Death Refuses to Answer
देवैरत्रापि विचिकित्सितं पुरा
न हि सुविज्ञेयमणुरेष धर्मः ।
अन्यं वरं नचिकेतो वृणीष्व
मा मोपरोत्सीरति मा सृजैनम् ॥ २१॥
devairatrāpi vicikitsitaṃ purā
na hi suvijñeyamaṇureṣa dharmaḥ .
anyaṃ varaṃ naciketo vṛṇīṣva
mā moparotsīrati mā sṛjainam .. 21..
Yama said: On this subject even the gods formerly had their doubts. It is not easy to understand: the nature of Atman is subtle. Choose another boon, O Nachiketa! Do not press me. Release me from that boon.
Commentary:
Lord Yama replies, “You are asking this kind of question? Don’t harass me unnecessarily. Because I asked you to choose a third boon, you are asking this kind of question which is too difficult for me, because even the gods have a doubt about this matter, let alone mortals. Even the celestials in heaven cannot answer this question and you, mortal young boy, want to know this?” Devair atrāpi vicikitsitam purā, na hi suvijñeyam: “It is not easy to understand.” Aṇur eṣa dharmaḥ: “Very subtle is this truth. Please ask for something else.” Anyaṁ varaṁ naciketo vṛṇīṣva: “Don’t bind me with this request.” Mā moparotsīr ati mā sṛjainam: “Please relieve me from this obligation to answer this kind of question.” Yama himself wants to be free from this bond, or noose, of the question of this boy. “Ask for something else. Every glorious thing, wonderful thing, magnificent thing I shall give you, but don’t put a question like this.”
Nachiketas says, “You are telling me that even the gods cannot answer this question, which means that you know the answer to this question. Otherwise, how would you say this?”
Swami Vivekananda Says —
But Yama was frightened. He had been very glad to grant the other two boons. Now he said, “The gods in ancient times were puzzled on this point. This subtle law is not easy to understand. Choose some other boon, O Nachiketas, do not press me on this point, release me.”[Source] “The gods in ancient times tried to unravel the mystery; this mystery is so fine that it is hard to know. Ask for some other boon: do not ask this one.“[Source]
