Guest guest Posted September 10, 2003 Report Share Posted September 10, 2003 Namaste Harshaji: The episode of Yudhistira and Yaksha comes in Vana Parva of Mahbharat. The entire Mahabharat and Ramayana are available at the Website: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/#maha But an excellent form of the story is reported at the Website Address reported below. Since this story illustrates why Dharma is an integral part of spiritual life, I have reproduced the story also from the same site. This story also provides the clue why Yudhishtira is also knowns as Dharmar! regards, Ram Chandran =================== http://www.freeindia.org/biographies/greatlkings/yudhishtira/page15.ht m ================================= Yudhishtira's Answers to Yaksha ================================= The Questions of Yaksha A strange event happened while the Pandavas were residing in Dwaithavana. One day a Brahmin visited the Pandavas. He told them that his 'arani' sticks with which he used to produce fire for his 'homas' (making offerings to the gods through the sacred fire) had been carried away by a deer on its horns; and he requested them to get back the firesticks for him. Yudhishtira set out with his brothers in search of the deer. The Pandavas soon came in sight of the animal; but it ran away fast as the wind, and they could not catch it. All of them soon felt very thirsty. At the suggestion of Dharmaraja, Nakula climbed a tree and looked around for water. He caught sight of a lake nearby. Yudhishtira sent Nakula to fetch some water. Nakula went to the lake, and was about to drink a little water before taking some with him. Suddenly he heard a voice addressing him thus: "0 Sir, this is my lake. You shall not drink water without my permission. You may drink after answering my questions." He looked all round and saw no one. He was very thirsty. Without heeding the words he had heard, he drank water; at once he fell down unconscious. Yudhishtira sent his other brothers one after another, to look for those who had not come back and to bring water; but the same fate befell all of them. At last, Dharmaraja himself hurried to the spot. He was taken aback to see his brothers lying dead 'on the ground. There was no one anywhere nearby! Nor was there any sign of wild animals! Dharmaraja could not understand the cause of his brother's death. As he, too, was fatigued with thirst, he also proceeded to drink water. And the same voice from the skies spoke to him. Yudhishtira addressed the voice: "Sir, who are you? You seem to be the cause of the death of my brothers. Humbly I ask you, who are you?" The voice replied, "Yes, 1 killed your brothers. I am a Yaksha, the owner of this lake. They drank water before answering my questions, and so they died. If you want to drink water, answer my questions first." With these words the Yaksha himself -appeared before him. "I shall answer your questions as best I can," agreed Yudhishtira. Yaksha: What equals the ocean? Who does well to the world? Who is the mother of all human beings? What can compare with the brightness of the Sun? Yudhishtira: The sky equals the ocean. Devendra is the benefactor of the world. The cow is the mother of all human beings. Only Truth equals the Sun in brightness. Yaksha: Who can be considered a Shrotriya among Brahmins? Who is the best among the Kshathriyas? Yudhishtira: He who is learned in the Shruthi or the Vedas is a true Brahmin. The best Kshathriya is one who can wield weapons and fight without fear of death. Yaksha: How can one earn money? Of all the riches which is the best? What is true wealth? Yudhishtira: Money is to be earned by hard work. Learning is the best of riches. Health is wealth. Yaksha: What is greater than the earth? What is higher than the skies? Yudhishtira: A mother is greater than the earth. A father is loftier than the skies. Yaksha: What is faster than the wind? What troubles a person always? Yudhishtira: The mind is faster than the wind. Worry troubles a person always. Yaksha: Who is a great man? Yudhishtira: One who practices nonviolence. Yaksha: I am pleased with your answers. Which of your brothers do you wish to come back to life? Yudhishtira: Nakula. As the dialogue continued, one by one Yudhishtira got all his brothers back. "Why did you want your stepbrothers, Nakula and Sahadeva, restored to life first, and not your own brothers, Bhima and Arjuna?" - asked Yaksha. Yudhishtira replied, I do not make any difference between my own brothers and my step-brothers." Then Yamadharma, who had taken the form of a Yaksha, appeared in his own person. He said, "Because you uphold Dharma victory will be yours." With these words he blessed Yudhishtira and disappeared. Afterwards, the Pandavas brought the arani sticks and gave them to the Brahmin. ==================================================== advaitin, Harsha wrote: > Can one of the learned members direct to a web site that has a complete > version of this story (in Mahabharta) of Yuddhistra. