Capt Purushottam Sharma
Some of the contents relating to spiritual discipline occupying sumptuous volumes of our scriptures have been packed in few words by their authors. One such pair of opposites is ‘Sreyas’ (the Good) and ‘Preyas’ (the Pleasant) found in our Kathoupnishad. This Upnishad also exhorts us “Uttishth Jagrat Prapya Yaranni Bodhart” (Arise! Awake! Go in the fold of men of Divine Wisdom, sit near them with due reverence to them and receive Divine Knowledge).
Anything that allures and appeases the senses is ordinarily known as ‘sukha’ (happiness) and that which is repugnant to senses is ‘dukha’ (pain). Both happiness and pain are blind.
Aspirants on ‘Sreyas Marga’ (Path of goodness) aim at manifestation of Divinity residing in themselves and opt for this path. They believe that life does not end in short span between birth and death but purpose of human birth is to achieve inner harmony by preventing the senses from running after their objects and that temptations can be encountered with Knowledge (‘Yiveka’) and Dispassion (‘Vairagya’).
Men of ignorance tread the path of’ Preyas’ (‘Pleasant’) and lead erratic way of life. They take to all sorts of negative propensities. Such people believe in perishable happiness, indulge in worldly pleasures and fall prey to the down-pulling forces.
There is a famous account in Kathopnishad of Yamaraja (God of Death) and Nachiketa. Sage Uddalak (father of Nachiketa) performed ‘Yishwajit Yajna’. Cows were being harboured for gifting to Brahmins as part of ‘yajna’ .. Young Nachiketa observed that his father was heading for a sinful act by gifting away these cows. Cows were considered most sacred wealth in those days. But these cows were old, sick and too infirm to drink, eat or yield milk. So these were bound to prove liabilities to the Brahmins. He, therefore, resolved to save his father from the serious consequences of giving these useless gifts to Brahmins. He asked his father “I am also your wealth and to whom you intend to give away in gift?” Nachiketa had to repeat his question thrice before he could get answer. Enraged Sage Uddalak shouted in despair “MRITYAVE TWA DADAMEETI”. I am giving you to Yama (The God of Death). Upon this, Nachiketa beseeched his father to send him to Yama in ritualistic manner so that his words were not falsified. Remorsefully, the Sage did so.
Nachiketa had to wait for three nights outside the door of Yam a without drinking and eating anything as He had been out on some business. On His return, Yama felt sorry of making a young visitor of renowned Gautam Rishi lineage to wait outside for three nights without drinking, eating or sleeping. In order to pacify him, Yama promised three boons to Nachiketa. The First Boon that Nachiketa asked was that on his return home, his father should gladly welcome him. He should be free from wrath and be in total equanimity.
The Second Boon was to impart him (Nachiketa) ‘Agni Vidya’ that enables entry into Heaven which is free from any sign of thirst, hunger, old-age and fear of death. Both these boons were granted by Yama to Nachiketa.
Pleased with steadfastness, excellent memory and power of assimilation of young Nachiketa, who narrated back the Knowledge of’ Agni Vidya’ exactly the way he had received, Yama, on his own, granted him an additional boon saying that thereafter onwards the Yaga will be known as ‘Nachiketa-Agni’.
The Third Boon Nachiketa sought was about the Atma. He said that some people say that with the death of body, Soul does not die but survives. Some say that there is no such entity as Atma. He, therefore, begged of Yama to unfold the Truth. Yama replied that to know Atma was beyond the ordinary understanding and even many gods and goddesses fell prey to this doubt. He, therefore, wanted Nachiketa to seek some other Boon that could confer him wealth and rare possessions for worldly enjoyments. Nachiketa declined to opt for any alternative Boon and insisted to impart him the Highest Knowledge which no other better preceptor than Dharamaraja could. Yam a was much impressed with the firm resolve of Nachiketas to whom no temptation could lure. He found in him a fit disciple to receive the Highest Knowledge.
Delighted Yama revealed that human body was not for undergoing consequences of past actions alone. Man can enthusiastically move towards God in this body for eternal peace and inexhaustible happiness. Vedas show to man two approaches to attain happiness. One is Sreyas (the Good) which is God-ward. It frees man from the shackles of sorrows and sufferings. The other is Preyas (Pleasant) which is Illusion-ward. Attachment to spouse, progenies, wealth, mansions, name and fame are its characteristics.
Both these paths attract man. Most of men succumb to Preyas that fetches them immediate and visible results. Such ignorant people, unaware of the consequences of their acts, keep distancing themselves from the aim of human birth. Those who tread the path of Sreyas strive and experience God’s omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence, make Him their all in all and take to righteousness.
Those on Preyas Marga deny themselves of eternal happiness. They lack discrimination of lower nature from the higher. Because of their animal nature, they miss the golden opportunity of fulfilling the aim of human birth, that is, the Realization of the Self.
Those who believe in rebirth discriminate on the merits and demerits of these two paths and prefer the Sreyas Marga. But those who lack wisdom reject the merits of Sreyas Marga and embrace Preyas Marga that confers prompt and visible results. They crave for uninterrupted availability of worldly objects and do not aspire for virtuous way of life for Self-elevation.
Nachiketas thus received Brahm-Vidya from his perceptor Dharmaraja and was liberated.
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