons who live a hundred years,many cattle, elephants, gold, and horses.Choose a vast domain on earth;live yourself for as many autumns as you wish.

1.1.24 If you think another wish equal to this,choose wealth and long life.Become lord of a broad land, Nachiketas;I shall make you the enjoyer of every desire.

1.1.25 Whatever desires are hard to obtain in the mortal world,ask freely for them all.Here are lovely women with chariots and music,such as mortals cannot attain.Let them serve you; I give them to you.Nachiketas, do not ask me about death.”

1.1.26 “Such things last only until tomorrow, O Ender of life,and wear away the vigor of all the senses.Even the whole of life is brief.Keep your horses, your dancing and song.

1.1.27 Wealth can never satisfy a human being.We shall have wealth if we have seen you;we shall live as long as you permit us.But the wish I choose is still that one.

1.1.28 When an aging mortal has met the deathless who do not age,and knows what lies beneath, how could hedelight in colors, pleasures, and celebrations,or in a life stretched out for long?

1.1.29 Tell us, Death, what they doubt:what happens in the great passage beyond.This wish penetrates the hidden mystery;Nachiketas chooses no other.”

Om. May he protect us both.May he nourish us both.May we work together with strength.May our study be fruitful.May we not hate one another.Om. Peace, peace, peace.

1.1.1 Om. Vajashravasa, wanting a reward, gave away everything he owned.He had a son named Nachiketas.

1.1.2 As the gifts were being taken away, faith came overhis young son, and he thought:

1.1.3 “They have drunk their water, eaten their grass, given their milk, and lost their strength.Whoever gives such cows goes to worlds without joy.”

1.1.4 He said to his father, “Father, to whom will you give me?”He asked a second and third time. His father said, “I give you to Death.”

1.1.5 “Among many I rank first; among many I rank somewhere in the middle.What does Yama have to do that he will do with me today?”

1.1.6 “Look at those who lived before, and look likewise at those who live now.Like grain, a mortal ripens; like grain, a mortal is born again.”

1.1.7 “A Brahmin guest enters a home like fire.To calm that fire they bring water. Son of the Sun, bring water.”

1.1.8 Hopes and expectations, good company and kind speech,rewards for sacrifices and public works, sons and livestock, all of them:these are taken away from a person of little understandingwhen a Brahmin stays in his house without food.

1.1.9 “You have stayed in my house for three nightswithout eating, honored Brahmin guest.I bow to you, Brahmin. May all be well with me.So choose three wishes in return.”

1.1.10 “May Gautama be free from worry and in good spirits,no longer angry with me, Death.When you release me, may he recognize me and speak to me.I choose this as the first of my three wishes.”

1.1.11 “He will recognize you as before.Aruni Auddalaki will accept you when I release you.He will sleep peacefully at night, free of anger,when he sees you freed from Death’s mouth.”

1.1.12 “In the world of heaven there is no fear at all;you are not there, and people do not fear old age.Having passed beyond both hunger and thirst,people live happily there, beyond sorrow.”

1.1.13 “Death, you know the fire ritual that leads to heaven.Teach it to me, since I trust you.Those in heaven share in immortality.This is what I choose as my second wish.”

1.1.14 “I will tell you; listen closely.Nachiketas, I know the fire that leads to heaven.Know it as the way to reach a world without end and as its foundation;it is hidden in the heart’s secret place.”

1.1.15 He told Nachiketas about the fire that begins the worlds:which bricks are needed, how many, and how they must be laid.Nachiketas repeated it just as he had been taught.Then Death, pleased with him, spoke again.

1.1.16 The great one spoke to him with pleasure:“Today I give you one more wish.This fire will be named after you.Take this necklace with its many forms as well.”

1.1.17 Whoever performs the Nachiketas fire three times, joins with the three,and does the three prescribed acts passes beyond birth and death.Knowing the divine one, born of Brahman and worthy of praise,and seeing this fire clearly, one reaches lasting peace.

1.1.18 Whoever knows these three things about the threefold Nachiketas fireand builds it with that knowledgepushes away the bonds of death before they closeand lives happily in heaven, beyond sorrow.

1.1.19 “This is the fire leading to heaven, Nachiketas,which you chose as your second wish.People will call this fire by your name.Choose your third wish, Nachiketas.”

1.1.20 “When a person dies, there is this doubt:some say the person still exists; others say the person does not.I want you to teach me the answer.This is the third of my wishes.”

1.1.21 “Even the gods once doubted this.This truth is subtle and hard to understand.Choose a different wish, Nachiketas.Do not press me on this. Release me from this request.”

1.1.22 “Even the gods doubted it, you say,and you, Death, say it is hard to understand.No other teacher like you can be found,and no other wish compares with this one.”

1.1.23 “Choose sons and grandsons who live a hundred years,many cattle, elephants, gold, and horses.Choose a large territory of land,and live yourself for as many years as you wish.”

1.1.24 “If you think any wish compares with this, choosewealth and a long life.Nachiketas, rule a vast land.I will let you enjoy every pleasure you desire.”

1.1.25 “Ask for any pleasures that are hard to get in the mortal world,as many as you like.Here are women with chariots and musical instruments;no human being can obtain women like these.Let them attend you as my gift,Nachiketas. Do not ask about death.”

1.1.26 “Destroyer of life, these things last only until tomorrow;they wear out the strength of all the senses.Even a whole lifetime is short.Keep your chariots, your dancing and your songs.

1.1.27 Wealth cannot satisfy a person.If we have seen you, we will get wealth.We will live as long as you allow us to.But the wish I choose is still the same.

1.1.28 Once a mortal who grows old has met the immortals who do not age,how could that person, living down here and understanding this,after thinking about the pleasures of beauty and delight,find pleasure in a very long life?

1.1.29 Death, tell us what people doubt:what happens after the great passage beyond death.This wish concerns a truth hidden deep away.Nachiketas chooses no other.”