Kathopanishad (25-Apr-2017)

Book Review: 

Kathopanishad 

The Story of small boy Nachiketha 

(The Discussion Between Lord Yama & Nachiketha)

Introduction

Book Review is a critical evaluation of the text. The most important element of the book review is commentary not a summary. It allows us to enter into a dialogue/discussion with others. In review, we get a concise summary of the text, offer a critical statement of the text, and suggests something to that text. In this reviewer have to state his opinion clearly.

Introduction about Kathopanishad

Kathopanishad is a mythological Upanishad book (for emancipation) from one of the 108 Upanishad’s. These 108 Upanishads are taken from four Vedas. 

This book comes under Yajurveda (which is under one of four Veda’s) particularly in Krishna Yajurveda. In this Kathopanishad there are three sections. This book is also called as “Dialogue with Death”.

This book is story of a small legendary child called “Nachiketha”. Most parts of this book is covered with conversations between this small boy Nachiketha and Lord Yama (Lord of Death). Because of Nachiketha Courage, goodness and stability the Lord came down to answer his questions (To fulfill his boons).

Author of Book:

Author of this book is not clear, but we can say that Bhagwan Sri Maha Vishnu wrote this Upanishad. Some of ancient spiritualists told that these Upanishads was wrote by Vishnu.

Maha Vishnu is legendary God, famous for his 10 incarnations, He is Famous for guiding, helping the people.

Conceptual Frame Work/Rationale: 

I heard about this for first time from my father, he told its the favorite Upanishad for Swami Vivekananda. And later, after hearing the story of Nachiketha in Curriculum studies class & political economy class I was fascinated towards this book (To know the whole story of this Boy). Previously I heard this Kathopanishad is a holistic book for Self-Development.

I heard that Nachiketha is good, courageous, stable child. When I heard about Book review, I planned to do this book for assessment sake and as well as for my personal sake.

Summary of the Book:

Once upon a time there is man (Sage) called Vajashravas, by expecting heaven he does some rituals to impress god. After completing the rituals Vajashravas donates the things which are useless to the people (Donating cows which don’t give milk, land which is not suitable for cultivating etc.) By seeing this condition his son Nachiketha questions his father why is he doing like that, his father maintains silence. Later Nachiketha asks his father for whom you are donating me (He asks this because He feels himself as father’s property and also to reduce the sin of father’s mistake) and he stress his father regarding this, later his father donates him to Death (Lord Yam).  

Nachiketha waits (Stands) 3 days at Hell without basic needs (water, food and sleep). After 3 days Lord Yama will come, and came to know that one boy is waiting for him, immediately Lord Yam goes near to Nachiketha and ask for apologizes for his mistake, and he says that good people (Who have knowledge, good character) can’t wait here. I made a mistake for that I will give three boons to you for clearing my mistake (You waited for 3 days for that I (Yama) will give you 3 boons). And Nachiketha agrees to accept the boons.

1) Nachiketha 1st Boon: 

My Father sent here because of his short-temperedness, when I return to home he need to accept me fullheartedly and he needs to take care me as usual with the same love. (Peace for my father and also for me). Yam Raj gives this Boon to Nachiketha

2) Nachiketha 2nd Boon: 

He asks Yam raj to teach a fire ritual (Yagam/ Yagnam) which helps people to go to Heaven.

(Lord Yama Teaches that fire ritual and Nachiketha learns that whole heartedly)

3) Nachiketha 3rd Boon: 

Nachiketha asks Lord Yama to tell about mystery of death “What happens after Death”. (After lots of discussions Lord Yama teaches Nachiketha about Mystery of Death and fulfills his third boom also)

After obtaining the knowledge about “Mystery of death” from Lord Yama, Nachiketha becomes enlightened and purges himself from dirtiness and finally he is emancipated. 

Analysis and Evaluation of the Book (About Nachiketha):

Generally children will ask questions if they will not understand anything. They are emotional driven beings, if they feel wrong they questions immediately. I think it’s their innate character.

In this book also Nachiketha questions his father when he doesn’t understand his father actions towards people. (When he is donating the useless things to people). I think questioning is general for every child.

But Here Nachiketha not only asks the question but also emphasizes him as his father property and asks father to donate me also to someone. This shows his goodness to reduce the father mistake. This shows his emphatic thinking with some good intension. In this context Vajashravas gave the knowledge without action. But Nachiketha learned the knowledge and putting that knowledge in action.

Nachiketha thinks about other people problems who got useless things by this we can say that Nachiketha might be in Concrete Operational period. He came out from Ego-Centrism (Thinking about world in larger perception). He performed mental operations (Mental thinking ability) to try to save his father from the sin. This is very nice action by him.

