KathaUpanishad

Nachiketas’s First Wish
The first boon: Resurrection from the dead
śānta-saṁkalpaḥ sumanā yathā syād vīta-manyur gautamo mābhi mṛtyo,
tvat-prasṛṣṭ
ṛṣṭam mābhivadet-pratīta, etat trayāṇām prathamaṁ varaṁ vṛṇ
ṛṇe. (10)
mrtyo = O Death;
syāt = may become;
santa samkalpa sumana yathā = in calm mind and gracious,
vīta-manyuḥ = free from anger;
mā abhi = towards me;
me abhivadet = may greet me;
tvat-prasṛṣṭam = freed by you - sent home;
pratītah = recognising me,
trayāṇāṃ = of the three boons;
vṛṇe = I ask
etat prathamam = this is the first boon;
“As the first gift, O Lord, offer this to me: when I return, released by you to the
world of my father, may he (my father) receive me with a calm mind, free from
anger, recognising me as I have been before; not thinking that I am dead.
(Nachiketas answers): That the descendant of Gotama, my father, may be of quiet
heart, well-minded, without resentment towards me, O Death, when I am sent forth by
Thee; that he may address me gladly this I choose as the first wish of my thre
Nuchiketa then made this as his first request, saying, “Let, O Yama! my father Gotam’s
apprehension of my death be removed, his tranquility of mind be restored, his anger
against me extinguished, and let him recognise me on my return, after having been set
free by thee. This is the first of three favours which I ask of thee.
This is very clever way of asking several boons tucked in one boon.
This implies that Nachiketas will be resurrected, and he will be the son of his father as
the same person, the father will recognize him and that he will be pleased by the son's
return. This is not reincarnation where you will take up a new body and gets a new start.
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