Sage · All traditions · Pan-India

Nachiketa

Also called: Nachiketas, Naciketas

The boy whose father, in anger, gave him to Death. He waits three nights at Yama's house and is granted three boons. A fire altar is named after him, and in the Katha Upanishad he draws from Yama the teaching on the self.

Sources: The Upanishads, tr. F. Max Muller (Sacred Books of the East 1 and 15); The Mahabharata, tr. K. M. Ganguli (1883-96), sections read for the Vedic layer · see Nachiketa's web

Relations 3

Nachiketa child of

Vajashravasa (Sage)
Father and son.

Nachiketa received a boon from

Yama (God) · Nachiketa in the house of Death
Three boons for three nights unfed at his door.

Nachiketa taught by

Yama (God) · Nachiketa in the house of Death
Teaches the Nachiketa fire and the knowledge of the self.

Stories 1

Nachiketa in the house of Death
Legend · as the boy who goes to Death · 3 tellings

Cited

The Upanishads, tr. F. Max Muller (Sacred Books of the East 1 and 15) § katha.1.1 Primary text (translation)
The Upanishads, tr. F. Max Muller (Sacred Books of the East 1 and 15) § sbe15.intro.tb-3.11.8 Primary text (translation)
The Mahabharata, tr. K. M. Ganguli (1883-96), sections read for the Vedic layer § anushasana.71 Primary text (translation)