Yaksha prashna.

Yudhishtra's wise observations on life and the simple principles one needs to follow to lead a peaceful, prosperous and dharmic---good life is embodied in Vana parva, ofMahabharata.It is in a question and answer form and is popularly known as Yaksha prashna or Baka [crane] prashna.

At the tail end of the 12 years of exile in the forest ,a Brahman visits the simple dwelling of Pandavas, seeking their help to retrieve a twig that had got entangled in the antlers of a stag when it stumbled into his homa and then fled into the deep forest.

All the 5 brothers go in search of this stag that draws them deeper and deeper into the forest, deftly escaping their darts and arrows.Tired and thirsty the brothers one by one,beginning with Nakula venture into a hidden pool to slake their thirst and fall down senseless after drinking the water, ignoring the warning of a crane idling on a branch nearby.

Yudhishtra is the last of the brothers to reach the crystal clear lake and is confronted with the sight of the motionless forms of his 4 brothers. He is overcome by grief and also by a insurmountable thirst .When he proceeds to drink the inviting clear and cool waters of the pool he hears the voice of a crane calling out to him to stop and to quench his thirst only after answering its questions. And that it was the owner of that pool and that it had killed his brothers for not answering its questions and further, they would be revived if Yudhishtra answered them.

Yudhishtra was baffled that a small crane eating a tiny fish could have felled down his brothers who were as mighty as the Himalayas and the Vindhyas and proceeded to enquire about its true identity.At this the crane revealed itself as a Yaksha with a huge form, as fiery as the sun , mighty as a mountain and with roar of thunder, seated on a branch.

Then Yudhishtra assured the Yaksha, that he never coveted any one's possessions therefore would not drink the water without due permission and that he would gladly answer theYaksha's question to the best of his ability.Then he proceeded to answer the questions posed in rapid succesion by the yaksha .

Some of those questions and answers are as follows...

**Q.What makes the sun rise , who keeps him company?What causes him to set?In whom is he established?

Ans**.Brahma makes the sun rise.Gods keep him company.Dharma causes him to set.And he is established in truth.

**Q.By what does one become learned ?By what does one attain greatness?How can one have a second?How can one acquire wisdom?

**Ans. It is by study of Sruthis that one becomes learned. It is by ascetic austerities that one acquires greatness. It is by intelligence that one acquires a second. It is by serving the old that one becomes wise.

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**Q.What is weightier than earth itself?Higher than the heavens?What is fleeter than wind? And what is numerous than grass?

**A.Mother is weightier than earth. Father is higher than heaven. Mind is faster than wind.And our thoughts are more numerous than grass.

**Q.Who is friend of an exile?Who is friend of the householder?Who is friend of him that ails?Who is friend of one about to die?

**Ans.The friend of exile in distant land is his companion.The friend of a householder is his wife.The friend of him that ails is his physician.The friend of one about to die is charity.

**Q.What is soul of man? Who is the friend bestowed on man by gods?What is man's chief support? What is also his chief refuge?

**Ans.The son is the soul of man. The wife is the friend bestowed on man by gods.The clouds are his chief support.And gift is his chief refuge.

**Q.What is best of all laudable things? What is the most valuable of all one's possessions?What is best of all gains? and what is best of all kinds of happiness?

**ans...The best of all laudable things is skill.The most valuable of all possessions is knowledge.The best of all gains is health. Contentment is the best of all kinds of happiness.

**Q..What is that which if renounced makes one agreeable? What if which renounced leads to no regrets? What which if renounced makes one wealthy? And what is that if renounced makes one happy?

**Ans..Pride if renounced makes one agreeable. Wrath if renounced leads to no regrets. Desire if renounced makes one wealthy. Avarice if renounced makes one happy....

**q.For what may be one considered as dead?For what may a kingdom be considered dead?For what may a shradda be considered dead?For what may a sacrifice be considered dead?

**Ans.For want of wealth a man may be regarded dead.For want of a king a kingdom is considered dead.A shradda performed by a priest who has no learning may be regarded as dead.A sacrifice which involves no gift to Brahmans is dead.

**Q.What is sign of steadiness and asceticism?What is true restraint?What constitutes forgiveness?

**Ans.Staying in one's own religion is steadiness and asceticism.The restraint of mind is true restraint.Forgiveness consists of enduring enmity.

**Q.What is pride? What is ignorance? What is grief?

**Ans. The consciousness of oneself being the actor and sufferer is pride.Of not knowing one's duties is ignorance.Ignorance is grief.

**What does one gain by speaking agreeable words?What does one gain by acting with judgement?What does one gain by having friends?

**Ans. He who speaks agreeable words becomes agreeable to all. He who acts with judgement obtains what ever he seeks.He who has many friends lives happily.

**Who is truly happy? What is most wonderful? What is the path? What is the news?

**Ans. A man who cooks in his own house on the 5 th or 6th part of the day ,with scanty vegetables , but who is not in debt and stirs not from the house is happy.

Day after day countless creatures are going to the abode of Yama , yet those who remain behind believe themselves to be immortal ! What can be more wonderful than this!

No one single person even rishi's will not agree on shastras and will expend time arguing about it . The true path is hidden in the caves.

This world which is full of ignorance is like a pan . The sun is fire ,the days and night are fuel. The months and seasons constitute the wooden ladle. Time is the cook, that is cooking all the creatures in that pan.This is the news!

The Yaksha pleased with Yudhistra's answers asks him to choose any one from among his 4 brothers to be restored back to life.Yudhishtra chooses Nakula.When the Yaksha expressed its surprise at Yudhishtra's choice of overlooking the filial claim of his beloved and skilled brothers like Arjuna and Bhima to that of his step brother,Yudhishtra's reply establishes the fact that he was truly Dharma or Justice personified.

He says."If virtue is sacrificed , he that sacrifices it is himself lost. Virtue also cherishes the cherisher.My father had 2 wives . Of Kunti, I am alive. Of Madri , let her son the dark hued Nakula be revived.I desire to act equally towards my mothers. There is no difference between them in my eyes".

Pleased at these words The Yaksha brought all his brothers back to life and revealed himself as Yama or the lord of Justice and the father of Yudhishter and vanished after granting 3 boons.

The boons sought by Yudhishter were that he should at all times never to covet another's possesions and belongings, nor commit any folly and never to get angry!

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Courtesy. K.Ganguly's English translation of.....Mahabharat. available on the internet.

References are from Vanaparva ,sections cccx,cccx1 and cccx11 of Book 3 of Mahabharat