Uddaalak and Raajaa Jaibaali

It is the dialog between Muni Uddaalak and Raajaa Jaibaali. Uddaalak was the son of one of the three main disciples of Rishi Dhaumya  - Ved, Aaruni, and Upamanyu - Aaruni. Uddaalak had two sons named Nachiketaa and Shwetaketu and one daughter Sujaataa. Once Shwetketu goes to King Jaibaali of Paanchaal Desh and is unable to reply his spiritual questions, so he comes to back to his father and complains about his education. Then Uddaalak himself goes to Jaibaali and talks to him. Read its  Upanishad version here.

Once Shwetaketu Aaruneya repaired to the assembly of the Paanchaal.
Pravahan Jaibaali (the King of Paanchaal, a Kshatriya) asked him: “Boy, Has your father instructed you?” “Yes, Sir,” he replied.

“Do you know to what place men go from here?” “No, Sir,” he replied.
“Do you know how they return again?” “No, Sir,” he replied.
“Do you know where the path of the Devtaa and the path of the Fathers diverge?” “No, Sir,” he replied.
“Do you know why that world (that of Fathers) never becomes full although innumerable die everyday?” “No, Sir,” he replied.

"How does the elemental matter become Purush or living person? If you don't know this also, how do you say that you are educated?" How could anybody who did not know these things say that he had been taught?”

Shwetaketu thus humiliated went back to his father Uddaalak and repeated the questions and said: “Though you had not taught me, you said you had instructed me. That fellow of a Raajanya (King, Kshatriya) asked me five questions, and I could not answer even one of them.”
The father who also did not know the answers, went straight to the prince and requested him to teach him the answers. The prince welcomed him with great  respect and said - “Sir Gautam, ask a boon of such things as belong to the world of men.”
Uddaalak replied - “Let such things as men possess may remain with you. Tell me the same speech which you addressed to my boy.”
The King was perplexed. He commanded: “Stay here for some time." and Uddaalak stayed there for some time.

Then Jaibaali said: - "As to what you have said to me, O Gautam, this knowledge did not go to any Braahman before you; and therefore this teaching belonged, among all the people, to the Kshatriya alone. For the first time I am giving it to you. As a result of the five Yagya the elemental matter is converted into life. Elemental matter is the oblation offered to the fire and the Sun. The result is production of Som which is poured into Parjanya (power which brings rain). When rain is poured on the Earth, food results. When the man digests the food, Reta is produced which enters a woman's body and a child is born. Thus after the five stages, elemental matter is converted into life."

Jaibaali continued - "Man's body is made up of four elements which get dissolved after death. Destiny of his soul depends on his actions and knowledge. The one with spiritual knowledge goes by Devayaan path (Uttaraayan) and does not return to the earthly existence. Otherwise, it goes by Pitriyaan path (Dakshinaayan) to Heaven (if with good deeds), remains there till his Punya are exhausted and comes back to the world to live according to the general nature of his earlier actions. If with sins and evil deeds, he is born and reborn to go through the cycle of lives of insects and worms and suffers interminably. So, some of those who are born on Earth pass on to the world of Brahm and some others go to heaven and numerous others are caught up in the ever recurring cycle of births and deaths. So there is no danger of the other world becoming full."

This is about life, its origin and destiny given by a Kshatriya Pravahan Jaibaali to a Braahman Uddaalak for the first time.
Jaibaali further said to Gautam - "The other world, O Gautam, is the fire. The Sun is its fuel. The rays are the smoke. The day is the flame. The Moon is the embers. And the stars are the sparks. In this fire the gods pour libation of faith and from this libation king Som is born.” So on he goes. “You need not make oblation to that little fire - the whole world is that fire, and this oblation, this worship, is continually going on. The gods, and the angels, and everybody is worshipping it. Man is the greatest symbol of fire, the body of man.”

[Shuk Dev Jee had to go to Raajaa Janak to have confirmation of his knowledge and realization, read Naarad Puraan, 1/24. He was tested by Janak in his Darbaar (court). Raajaa Janak arranged for music and dancing parties all around his palace to distract the attention of Shuk Dev Jee. There were various kinds of shows and entertainments. Shuk Dev Jee was asked to carry in his hand a cup of milk that was filled to the very brim round his palace, and to make three rounds without allowing a drop to overflow and fall on the ground. Shuk Dev Jee had complete success in his attempt as he was fully established in his Self. Nothing could distract his mind."]

"Khokhalee Pustak Baanchnaa" (means reading books without practicing them) or just collecting and reading of Books. So just reading Shaastra etc is not enough, unless one puts them in practice. There are millions of books to read, but Life is just one, so stop reading much, and start practicing."