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 11, 2003 Report Share Posted September 11, 2003 advaitin, "Ram Chandran" <rchandran@c...> wrote: > Namaste Harshaji: > > The episode of Yudhistira and Yaksha comes in Vana Parva of > Mahbharat. The entire Mahabharat and Ramayana are available at the > Website: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/#maha The incident mentioned is popularly known as "Yaksha Prasna". Following is the chapter on Yaksha Prasna in the book "Mahabharata" by Kamala Subramaniam published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay. This is the last Chapter in the Vana Parva of Mahabharata. The incidents preceding the starting of the questions by Yaksha is covered in the previous chapter as has already been described by the message from Ram Chandran. This is a fascinating chapter and is a gold mine of information on Dharma.I am typing out this chapter from the book for your benefit. Excuse me in case of any typographical errors. The Yaksha said : "Your brother Arjuna tried to fight for his life. He threatened to kill me with his arrows. He invoked all the divine astras which he had at his command and aimed them at me. But he could do nothing, not to me. I aksed him just to answer my questions. He refused and drank the water and died. I am pleased with your humility. I will ask you to answer several questions on ethics". "So be it", said Yudhisthira. Then began the questions and answers. Q: What makes the sun rise? A: Brahma makes the sun rise. Q: Whom has he for companion? A: His company is kept by the gods. Q: Who is the cause for the setting of the sun? A: Dharma causes him to set. Q: In whom is the sun established? A: The sun is established in truth. Q: What makes on learned? A: The study of srutis makes one learned. Q: How is man to attain what is great? A: Ascetic austerities help a man to achieve the great. Q: How is it possible for a man always to have a second companion? A: Steady intelligence serves man as a helpful companion always. Q: This intelligence you speak of, how is it to be acquired? A: Serving the old makes one rich in wisdom. Q: How are brahmins ranked with divine beings? Why? A: They are considered divine because they study the Vedas. Q: What is it that they practise which makes them pious? A: Their ascetism makes them behave as they do and so they are pious. Q: The brahmins are ranked with divine beings. How are they then, different from divine beings? A: Brahmins are mortal and divine beings are not. It is this liability to die that makes them not divine. Q: What of kshatriyas? Wherein lies their divinity? A: It lies in arrows and weapons. Q: What is the practise which makes them pious? A: Kshatriyas perform sacrifices and that makes them pious. Q: Liability to death makes brahmins less divine. What of kshatriyas? A: In their case, it is liability to fear. Q: Tell me about sacrifices. What is meant by the Sama in a sacrifice? And Yajus? There is something which is the refuge of sacrifice. What is it? What is essential for sacrifice? A: Life is the Sama and mind is the Yajus. Rik is the refuge of the sacrifice and it is Rik which is essential for sacrifice. Q: There is found a person who enjoys all the objects of the senses. He is intelligent. The world holds him in esteem and he is quite popular. And yet, though this man breathes, it is said that he does not live. Why? A: A man, though he breathes, is considered to be not alive if he does not offer anything to the gods, guests, servants and the Pithris. Q: What is weightier than the earth itself? A: The mother has more weight than the earth. Q: What is higher than the heavens? A: The father. Q: What is fleeter than wind? A: The mind is fleeter than wind. Q: What is more numerous than grass? A: The thoughts that arise in the mind of man are more numerous. Q: What is the highest refuge of virtue? A: Liberality is the highest refuge of virtue. Q: Of fame? A: Gift is the highest refuge of fame. Q: Of heaven? A: Truth is the highest refuge of heaven. Q: Of happiness? A: Good behaviour is the highest