• 3 years ago
KATHOPANISHAD: Chanted by Swami Sarvagananda Ji: Part 4

[Beginning of Chapter - 2]

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The Kathopanishad is the conversation between Naciketas, a young man and Yama, the Lord of Death. According to the Upanishad, Naciketas was conferred to Lord Yama by his father Vajasravas in a fit of anger. He went to the world of Yama and waited outside His house for three days, as Yama was not in his house at that time. Upon coming back, Lord Yama came to know about this, he felt greatly concerned as he made a pious Brahmana boy, pure and innocent, wait outside his house for three days, without receiving the honours due to a house guest.
Lord Yama considered Naciketas as a pious soul worthy of honour and respect. To rectify his lapse and avoid the sin of neglecting a house guest, he offered Naciketas three boons. Naciketas accepted them with great dignity and humility and determined to make the best use of them. What followed was a long conversation of great philosophical importance between the two on the relevance of materialism, spiritualism, self-knowledge, Brahman and liberation in human life.

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