Yaksha PrasnahSource of E-texts:Sanskrit UnicodeText: www.sanskritdocuments.orgSanskrit Text of Mahabharata: Vedic Reserve atwww.mum.orgEnglish Translation by KM Ganguli:www.sacred-texts.comYaksha Prasnah ( )2Chapter 296 of Aranyaka Parva in MahabharataVaisampayana continued, "Then king Yudhishthiraaddressed Nakula saying, 'Do thou, O son ofMadri, climb this tree and look around the tenpoints of the horizon.Do thou see whether there is water near us or suchtrees as grow on watery grounds! O child, thesethy brothers are all fatigued and thirsty.'Yaksha Prasnah ( )3Thereupon saying, 'So be it,' Nakula speedilyclimbed up a tree, and having looked around, saidunto his eldest brother;'O king, I see many a tree that groweth by thewater-side, and I hear also the cries of cranes.Therefore, without doubt, water must besomewhere here.'Hearing these words, Kunti's son Yudhishthira,firm in truth, said, 'O amiable one, go thou andfetch water in these quivers!'Yaksha Prasnah ( )4Saying, 'So be it,' at the command of his eldestbrother Nakula quickly proceeded towards theplace where there was water and soon came uponit.And beholding a crystal lake inhabited by craneshe desired to drink of it, when he heard thesewords from the sky, 'O child, do not commit thisrash act! This lake hath already been in my

possession. Do thou, O son of Madri, first answermy questions and then drink of this water and takeaway (as much as thou requirest).Yaksha Prasnah ( )5Nakula, however, who was exceedingly thirsty,disregarding these words, drank of the cool water,and having drunk of it, dropped down dead.And, O represser of foes, seeing Nakula's delay,Yudhishthira the son of Kunti said unto Sahadeva,the heroic brother of Nakula, 'O Sahadeva, it islong since our brother, he who was bornimmediately before thee, hath gone from hence! Dothou, therefore, go and bring back thy uterinebrother, together with water.'Yaksha Prasnah ( )6At this, Sahadeva, saying, 'So be it,' set out in thatdirection; and coming to the spot, beheld hisbrother lying dead on the ground.And afflicted at the death of his brother, andsuffering severely from thirst, he advancedtowards the water, when these words were heardby him, 'O child, do not commit this rash act! Thislake hath already been in my possession. Firstanswer my question, and then drink of the waterand take away as much as thou mayst require.'Yaksha Prasnah ( )7Sahadeva, however, who was extremely thirsty,disregarding these words, drank of the water, andhaving drunk of it, dropped down dead.Then Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, said untoVijaya, 'It is long since, O Vibhatsu, that thy twobrothers have gone, O represser of foes! Blessed bethou! Do thou bring them back, together withwater. Thou art, O child, the refuge of us all whenplunged in distress!' Thus addressed, theintelligent Gudakesa, taking his bow and arrows

Yaksha Prasnah ( )8and also his naked sword, set out for that lake ofwaters and soon came upon it.And reaching that spot, he whose car was drawnby white steeds beheld those tigers among men, histwo younger brothers who had come to fetchwater, lying dead there. And seeing them as ifasleep, that lion among men, exceedinglyaggrieved, raised his bow and began to lookaround that wood. But he found none in thatmighty forest. And, being fatigued, he who wascapable of drawing the bow by his left hand aswell, rushed in the direction of the water.Yaksha Prasnah ( )9And as he was rushing (towards the water), heheard these words from the sky, 'Why dost thouapproach this water? Thou shalt not be able todrink of it by force. If thou, O Kaunteya, cananswer the question I will put to thee, then onlyshalt thou drink of the water and take away asmuch as thou requirest, O Bharata!'Yaksha Prasnah ( )10Thus forbidden, the son of Pritha said, 'Do thouforbid me by appearing before me! And when thoushalt be sorely pierced with my arrows, thou wiltnot then again speak in this way!' Having said this,Partha covered all sides with arrows inspired bymantras. And he also displayed his skill inshooting at an invisible mark by sound alone. And,O bull of the Bharata race, sorely afflicted withthirst, he discharged barbed darts and javelins andiron arrows, and showered on the sky innumerableshafts incapable of being baffled.Thereupon, the invisible Yaksha said, 'What needof all this trouble, O son of Pritha? Do thou drinkonly after answering my questions! If thou drink,

however, without answering my questions, thoushalt die immediately after.'Yaksha Prasnah ( )11Thus addressed, Pritha's son Dhananjaya capableof drawing the bow with his left hand as well,disregarding those words, drank of the water, andimmediately after dropped down dead.And (seeing Dhananjaya's delay) Kunti's sonYudhishthira addressed Bhimasena, saying, 'Orepresser of foes, it is a long while that Nakula andSahadeva and Bibhatsu (Arjuna) have gone to fetchwater, and they have not come yet, O Bharata!Good betide thee! Do thou bring them back,together with water!'Yaksha Prasnah ( )12Thereupon saying, 'So be it,' Bhimasena set out forthat place where those tigers among men, hisbrothers, lay dead.And beholding them, Bhima afflicted though hewas with thirst, was exceedingly distressed. Andthat mighty armed hero thought all that to havebeen the act of some Yaksha or Rakshasa.And Pritha's son Vrikodara thought, 'I shall surelyYaksha Prasnah ( )13have to fight today. Let me, therefore, first appeasemy thirst.' Then that bull of the Bharata racerushed forward with the intention of drinking.Thereupon the Yaksha said, 'O child, do notcommit this rash act! This lake hath already been inmy possession. Do thou first answer my questions,and then drink and take away as much water asthou requirest!’Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by thatYaksha of immeasurable energy, Bhima, withoutanswering his questions, drank of the water. Andas soon as he drank, he fell down dead on the spot.