refuge of happiness. Q: What is the soul of man? A: His son. Q: Who is the friend granted by gods to man? A: The wife is teh friend bestowed on man by the gods. Q: His chief support? A: The clouds. Q: His chief refuge? A: Gift. Q: The best of all things that are praised. What is it? A: The most praiseworthy thing is skill. Q: The most valuable of all possessions? A: Knowledge. Q: The best of all gains? A: Health. Q: The best of all kinds of happiness? A: Contentment. Q: What is the highest duty in the world? A: To abstain from injury is the highest of all duties. Q: What is it, controlling which will never lead to no regret? A: The mind, if controlled, will never lead to regret. Q: What is that, which, when renounced makes one agreeable? A: Pride, when renounced makes one agreeable. Q: Renouncing what does one become wealthy? A: Desire, when renounced makes one wealthy. Q: What is it, when renounced, leads to no regret? A: Wrath, when renounced, leads to no regret. Q: Renouncing what does make man happy? A: Avarice, when renounced, makes a man happy. Q: What is THE WAY? By whom is it constituted? A: Those that are good constitute THE WAY? Q: What is the sign of ascetism? A: Staying in one's own religion is ascetism. Q: True restraint? A: The restraint of mind is true restraint. Q: What is the essential feature of forgiveness? A:Forgiveness consists of in enduring enmity. Q: What is shame? A: Shame is withdrawing from all unworthy acts. Q: What is said to be knowledge? A: True knowledge is the knowledge of divinity. Q: What is tranquility? A: True Tranquility is that of the heart. Q: What is mercy? A: Mercy means wishing happiness for all. Q: What is simplicity? A: Simplicity is the equanimity of the heart. Q: Can you tell me what enemy is invincible? A: Anger. Q: What disease is incurable? A: Covetuousness is an incurable disease. Q: Which man is considered honest? A: He who desires the good of all creatures is honest. Q: Which man is dishonest? A: One who is not merciful is dishonest. Q: What is ignorance? A: True ignorance is not knowing one's duties. Q: And pride? A: Pride is a consciousness of one's being himself an actor or sufferer in life. Q: What is idleness? A: Not discharging one's duties is idleness. Q: Grief? What is grief? A: Ignorance is grief. Q: What is patience? A: Patience is subjugating the senses. Q: What is real ablution? A: A true bath consists in washing the mind clean of all impurities. Q: What is charity? A: Charity consists in protecting all creatures. Q: What is wickedness? A: Wickedness is speaking ill of others. Q: By what does one become a brahmin? Is it behaviour? Or birth? Or study? Or learning? A: Neither birth nor study nor even learning makes a brahmin. It is behaviour that makes a brahmin. If his behaviour is faultless the man is faultless too. Bad conduct damns a man for ever. Study of vedas is not enough if a man does not conduct himself properly. Q: What is the reward for one who always speaks agreeable words? A: Why, he becomes agreeable to all. Q: When he acts with judgement? A: He gets whatever he seeks. Q: When he has many friends? A: He lives happily. Q: If he is devoted to virtue? A:He obtains a happy state in the next world. Q: What is the most wonderful thing in this world? A: Day after day there enter into the Temple of Death, countless lives. Looking on this spectacle, the rest of them, those who remain, believe themselves to be permanent, immortal. Can anything be more wonderful than this. Q: What is the PATH? A: Arguments lead to no certain conclusions. The Srutis are all different one from the other. There is not even one rishi whose opinion can be accepted as infallible. The truth about religion and duty is hidden in the caves. Therefore, THAT alone is THE PATH along which the Great have trod. Q: What is THE NEWS? A: The world full of ignorance is like a pan. The sun is fire. The day and nights are the fuel. The months and the sessons constitute the wooden handle. TIME is the COOK that is cooking all creatures in that pan. That is THE NEWS. Q: Who is truly a MAN? A: The report of one's good actions reach heaven and it is spread over the earth. As long as that report lasts, so long is that person called a MAN. Q: Which is the man who is considered to possess every kind of wealth? A: The man to whom the agreeable and disagreeable, weal and woe, the past and the future, are the same is considered to possess every kind of wealth. [unquote] After this the Yaksha says that he is pleased and grants a boon of the life of one