Katha Upanishad

Book excerpt: This is one of the "Upanishads", or the philosophical parts of the "Vedas",he central sacred texts of Hinduism. It addresses a problem of interest toll: what happens after the death of the body. The story tells how Nachiketaeets Yama, the lord of Death. During their discussion, Yama explains thathere are two paths in life. By rejecting the path of the outside world, andhoosing "the path that leads inward", it is possible to achieve immortalityhrough a merging with the Universal Self.;This translation brings out thepiritual message of the "Katha Upanishad". Swami Ambikananda Saraswati seekso weave the poetry of the Sanskrit with her interpretation to convey thishousand-year-old wisdom. The text is illustrated with Indian miniatures fromhe Victoria and Albert Museum in London.