Nachiketa — the Boy Who Questioned Deathनचिकेता

The story

A rich man named Vajashravas was performing a great sacrifice and was supposed to give away his best things. But he was giving away only old, weak cows that gave no milk. His young son Nachiketa saw this and felt it was wrong.

"Father, to whom will you give me?" he asked. His father ignored him. Nachiketa asked again, and again. At last his father shouted in anger, "I give you to Death!"

Nachiketa took his father's words seriously and went to the home of Yama, the god of death. Yama was away, so Nachiketa waited at his door for three days and nights without food. When Yama came home, he was sorry that a guest had waited so long. "I will give you three wishes," he said.

For his first wish Nachiketa asked that his father would be calm and welcome him home. For his second, he asked to learn a sacred fire ritual. For his third, he asked: "What happens to a person after death? Is there something that never dies?"

Yama tried to change his mind. "Ask for gold, horses, a long life, a kingdom — anything else!" But Nachiketa said, "These things do not last. Please teach me the truth." Yama was so pleased with the boy's wisdom that he taught him that the true Self (atman) is never born and never dies — and Nachiketa became wise.

What we learn

• Have the courage to ask good questions.
• Keep your word and take responsibility.
• Choose what is truly good (shreyas) over what is merely pleasant (preyas).
• Patience and sincerity are rewarded.

A shloka to learn

Questions to talk about

• Why did Nachiketa question his father?
• What were his three wishes?
• Why did he refuse gold and kingdoms?
• What is a big question you would like to ask?

Parents and teachers: read the story aloud, then talk about the questions together. Let children retell it in their own words.

Frequently asked questions