When Nachiketha is waiting at hell he stays very calmly without any anxiety. This show his implementation of learning. (In olden days the Teachers is to teach training of senses & he implemented that). The Nachiketha had learned hope instead of any frustration in his conditions of life. (In Brahmin Caste system father is 1st teacher to teach the child about cultural & traditional factors in formal way)

When Lord Yama asked Nachiketha about first boon, Nachiketha asks to excuse my father mistake it happened because of razzle and he need to love me as usual how he treats me before. This shows Vajashravas love towards his son. I can call Nachiketha as an innocent boy (Original meaning of Innocent is Free from ego). Even though he was scolded by his father and forgotten that thing and he want to move closely with his father.

When Nachiketha asked second boon as to know the secret fire ritual which will help people to go heaven. And Yam raj teaches that fire ritual to Nachiketha. Lord Yama Gave (Taught) that Power to Nachiketha by seeing his eligibility. (Stability- Treating success and failure as same.) Power without truth is very dangerous to nature and society. 

Here the teacher (Lord Yama) gave very valuable knowledge (The ritual which sends people to heaven) to small boy by seeing his eligibility. Here Teacher did not taught because of his word, by seeing eligibility. Here Nachiketha also learns with dedication and he internalizes this ritual by learning for the 1st time. By seeing this Lord Yama added one boon that this ritual can be name on Nachiketha Yagnam.

Nachiketha third boon is to know about “Mystery of Death”. He ask Lord Yama to tell about what happens after death. When lord Yama heard this boon, he tries to avoid to say answer by saying Instead of this boon you can ask me anything like vast empire or long life or beautiful wife’s etc. which is equal to this boon. 

Then Nachiketha replies with humbleness that whatever if you will that will be with me till my death only, I want to go beyond that. And also says I don’t think there is no boon which is equal to this boon which I asked.

Yama says even god also have no clear answer about this question. Then he says you are only the god, I never get teacher like you, so please say the answer as boon. 

Then Lord Yam Dharma Raj says “There is no such thing called death, there is soul inside everyone which will not die, but those bodies with soul do mistakes that bodies again take birth comes to world. Those who understand that there are finite part in infinite part and tries to merge their finite soul in the infinite part. It’s the ultimate aim of soul. Here death means a gap between journey until they realizes that there are part of this infinite.

Child will ask questions it is their innate character, but through reinforcement they can control child either by positive reinforcement or by negative reinforcement. 

Here Yam raj tried to avoid the 3rd boon by giving some other phenomenal positive reinforcements, but Nachiketha with consistency he rejected those all things with humble behaviour. 

Here also Nachiketha consistency did more help to know about the mystery of death to whole mankind. 

After getting the wisdom of “Mystery of Death”, Nachiketha makes himself as emancipatory being and unites his finite self into infinite self.

Relating this child with Theories:

Maslow’s Theory of Hierarchy the top most is Self-actualization (The Self-actualization is instinctual need). Every born child will be in this self-actualization stage only (According to me). When children are growing the society will corrupt them and takes them to basic physical needs, but here Nachiketha is not that much corrupted by society when he is growing.

Nachiketha is mostly focused on morality (Morality- the Motivation which is based on ideas of right and wrong).  He is thinking morally only about which is right (Good) and which is wrong (Bad) not only for him but also for others. His thinking about morality is at very high level. Nachiketha is focusing on the Moral effect (Empathy- He thinks about his father's sin & Puts him as the part of his father's wealth and has been donated by his father), Reasoning (Deciding good & Bad- Which is a good boon & which is a bad boon) and Behaviour (Consistent actions with one thinking- He stick to one boon which he thought its good he didn’t bend for/by any reinforcements which Lord Yama gave).

Here we can also link this boy with Piaget / Kohlberg’s theory of Moral development. In this theory Nachiketha is at level three (Post-Conventional Morality) at stage-6 (Universal Ethical Principle). In this Nachiketha achieved the Hypnotical Ideal which only few people can achieve, he is in one of them in achieving this ideal stage. After getting the knowledge of “Mystery of Death”. As per Kohlberg’s Moral development theory there is no age limit, anyone can be at any stage.

In Piaget Theory He might be at Concrete operational period, where child starts doing mental operations in broad sense. And also come out from ego-centrism. He is doing reversible activities.

Conclusion

Nachiketha is a child protagonist. He is having very strong ideal character. Nachiketha with the help (Medium) of Lord Yama Dharma Raj gave valuable knowledge about Mystery of Death. Without thinking about fear and expectations he did his work properly. By his ideal actions he made us to feel proud about him.

This book and Nachiketha story may help in becoming an emancipatory being by implementing the Lord Yama’s Ideology on self-development.

Note: This Review is based on my perception (My Opinion) only