Yama’s Second Boon in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad

Abstract

The problems of KaṭhU 1, 13–19 concern the stratification of the text, the interpretation of difficult and rare words1 and the analysis of the ritualistic and metaritualistic contents. Yama’s three boons in theTaittirīya Brāhmaṇa (3, 11, 8: a parallel and possible source) and in theKaṭhaUpaniṣadare the following.Naciketas asks that hemay happily return home (i.e. that his father is no more angry), that he may learn the imperishableness of the merits of sacrificing and religious liberality (TB), respectively theAgniwhich gives entrance toheaven (KaṭhU), andas thirdwish that he may know the escape from renewed death after death in yonder world (punarmṛtyu, TB), respectively an answer to the questionwhetherman lives on after death (KaṭhU). The threefoldness of the boons is rather problematic. Actually it seems to be based on a general predilection for the number three.2 In the Brāhmaṇa Yama offers three varas, but he has to give only two, since the piling of the Nāciketa fire-altar fulfils both the second and the third wish. In the Upaniṣad Yama first refuses to grant the third boon. Eventually he seems to consent and the rest of the Upaniṣad after the first Vallī may form Yama’s answer.3 The third vara, as it is formulated by Naciketas, is rather unusual for a boon. It is not the wish to obtain something concrete, but an inquiring question. The greatest confusion is caused by Naciketas himself with his third question in both passages, since it looks superfluous. In fact the imperishableness of the iṣṭāpūrta is identicalwith the escape frompunarmṛtyu in theBrāhmaṇas. The third question in the Upaniṣad on life after death sounds strange after the second one which deals with the way of reaching heaven, i.e. with life after