kathopanishad-1-1-15-lokādimagniṃ

Commentary by Swami Krishnananda of the great Divine Life Society

Lokādim agniṁ tam uvāca tasmai, yā iṣṭakā, yāvatīr vā, yathā vā. sa cāpi tat pratyavadat yathoktam; athāsya mṛtyuḥ punar evāha tuṣṭaḥ (1.1.15). Now, having uttered these words, the great Master initiates the boy into the secret of this sacrifice. The origin of the universe, which is the supreme Vaishvanara fire, is told to Nachiketas. Lokādim agniṁ tam uvāca tasmai: The origin of all things, which is the fire of the sacrifice, is clearly told: how many bricks are to be there in the altar of this sacrifice, what types of bricks are to be used for this altar, and how one is to commence the actual oblations in the sacrifice. Yā iṣṭakā, yāvatīr vā, yathā vā: How, what kind, and how many—all these things were mentioned.

Actually, it will be very clear that these bricks cannot be made of earth. Though symbolically the word ‘brick’ is used here for the construction of the altar in the sacrifice, it cannot be a material brick because of the fact that the sacrifice, which is the subject of this verse, does not seem to be a material offering. The object of attainment is non-material because it is everywhere, and inside us also. These bricks are nothing but certain patterns of thinking. They are modes of thought, adjustments of consciousness, and processes of conditioning oneself. These are the bricks, and a tremendous type of initiation is necessary for this. To conceive a universal that is inside us, our consciousness has to be adjusted in such a way that is ordinarily a total impossibility. So these bricks are not material substances weighing some kilograms; they are bricks of consciousness.

When this instruction was given, every word was repeated by Nachiketas. “Do this, do this, this way, this way,” Lord Yama said; and Nachiketas repeated it: “Yes, yes, yes. I understand, I understand, I understand.” Sa cāpi tat pratyavadat yathoktam: As was told, so was repeated word for word by Nachiketas. Great thing! A tremendously earthshaking knowledge is described here very, very briefly—so briefly, so secretly that the ordinary, shackled mind cannot make any sense of this. Great purification is necessary even to grasp the import of what this vidya is. Nachiketas understood it, practised it, and conquered death. This is the Upanishad for conquering death.