28 passages · ~6 min read
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Vâgasravasa, desirous (of heavenly rewards), surrendered (at a sacrifice) all that he possessed. He had a son of the …
When the (promised) presents were being given (to the priests), faith entered into the heart of Nakiketas, who was st…
"Unblessed, surely, are the worlds to which a man goes by giving (as his promised present at a sacrifice) cows which …
He (knowing that his father had promised to give up all that he possessed, and therefore his son also) said to his fa…
The son said: "I go as the first, at the head of many (who have still to die); I go in the midst of many (who are now…
Look back how it was with those who came before, look forward how it will be with those who come hereafter. A mortal …
A Brâhmana that dwells in the house of a foolish man without receiving food to eat, destroys his hopes and expectatio…
"O Brâhmana, as thou, a venerable guest, hast dwelt in my house three nights without eating, therefore choose now thr…
Nakiketas said: "O Death, as the first of the three boons I choose that Gautama, my father, be pacified, kind, and fr…
Yama said: "Through my favour Auddâlaki Âruni, thy father, will know thee, and be again towards thee as he was before…
Nakiketas said: "In the heaven-world there is no fear; thou art not there, O Death, and no one is afraid on account o…
Thou knowest, O Death, the fire-sacrificef which leads us to heaven; tell it to me, for I am full of faith. Those who…
Yama said: "I tell it thee, learn it from me, and when thou understandest that fire-sacrifice which leads to heaven, …
Yama then told him that fire-sacrifice, the beginning of all the worlds, and what bricks are required for the altar, …
The generous, being satisfied, said to him: "I give thee now another boon; that fire-sacrifice shall be named after t…
He who has three times performed this Nâkiketa-rite and has been united with the three (father, mother, and teacher),…
He who knows the three Nâkiketa fires, and knowing the three, piles up the Nâkiketa sacrifice, he, having first, thro…
This, O Nakiketa, is thy fire which leads to heaven, and which thou hast chosen as thy second boon. That fire all men…
Nakiketa said: "There is that doubt, when a man is dead, — some saying, he is; others, he is not. This I should like …
Death said: "On this point even the gods have doubted formerly; it is not easy to understand. That subject is subtle.…
Nakiketas said: "On this point even the gods have doubted indeed, and thou, Death, hast declared it to be not easy to…
Death said: "Choose sons and grandsons who shall live a hundred years, herds of cattle, elephants, gold, and horses. …
If you can think of any boon equal to that, choose wealth, and long life. Be (king), Nakiketas, on the wide earth. I …
Whatever desires are difficult to attain among mortals, ask for them according to thy wish; — these fair maidens with…
Nakiketas said: "These things last till tomorrow, O Death, for they wear out this vigour of all the senses. Even the …
No man can be made happy by wealth. Shall we possess wealth, when we see thee? Shall we live, as long as thou rulest?…
What mortal, slowly decaying here below, and knowing, after having approached them, the freedom from decay enjoyed by…
No, that on which there is this doubt, O Death, tell us what there is in that great Hereafter. Nakiketas does not cho…