KATHOPNISHAD CHAPTER 1 SHLOKA-6

                                            अनुपश्य तथा पूर्वे प्रतिपश्य तथाSपरे

                                             सस्यमिव मर्त्यः पच्यते मिवाSSजायते  पूनः --६
      REMEMBER HOW OUR FOREFATHERS BEHAVED AND HOW OTHERS BEHAVE

          ALL MORTAL BEINGS LIKE CORN, DECAYS AND THEN IS BORN AGAIN

    As I understand this statement is by Nachiket to his father or it may be his own thought. This kind of thought can only arise in those whose soul is evolved or who has understood the mortality of human life. We normally tend to justify what we do even when we know that our acts are not moral or ethical. The standard statement is 'everyone does it' or 'If I don;t do it someone will do it.' We all know that we are all mortal beings  and we are going to die. but the way in which we act is as if we are going to live for ever. I have known elderly -more than 85 years ole not selling their property  and hold on to it so as to get higher price, only to die before enjoying the money that they would have gotten by selling earlier.
      There is a poem in Marathi language which states that we are all like grains going in grinder but we do not realize  and even though Death is imminent we wish we want to try to stop what is inevitable.
     In this SHLOKA , Nachiket thins or tells to his father that think what our forefather did, or what other (of your age ) do.They donate as charity things that are of value or utility.Like grain - corn the physical body will die -decay and then we will be born again.
    In Patanjali Yoga Sutra we are told that there are different types of 'proofs' Some are 'direct' and some are 'indirect' We conclude that there must be fire when we see smoke . This is indirect. While actually seeing fire is direst proof. But both of these can be deceptive. We see Moon  and think it is not that far  and we can cover with our palm in front of our eyes , so it must not be big .But our conclusion is wrong .The same is true of indirect, smoke could be fog  and there may be no fire . The only 100% proof is what is told to us by reliable evolved souls or sages. So when we are told to think about how our ancestor behaved , we should not think of learned , evolved enlightened ones not just those who were related to us by blood.
  The principal of life cycle or birth-death- reborn- reincarnation is also stated here.

KATHOPNISHADA CHAPTER 1 SHLOKA-5

                                             बहूनामेमि  प्रथमो बहूनामेमि मध्यमः

                                         किं स्विद्यमस्य कर्तव्यं यन्मयाSद्य करिष्यति  -5

(NACHIKET THOUGHT) OF MANY I AM THE FIRST (OR) THE MIDDLE (BUT CERTAINLY 

    NOT THE LAST)BUT WHAT IS PURPOSE OF MY FATHER TO GIVE ME TO THE YAMA-5

       So this shloka tells us what Nachiket must have thought of what his father said. Many a times elders make a statements in state of rage, and we do not expect it to be followed by the kids . But here the CHILD is not ordinary child . He is mature , learned  and devoted . He is also capable. So he is thinking to himself that there must be some purpose for my father giving me to the God of Death - YAMA. He is learned  and he is my Guru  and his words can not be spoken in vain.The shloka starts with Nachiket thinking that I must be first of the people who was offered to God of death or may be there were some before me , but certainly I can not be the last, so true. He wants to fulfill the words or the command of his Father and also Guru . But he does not understand as to what must be the reason and what is it that my father wants me to get it done by Yama
    This is very interesting shloka to me. There are couple of things out of ordinary understanding of average people.The common part is all adults when they are mad will say things that they don't mean . The uncommon thing is that the Son - CHILD takes his father's word very seriously . He wants to obey the father's wish-command . Not only he feels that way but he also has ability to go to YAMA.
He is serious about  and he does it .