KathaUpanishad

Vâgasravasa, wishing for rewards, sacrificed all his wealth. He had a son, called
Nakiketas. While he was still a boy, faith entered into him at the time when the cows
that were to be given (by his father) as presents to the priests, were brought in. He said:
'Father, to whom wilt thou give me?' He said so a second and third time. The father
turned round and said to him: 'To Death, I give thee.'
Then a voice said to the young Gautama, as he stood up: 'He (thy father) said, Go away
to the house of Death, I give thee to Death.' Go therefore to Death when he is not at
home, and dwell in his house for three nights without eating. If he should ask thee, 'Boy,
how many nights hast thou been here?' say, 'Three.' When he asks thee, 'What didst
thou eat the first night?' say, 'Thy offspring.' 'What didst thou eat the second night?' say,
'Thy cattle.' 'What didst thou eat the third night?' say, 'Thy good works.'
He went to Death, while he was away from home, and lie dwelt in his house for three
nights without eating. When Death returned, he asked: 'Boy, how many nights hast thou
been here?' He answered: I Three.' 'What didst thou eat the first night?' 'Thy offspring.',
'What didst thou eat the second night?' 'Thy cattle.' 'What didst thou eat the third night?'
'Thy good works.'
Then he said: 'My respect to thee, O venerable sir! Choose a boon.'
'May I return living to my father,' he said.
'Choose a second boon.'
'Tell me how my good works may never perish.'
Then he explained to him this Nâkiketa fire (sacrifice), and hence his good works do not
perish.
'Choose a third boon.'
'Tell me the conquest of death again.'
Then he explained to him this (chief) Nâkiketa fire (sacrifice), and hence he conquered
death again [The commentator explains punar-mrityu as the death that follows after the
present inevitable death.]
This story, which in the Brâhmana is told in order to explain the name of a certain
sacrificial ceremony called Nâkiketa, was used as a peg on which to hang the
doctrines of the Upanishad. In its original form it may have constituted one Adhyâya