Kaṭha Upaniṣad 43

43

triṇāciketas trayaṃ yathoktaṃ "yā iṣṭakā yāvatīrvā yathā vā" (KaU 1.15) ity etad viditvāvagamya yaś caivam ātmarūpeṇāgniṃ vidvāṃś cinute nirvartayati nāciketam agniṃ kratuṃ sa mṛtyupāśān adharmājñānarāgadveṣādilakṣaṇān purato 'grataḥ pūrvam eva śarīrapātād ity arthaḥ praṇodyāpahāya śokātigo mānasair duḥkhair varjita ity etan modate svargaloke vairāje virāḍātmasvarūpapratipattyā ///1,1.18 //

Shankara’s Commentary:
Com.—He now concludes the fruits, of the knowledge and the performance of sacrifice and with them, the present topic. The three-fold Nachiketas who properly understands what was said about the bricks, their numbers and mode and who realizing the fire as the atman completes the sacrifice called Nachiketa, shakes off even before death, the meshes of Death consisting in vice, ignorance, desire and hatred, etc., and devoid of all grief rejoices in heaven, i.e., by realizing his Self as the virat.