Katha Upanishad 1.24

The Story of NachiketaYajur Veda

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Katha Upanishad 1.24
beginner
एतत्तुल्यं यदि मन्यसे वरं वृणीष्व वित्तं चिरजीविकां च। महाभूमौ नचिकेतस्त्वमेधि कामानां त्वा कामभाजं करोमि॥

etattulyaṃ yadi manyase varaṃ vṛṇīṣva vittaṃ cirajīvikāṃ ca | mahābhūmau naciketastvamedhi kāmānāṃ tvā kāmabhājaṃ karomi ||

""If you think any boon equal to this, choose it - wealth and long life! Be a king over the vast earth, O Nachiketa! I will make you the enjoyer of all desires.""

What This Means:

Yama sweetens the offer: kingship over the whole earth, satisfaction of every desire, wealth beyond measure.

Going Deeper:

Yama is offering dominion over the material world. But Nachiketa seeks dominion over death itself.

How To Apply This:

Would you trade enlightenment for being king of the world? This is not a hypothetical question.

#power#desire#kingship