This session, held on October 24, 2021, was largely about the importance of self reflection. We started with Mantra 6 of the first valli of Chapter 1.
Prior to this Nachiketa was told by his father that he will be given to The Lord of Death. His father said this out of anger, but Nachiketa pondered about this in a very mature way. After reflecting that all along he has performed his duties as a son and a student at the highest or at the least middle level, he felt there must be a reason these words came out of his father’s mouth. He decided that it is duty to follow his father’s orders.
He gets ready to follow the order and goes to his father to take leave. His father must have shown some regret for saying that and perhaps even pleaded Nachiketa not to follow that order (not mentioned in the Upanishad). Nachiketa tells his father that it is not Dharma to go back on one’s words. He even reminds his father of his ancestors and contemporaries and how they followed Dharma all the time. He gives an example just like corn plants who grow, give a crop and die, human life is also temporary and for that temporary life giving up Dharma which is permanent is not advisable.
We discussed examples of Lord Rama and Raja Harischandra, focusing on how they upheld Dharma smilingly.
We discussed how important it is for all of us to have faith in Law of Karma! How sometimes we ignore it for material gains and later question, "Why me?"
We had a reflection session about our experience when we were different scenarios:
“I am good and the other person is good”
“I am good but the other person is bad”
“I am bad and the other person is good”
“I am bad and the other person is bad”
Groups came up with different scenarios and reflections (see image below).