of his brothers and Yudhishthira requests the Yaksha to grant the life of Nakula. I do hope the above will be of help. This is a chapter which had impressed me during the first time that I had read Mahabharata. Regards N. Sridhar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 11, 2003 Report Share Posted September 11, 2003 Hari Aum Ram Ji, Thank you very much for posting these questions. I have been looking for them since I attended a Yagna at Kailash Niwas about three years ago. I could not find the URL for the questions. Is your note in the e-mail complete? I was told that Yudhister answered one hundred questions. I would like to talk with you over this week-end. Is there a preferred time? Hari Aum! Deepak Chadha On Wed, 10 Sep 2003 15:40:43 -0000, "Ram Chandran" wrote: > > Namaste Harshaji: > > The episode of Yudhistira and Yaksha comes in Vana Parva of > Mahbharat. The entire Mahabharat and Ramayana are available > at the > Website: http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/#maha > > But an excellent form of the story is reported at the > Website Address > reported below. Since this story illustrates why Dharma is > an > integral part of spiritual life, I have reproduced the story > also > from the same site. This story also provides the clue why > Yudhishtira > is also knowns as Dharmar! > > regards, > > Ram Chandran > =================== > > http://www.freeindia.org/biographies/greatlkings/yudhishtira/page15.ht > m > > ================================= > Yudhishtira's Answers to Yaksha > ================================= > > The Questions of Yaksha > A strange event happened while the Pandavas were residing in > Dwaithavana. One day a Brahmin visited the Pandavas. He told > them > that his 'arani' sticks with which he used to produce fire > for > his 'homas' (making offerings to the gods through the sacred > fire) > had been carried away by a deer on its horns; and he > requested them > to get back the firesticks for him. > > Yudhishtira set out with his brothers in search of the deer. > The > Pandavas soon came in sight of the animal; but it ran away > fast as > the wind, and they could not catch it. All of them soon felt > very > thirsty. At the suggestion of Dharmaraja, Nakula climbed a > tree and > looked around for water. He caught sight of a lake nearby. > Yudhishtira sent Nakula to fetch some water. Nakula went to > the lake, > and was about to drink a little water before taking some > with him. > Suddenly he heard a voice addressing him thus: "0 Sir, this > is my > lake. You shall not drink water without my permission. You > may drink > after answering my questions." He looked all round and saw > no one. He > was very thirsty. Without heeding the words he had heard, he > drank > water; at once he fell down unconscious. > > Yudhishtira sent his other brothers one after another, to > look for > those who had not come back and to bring water; but the same > fate > befell all of them. > > At last, Dharmaraja himself hurried to the spot. He was > taken aback > to see his brothers lying dead 'on the ground. There was no > one > anywhere nearby! Nor was there any sign of wild animals! > Dharmaraja > could not understand the cause of his brother's death. As > he, too, > was fatigued with thirst, he also proceeded to drink water. > And the > same voice from the skies spoke to him. Yudhishtira > addressed the > voice: "Sir, who are you? You seem to be the cause of the > death of my > brothers. Humbly I ask you, who are you?" The voice replied, > "Yes, 1 > killed your brothers. I am a Yaksha, the owner of this lake. > They > drank water before answering my questions, and so they died. > If you > want to drink water, answer my questions first." With these > words the > Yaksha himself -appeared before him. "I shall answer your > questions > as best I can," agreed Yudhishtira. > > Yaksha: What equals the ocean? Who does well to the world? > Who is the > mother of all human beings? What can compare with the > brightness of > the Sun? > > Yudhishtira: The sky equals the ocean. Devendra is the > benefactor of > the world. The cow is the mother of all human beings. Only > Truth > equals the Sun in brightness. > > Yaksha: Who can be considered a Shrotriya among Brahmins? > Who is the > best among the Kshathriyas? > > Yudhishtira: He who is learned in the Shruthi or the Vedas > is a true > Brahmin. The best Kshathriya is one who can wield weapons > and fight > without fear of death. > > Yaksha: How can one earn money? Of all the riches which is > the