96 Devotion to Ishwara and Elders
Devotion of Nachiketa to His Father
In the ancient times, there was a saint called Bajshraba. The name of
his son was Nachiketa. Nachiketa was a boy then. Bajshraba was
performing sacrificial ceremony for Vishwajit. He bought some
aged and sickly cows for offering.
The boy Nachiketa began to think that his father's offering and
sacrificial rites would not be fulfilled by some aged cows. His
purpose would not be served either. Rather it was better for his
father to sacrifice Nachiketa, which would completely serve his
purpose.
Thinking so Nachiketa said to his father, 'Tell me father, whom you
will offer me to?' Being angry at the insistence of his son, the father
replied, 'OK then, I shall offer you to the god of death.'
Nachiketa decided to keep the words of his father. Then he said,
'Send me to the god of death, father. Let your promise be kept.'
Father said, 'I told it out of anger. I did not mean it at all.' Nachiketa
said, 'Father, you are a truth-seer saint. The promise of a saint is
never broken. You should keep your words by sending me to the
god of death.'
Nachiketa went to the god of death to keep his father's words.
The Story of Dharmabyadh
In the ancient times, there was a Brahmin named Kaushik. He
gained supernatural powers by meditation and studying Holy
Books. One day he was reading the Vedas attentively sitting under a
tree. There was a crane sitting on that tree. Suddenly the crane made
stool and it fell upon Kaushik's body. Kaushik was much furious at
this. He gazed upwards angrily. In a moment the crane fell down
dead. Kaushik was proud to discover his powers.