________________
ESSENCE OF SOUL
113 tion to his father And his father said at last "I shall gite you to death " On hearing this rather cruel reply the young Nachiketa became somewhat perplexed. He had the body of a little child but it bore within itself the soul of an adult man The period of his reincarnation in the mortal world was nearing completion, and to be free from the peril of death, he
decided to go straight to Yamraj When Nachiketa • reached the home of Yamraj (the God of death) he was not there But Nachiketa waited and waited for him so much so that he waited for three days at the doors of Yamraj without food and water Atlast when Yamraj returned he became very charitable towards the thirsty and hungry child. 'Nachiketa'! "Nachiketa!", said Yamraj to the young boy, "You have waited at my doors for three days without taking even a morsel of food and a drop of water You have put me under your obligation by doing that I therefore grant you three boons Ask for any three things and I shall give them to you" Nachiketa asked for two boons and he got them When it came to the third, Nachiketa said, "O Lord' some people say that after death the soul also perishes, others say it does not Pray, my Lord, tell me what is the truth. This is the third boon that I ask of you "1 Yamraj was so pleased to have been asked for this boon that he imparted to Nachiketa not only the knowledge of this mortal world but also the knowledge pertaining to the
1 Kathoupnishad 1-20