best? > What is true > wealth? > > Yudhishtira: Money is to be earned by hard work. Learning is > the best > of riches. Health > is wealth. > > Yaksha: What is greater than the earth? What is higher than > the > skies? > > Yudhishtira: A mother is greater than the earth. A father is > loftier > than the skies. > > Yaksha: What is faster than the wind? What troubles a person > always? > > Yudhishtira: The mind is faster than the wind. Worry > troubles a > person always. > > Yaksha: Who is a great man? > > Yudhishtira: One who practices nonviolence. > > Yaksha: I am pleased with your answers. Which of your > brothers do you > wish to come back to life? > > Yudhishtira: Nakula. > > As the dialogue continued, one by one Yudhishtira got all > his > brothers back. "Why did you want your stepbrothers, Nakula > and > Sahadeva, restored to life first, and not your own brothers, > Bhima > and Arjuna?" - asked Yaksha. Yudhishtira replied, I do not > make any > difference between my own brothers and my step-brothers." > Then > Yamadharma, who had taken the form of a Yaksha, appeared in > his own > person. He said, "Because you uphold Dharma victory will be > yours." > > With these words he blessed Yudhishtira and disappeared. > > Afterwards, the Pandavas brought the arani sticks and gave > them to > the Brahmin. > ==================================================== > > > > > advaitin, Harsha wrote: > > Can one of the learned members direct to a web site that > has a > complete > > version of this story (in Mahabharta) of Yuddhistra. > > > ------------------------ Sponsor > > Discussion of Shankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy of > nonseparablity of Atman and Brahman. > Advaitin List Archives available at: > http://www.eScribe.com/culture/advaitin/ > To Post a message send an email to : advaitin > Messages Archived at: > advaitin/messages > > > > Your use of is subject to > ______________ PeoplePC: It's for people. And it's just smart. http://www.peoplepc.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 11, 2003 Report Share Posted September 11, 2003 Dear Deepakji and others: In the version I read as a child, the Yaksha asks Yudhishtira why he wanted his step brother Nakula brought back to life and not his brothers Arjuna or Bhim who were born from the womb of his mother. The response of Yudhishtra was that since Yudhishtra was alive, his mother had at least one son living. Yudhishtra felt that his stepmother deserved to have one of her actual sons live as well. I remember being impressed very much by this logic based on ethical consideration and sensitivity to his stepmother that Yudshistra showed (and still remember it 40 years later). So there must be slightly different versions of the story or the story has been added to. Love to all Harsha DEEPAK CHADHA wrote: > > Yaksha: Who is a great man? > > > > Yudhishtira: One who practices nonviolence. > > > > Yaksha: I am pleased with your answers. Which of your > > brothers do you > > wish to come back to life? > > > > Yudhishtira: Nakula. > > > > As the dialogue continued, one by one Yudhishtira got all > > his > > brothers back. "Why did you want your stepbrothers, Nakula > > and > > Sahadeva, restored to life first, and not your own > brothers, > > Bhima > > and Arjuna?" - asked Yaksha. Yudhishtira replied, I do not > > make any > > difference between my own brothers and my step-brothers." > > Then > > Yamadharma, who had taken the form of a Yaksha, appeared in > > his own > > person. He said, "Because you uphold Dharma victory will be > > yours." > > > > With these words he blessed Yudhishtira and disappeared. > > > > Afterwards, the Pandavas brought the arani sticks and gave > > them to > > the Brahmin. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 11, 2003 Report Share Posted September 11, 2003 advaitin, Harsha wrote: > Dear Deepakji and others: > > The response of Yudhishtra was that since Yudhishtra was alive, his > mother had at least one son living. Yudhishtra felt that his stepmother > deserved to have one of her actual sons live as well. > Yes. This is the way the story goes. Yudhishthira's answer to Yaksha's question is that since one son of Kunti is already alive, he wanted to have the son of Madri also to come back to life so that the sons of both the wives of Pandu live. The Yaksha is pleased by Yudhishthira's response and brings back all the Pandavas back to life. Regards N. Sridhar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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