kathopanishad-1-1-23-śatāyuṣaḥ

Commentary by Swami Krishnananda of the great Divine Life Society

Yama says, “Don’t go on persisting like this. Please listen to me.” Śatāyuṣaḥ putra-pautrān vṛṇīṣva, bahūn paśūn hasti-hiraṇyam aśvān, bhūmer mahad-āyatanaṁ vṛṇīṣva svayaṁ ca jīva śarado yāvad icchasi; etat tulyam yadi manyase, varaṁ vṛṇīṣva, vittaṁ cira-jīvikāṁ ca, mahā-bhūmau nachiketas tvam edhi, kāmānāṁ tvā kāmabhājaṁ karomi (1.1.23-4): “Sons and grandchildren, and living for hundreds of years—ask for these things, and I will give them to you. Cattle, any number of cattle, thousands of cattle, ask for this. Elephants, as many as you want. Gold, horses, ask for this. Why do you put this question? Ask for the emperorship of the whole world, and I shall grant that. I shall make you the emperor of the whole world. Do you think it is not good enough? And I shall make you live for the longest period of time. As many years as you want to live in this world, so many years I will permit you to live. What else do you want, sir? All the glory, all the gold, all the elephants, all the horses, all the cattle, children and grandchildren, kingship of the whole earth and the longest life, endless—I don’t think that there is anything more glorious than this kind of present that I am offering. Ask for that, but don’t put this question.”

You can imagine there is something terribly difficult in this answer that is to be given; otherwise, why should Yama be so very particular to withdraw himself from the responsibility of answering this question, and wanting to make Nachiketas emperor of the whole world instead? Can you imagine? There is something very mysterious about it; otherwise, he would not have been so reluctant to speak on this matter.You can imagine there is something terribly difficult in this answer that is to be given; otherwise, why should Yama be so very particular to withdraw himself from the responsibility of answering this question, and wanting to make Nachiketas emperor of the whole world instead? Can you imagine? There is something very mysterious about it; otherwise, he would not have been so reluctant to speak on this matter.

“Take everything else, but do not ask this question. All gold, all wealth, all long life—if you think it is okay, take it. In this glorious world, be a glorious ruler. Whatever you wish will be given to you. Your wish will be materialised immediately; there will be nothing that you lack in this world. But don’t put this question,” says Yama.