Nachiketa's Question to Death

Most people run from Yama. This boy sat at his door for three days and asked the hardest question anyone has ever asked.

Nachiketa is a sharp, honest boy who sees his father giving away worn-out cows and wonders if his father even means it. When he asks one too many questions, his father snaps, 'Then I give you to Yama.' The boy takes him seriously, walks to Yama's door, and waits three days for Death to come home. When Yama returns, Nachiketa earns three boons. He uses the third one to ask the question every person has ever wondered: what happens when we die?

A Father in a Hurry

Long, long ago, in a quiet ashram in a green forest, there lived a rishi named Vajashravas.

Vajashravas was performing a great yajna, a fire sacrifice. The whole ashram was busy. Smoke from the fire pit curled up to the trees. Priests chanted. Cows mooed in the back.

At the end of every great yajna, the rishi was supposed to give away his cows and his treasures to the other priests. That was the rule. Give away the things you love most, so the gift counts.

But Vajashravas was a little tired that morning. And maybe a little stingy. So he started giving away his oldest, weakest cows. Cows whose milk had stopped. Cows who could barely walk. Cows whose teeth were almost gone.

A young boy was watching all of this with very, very sharp eyes.

His name was Nachiketa. He was Vajashravas's son.

A Boy With a Difficult Question

Nachiketa walked up to his father. He was small. He was polite. He folded his hands like he had been taught.

"Pita," he said softly, "if a gift is supposed to be the best of what we have, why are you giving away cows that no one will be helped by? Will this please the gods?"

Vajashravas frowned. He did not look up.

"Pita," Nachiketa tried again, "if you are giving away your treasures, who will you give me to?"

He wasn't being cheeky. He was a sincere boy with a sincere question. I am one of your treasures. So who do I go to?

Vajashravas was busy. He waved Nachiketa away.

But Nachiketa was a careful boy who did not give up easily. He asked again. And again.

"Pita, who will you give me to?"

Vajashravas, hot from the fire, irritated by the smoke, finally snapped.