ABOUT KATHOPANISHAD

AUM SRI SAI RAM AUM SRI SAI RAM
Out of the 32 Upanishads in the Krishnayajur veda ,this upanishad is important one. This upanishad is a beautiful poetic explanaion of mystery of life and death.The story of Nachiketa who was initiated in spiriyual discipline by God Yama himself is explained in this upanishad.This upanishad is famous for its clarity and depth of imagination.
A very strict ritualist Vaajasravas performed a yaga.As a part of yaga he gave away cows that were no longer good for any useful purpose. Seeing this his intelligent son Nachiketa realised that his father was in great trouble and agony as a result of this sinful acts.He asked his father to whom he intended to offer him as a gift.At this his father proclaimed by shouting ' I am going to give you to the God of Death'. Nachiketa promptly proceeded to the abode of God Of Death .He had to wait three nights before he could see the Yama .Yamaraja felt sorry for the delay and promised Nachiketa three boons ,one for each night he spent out side his abode.Nachiketa asked his first favour to make his father happy. This itself proves the respect and affection of Nachiketa towards his father. The second blessing he asked' Please teach me the Agni Vidya ,the knowledge to realise Heaven where there is no fear, hunger , thirst, grief ,sorrow etc;Yamaraja was pleased with devotion of Nachiketa and blessed him with the Agni Vidya. Nachiketa then asked Yamaraja the third and final blessing of the knowledge of the Self which is the means to liberation .Yamaraja decided to test the credentials of Nachiketa .Nachiketa was tested by Yamaraja to determine how strong his desire for truth is.Nachiketa renounces everything for the sake of realisation.Above all he wants to know Atman and he was adamant about knowing the knowledge of Atman. When Yamaraja understood that Nachiketa was the appropriate person to know the knowledge of Super Soul ,he began to narrate the glory of BrahmaVidya.The path described in tis upanishad is the path of yoga, whose aim is the spiritual union of the individual soul and the Supreme Self.The persons who practices spirituality like Nachiketa will attain God -hood and shall be freed from the diabolic cycle of birth and death.This upanishad speaks in volumes the fundamental subjects suchh as Pranavaswrupa ,Sreyas and Brahma Vidya. Atma is like an ocean.To instruct a person about it you need not ask to drink entire ocean ,but a single drop is needed for the knowledge of taste. As such you need not follow the each and every manthra , but learn and experience the implication of one manthra . Then you can realise the Goal without fail and fear