Yaksha Prasnah ( )14Then thinking that his brothers had left him longsince, Yudhishthira waited for some time. And theking said unto himself again and again, 'Why is itthat the two sons of Madri are delaying? And whydoth the wielder also of the Gandiva delay? Andwhy doth Bhima too, endued with great strength,delay? I shall go to search for them!' And resolvedto do this, the mighty-armed Yudhishthira thenrose up, his heart burning in grief. And that bullamong men, the royal son of Kunti thought withinhimself. 'Is this forest under some malignYaksha Prasnah ( )15influence? Or, is it infested by some wicked beasts?Or, have they all fallen, in consequence of havingdisregarded some mighty being? Or, not findingwater in the spot whither those heroes had firstrepaired, they have spent all this time in searchthrough the forest? What is that reason for whichthose bulls among men do not come back?' Andspeaking in this strain, that foremost of monarchs,the illustrious Yudhishthira, entered into thatmighty forest where no human sound was heardand which was inhabited by deer and bears andbirds, and which was adorned with trees that werebright and green, and which echoed with the humof the black-bee and the notes of winged warblers.As he was proceeding along, he beheld thatbeautiful lake which looked as if it had been madeby the celestial artificer himself.And it was adorned with flowers of a golden hueand with lotuses and Sindhuvars. And it aboundedYaksha Prasnah ( )16with canes and Ketakas and Karaviras andPippalas, and fatigued with toil, Yudhishthira sawthat tank and was struck with wonder."

Thus ends chapter 296 in Aranyaka Parva in MahabharataYaksha Prasnah ( )17अथChapter 297 in Aranyaka Parva in MahabharataVaisampayana said, "Yudhishthira saw hisbrothers, each possessed of the glory ofIndra himself, lying dead like the Regents ofthe world dropped from their spheres at theend of the Yuga.And beholding Arjuna lying dead, with hisbow and arrows dropped on the ground,Yaksha Prasnah ( )18

and also Bhimasena and the twinsmotionless and deprived of life, the kingbreathed a hot and long sigh, and wasbathed in tears of grief and began to reflectin his mind as to who had slain those heroes.'There are no strokes of weapons upon these,nor is any one's foot-print here. The beingmust be mighty I ween, by whom mybrothers have been slain. Earnestly shall Iponder over this, or, let me first drink of thewater, and then know all.Yaksha Prasnah ( )19

It may be that the habitually crookedmindedDuryodhana hath caused this waterto be secretly placed here by the king of theGandharvas. What man of sense can trustwicked wight of evil passions with whomgood and evil are alike? Or, perhaps, thismay be an act of that wicked-souled onethrough secret messengers of his.' And it

was thus that that highly intelligent onegave way to diverse reflections. He did notbelieve that water to have been tainted withpoison, for though dead no corpse-likepallor was on them. 'The colour on the facesYaksha Prasnah ( )20

of these my brothers hath not faded!' And itwas thus that Yudhishthira thought.And the king continued, 'Each of theseforemost of men was like unto a mightycataract. Who, therefore, save Yama himselfwho in due time bringeth about the end ofall things, could have baffled them thus.'Yaksha Prasnah ( )21

And having concluded this for certain, hebegan to perform his ablutions in that lake.And while he descended into it, he heardthese words from the sky, uttered by theYaksha,-'I am a crane, living on tiny fish. It isby me that thy younger brothers have beenbrought under the sway of the lord ofdeparted spirits. If, thou, O prince, answernot the questions put by me, even thou shaltnumber the fifth corpse. Do not, O child, actrashly! This lake hath already been in mypossession. Having answered my questionsfirst, do thou, O Kunti's son, drink and carryaway (as much as thou requirest)!'Yaksha Prasnah ( )22

