Nachiketa Fire

Sri Ramana Maharshi

I again asked Bhagavan about the Nachiketa fire. “I find from the Kathopanishad that there was already a fire sacrifice which was supposed to lead one to heaven. After Yama explained it to Nachiketas as the second boon, he voluntarily said, ‘Hereafter this fire will be called the Nachiketa fire, after you.’ But later, the Nachiketa fire is mentioned as three fires. I don’t understand what this fire is and why it is called three fires.” 

Thereupon, Bhagavan asked us to look up the commentary and we took out Krishna Prem’s Kathopanishad and Bhagavan read out the portion concerned. He added, “Everything is allegorical. They gave out truths only in this way, never straight out in a simple and direct manner. The same fire has three branches or flames, and so is called one fire or three fires. But both the one fire and the three branches are allegorical, the fire standing for something and the branches for other things. The commentary says that the one central fire has to be kindled on the three planes, bhu, bhuvar, and suvar, or the physical, astral and mental planes.”

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Mr. Nanavati of Bombay asked Bhagavan the meaning of the word madhvada in the Kathopanishad. After consulting some books, it was found out that the expression means the ego or jiva which is the enjoyer of madhu or all the enjoyments of the world. In this connection Bhagavan said, “There are so many vidyas mentioned in the Upanishads. One of them is madhu vidya. Elaborate details and rules are given for each of these vidyas. But what is the use of all these vidyas? Still we must note that there are some whose minds are so built that they can take interest only in such vidyas. But the truth is, all karma of whatever kind will lead to fresh bondage. That is why it is said in ‘Ozhivil odukkam' that Guru who prescribes fresh karma or action of any sort i.e., rituals or sacrifices to one who after trying various karmas comes to him for peace, is both Brahma and Yama to the disciple i.e., he only creates fresh births and deaths.