Mahabharata/Jaya - Yuddhistira answers the Yaksha's questions

"If you drink the water from this pond without answering my questions, you will die." Thus spoke the Yaksha to all the Pandavas who had come to collect water from the pond.

One day, a sage had seeked Pandavas' help in capturing a antelope. The reason was that the sticks for a yagna/homa which the sage had kept on a tree were now stuck to the antelope's horns (while the antelope had brushed against the tree). The Pandavas tried this but their attempts were futile. In the process, they got very tired and thirsty. Yuddhistira tells Nakula to climb a tree and locate for the signs of presence of a pond or a water body. Nakula did so and informs Yuddhistira that he located the direction of where the pond might be as he could see some birds/cranes flying over at a distance. Yuddhistira requests Nakula to fetch some water for all of them.

When Nakula reaches the pond, he hears the above mentioned warning. Nakula does not heed it. Yuddhistira sends one brother after the other. Everyone meets with the same fate as no one heeds to the warning. Finally, Yuddhistira makes his way to the pond. He is at first worried if Duryodhana had poisoned the lake. But then looking at the faces of his brothers, he would discount that fact. That is when the Yaksha's voice reaches him. The voice speaks, "All the four brothers of yours did not heed my warning. Answer my questions and you can have the water." Yudhistira responds, "I do not desire to take anything that is yours. Please ask me your questions and I will try my best to answer". I am just copying it from Wikipedia :-)

Question No. 1:Yaksha questioned: Who makes the sun to rise and ascend in the skies? Who moves around the Sun? Who makes the sun set in the horizons? What is the true nature of the Sun and where is the sun established?

Yudhisthira answered: Brahma makes the sun rise and ascend. The Gods perambulate about the Sun. The Dharm sets the Sun. Truth is the actual Sun and the Sun is established in truth only.

Question No. 2: Yaksha enquired: What instills 'divinity' in Brahmins? What is the quality of virtuousity in a Brahmin? What is the humanlike quality of a Brahmin? What is the conduct akin to a non-virtuous person in a Brahmin?

Yudhisthira replied: The self-study (Swadhyana) of the Vedas is divinity in a Brahmin. Penance is the quality like a virtuous person in a Brahhmin. Death is human-like quality in a Brahmin. Criticising others is conduct in a Brahmin like a non-virtuous person.

Question No. 3: Yaksha asked: What instills 'divinity' in Kshatriyas? What is the quality of virtuousity in a Kshatriya? What is the humanlike quality of a Kshatriya? What is the conduct akin to a non-virtuous person in a Kshatriya?

Yudhisthira replied: The art of archery is the divinity in a Kshatriya. Oblation is Kshatriya's quality of virtuousity in Kshatriya. Fear is his humanly quality. Abandoning people under protection of the Kshatriya is conduct like a non-virtuous person in the Kshatriya.

Question No. 4 the Yaksha asked: What is that thing which is like a Mantra in the performance of oblations (Yajnya)? Who is the performer of rites and ceremonies during Yajnya? Who accepts the offerings and oblations of a Yajnya? What is that which even a Yajnya can not transgress?

Yudhisthira replied: 'Breath' is like a Mantra in the performance of rites. 'Mind' is the performer of all rites in the course of Yajnya. Only Shlokas of theVedas, termed rucha or the richa accept oblation. The Yajnya can not surpass nor transgress the richas.

Question No. 5 the Yaksha asked: What is heavier than earth, higher than heavens, faster than the wind and more numerous than straws?

Yudhishthira: One's mother is heavier than the earth; one's father is higher than the mountains. The mind is faster than wind and our worries are more numerous than straws.

Question No. 6 the Yaksha asked: Who is the friend of a traveler? Who is the friend of one who is ill and one who is dying?

Yudhishthira: The friend of a traveler is his companion. The physician is the friend of one who is sick and a dying man's friend is charity.

Question No. 7 the Yaksha asked: What is that which, when renounced, makes one lovable? What is that which is renounced makes happy and wealthy?

Yudhishthira: Pride, if renounced makes one lovable; by renouncing desire one becomes wealthy; and to renounce avarice is to obtain happiness.

Question No. 8 the Yaksha asked: What enemy is invincible? What constitutes an incurable disease? What sort of man is noble and what sort is ignoble?

Yudhishthira: Anger is the invincible enemy. Covetousness constitutes a disease that is incurable. He is noble who desires the well-being of all creatures, and he is ignoble who is without mercy.

Question No. 9 the Yaksha asked: Who is truly happy?

Yudhishthira: He who has no debts is truly happy.  

Question No. 10 the Yaksha asked: What is the greatest wonder? 

Yudhishthira: Day after day countless people die. Yet the living wish to live forever. O Lord, what can be a greater wonder?

Question No. 10 & 11 the Yaksha asked: What is the path? And what is the news?

Yudhishthira: Argument leads to no certain conclusion, the Srutis are different from one another; there is not even one Rishi whose opinion can be accepted by all; the truth about Dharma and duty is hid in caves of our heart: therefore, that alone is the path along which the great have trod. This world full of ignorance is like a pan. The sun is fire, the days and nights are fuel. The months and the seasons constitute the wooden ladle. Time is the cook that is cooking all creatures in that pan (with such aids); this is the news.

Yaksha is happy with Yuddhistira's answers. Yaksha states that Yuddhistira's answers were satisfactory and he will give life to one of the Pandavas (leaving the choice to Yuddhistira). Yuddhistira chose Nakula. The Yaksha questions on the reasoning of choosing Nakula and not Arjuna or Bhima who share the same mother as Yuddhistira. Yuddhistira states, "I do not differentiate between my mothers and brothers. And if that was the case, I would still choose Nakula so that one son of Madri too lives on". Yaksha reveals himself as Lord Dharma and gives life to all the brothers since Yuddhistira has upheld Dharma all the time. 

The last 2 chapter gives us a clearer picture of Yuddhistira's wisdom. Other than that, these questions are worthy of meditating on. Mahabharata is such an ocean of wisdom intertwined with regular and mythical stories. No wonder that if one reads Mahabharata and contemplates on it, one might be able to achieve the Supreme Truth.