Hearing these words, Yudhishthira said, 'Artthou the foremost of the Rudras, or of theVasus, or of the Marutas? I ask, what god art

thou? This could not have been done by abird! Who is it that hath overthrown the fourmighty mountains, viz., the Himavat, theParipatra, the Vindhya, and the Malaya?Great is the feat done by thee, thou foremostof strong persons!Those whom neither gods, nor Gandharvasnor Asuras, nor Rakshasas could endure inmighty conflict, have been slain by thee!Therefore, exceedingly wonderful is theYaksha Prasnah ( )23

deed done by thee! I do not know what thybusiness may be, nor do I know thy purpose.Therefore, great is the curiosity and fear alsothat have taken possession of me?My mind is greatly agitated, and as my headalso is aching, I ask thee, therefore, “Oworshipful one, who art thou that stayesthere?”Hearing these words the Yaksha said, 'I am,good betide thee, a Yaksha, and not anamphibious bird. It is by me that all theseYaksha Prasnah ( )24

brothers of thine, endued with mightyprowess, have been slain!'Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing theseaccursed words couched in harsh syllabus1,Yudhishthira, O king, approaching theYaksha who had spoken then, stood there.And that bull among the Bharatas then1 Lit. LettersYaksha Prasnah ( )25

beheld that Yaksha of unusual eyes andhuge body tall like a palmyra-palm andlooking like fire or the Sun, and irresistibleand gigantic like a mountain, staying on atree, and uttering a loud roar deep as that ofthe clouds.And the Yaksha said, 'These thy brothers, Oking, repeatedly forbidden by me, wouldforcibly take away water. It is for this thatthey have been slain by me! He that wishethto live, should not, O king, drink this water!O son of Pritha, act not rashly! This lake hathYaksha Prasnah ( )26

already been in my possession. Do thou, Oson of Kunti, first answer my questions, andthen take away as much as thou likest!'Yudhishthira said, 'I do not, O Yaksha,covet, what is already in thy possession! Obull among male beings, virtuous personsnever approve that one should applaud hisown self (without boasting, I shall, therefore,answer thy questions, according to myintelligence). Do thou ask me!'Yaksha Prasnah ( )27

The Yaksha then said, 'What is it thatmaketh the Sun rise? Who keeps himcompany? Who causeth him to set? And inwhom is he established?'Yudhishthira answered, 'Brahma maketh theSun rise: the gods keep him company:Dharma causeth him to set: and he isestablished in truth2.'2 Behind the plain and obvious meanings of the words employed

both in the question and the answer, there is a deeper significationof a spiritual kind. I think Nilakantha has rightly understood thepassage. By Aditya, which of course commonly means the Sun, isYaksha Prasnah ( )28

The Yaksha asked, 'By what doth onebecome learned? By what doth he attainindicated the unpurified soul (from adatte sabdadin indriadivisetc.). The first question then, becomes, 'Who is it that exalteth theunpurified soul?' The act of exaltation implies a raising of thesoul from its earthly connections. The answer to this is, 'Brahma,i.e., Veda or self-knowledge.' The second question--'What arethose that keep company with the soul during its progress ofpurification?' The answer is, Self-restraint and other qualities,which are all of a god-like or divine nature.' The third questionis.-Who lead the soul to its place (state) of rest? The answer is,Dharma, i.e., restitude, morality, and religious observances.' It isoften asserted that one must pass through the observances(Karma) before attaining to a state of Rest or Truth or PureKnowledge. The last question is,-'On what is the soulestablished!' The answer, according to all that has been previouslysaid, is 'Truth or Pure Knowledge.' For the soul that isemancipated from and raised above all carnal connections, is nolonger in need of observances and acts (Karma) but staysunmoved in True Knowledge (Janana).Yaksha Prasnah ( )29

what is very great? How can one have asecond? And, O king, how can one acquireintelligence?'Yudhishthira answered, 'It is by the (studyof the) Srutis that a person becomethlearned; it is by ascetic austerities that oneacquireth what is very great: it is byintelligence that a person acquireth a secondand it is by serving the old that onebecometh wise3.'3 Nilakantha explains both Dhriti and Dwitiya in a spiritualsense. There is no need, however, of a spiritual explanation here.By Dhriti is meant steadiness of intelligence; by Dwitiya lit, asecond. What Yudhishthira says is that a steady intelligence

serves the purposes of a helpful companion.Yaksha Prasnah ( )30

The Yaksha asked, 'What constituteth thedivinity of the Brahmanas? What even istheir practice that is like that of the pious?What also is the human attribute of theBrahmanas? And what practice of theirs islike that of the impious?'Yudhishthira answered, 'The study of theVedas constitutes their divinity: theirasceticism constitutes behaviour that is likethat of the pious; their liability to death isYaksha Prasnah ( )31

their human attribute and slander is theirimpiety.'The Yaksha asked, 'What institutes thedivinity of the Kshatriyas? What even istheir practice that is like that of the pious?What is their human attribute? And whatpractice of theirs is like that of the impious?'Yudhishthira answered, 'Arrows andweapons are their divinity: celebration ofsacrifices is that act which is like that of thepious: liability to fear is their humanYaksha Prasnah ( )32

attribute; and refusal of protection is that actof theirs which is like that of the impious.'The Yaksha asked, 'What is that whichconstitutes the Sama of the sacrifice? Whatthe Yajus of the sacrifice? What is that whichis the refuge of a sacrifice? And what is thatwhich sacrifice cannot do without?'

Yudhishthira answered, 'Life is the Sama ofthe sacrifice; the mind is the Yajus of thesacrifice: the Rik is that which is the refugeYaksha Prasnah ( )33

of the sacrifice; and it is Rik alone whichsacrifice cannot do without4.'4 Nilakantha explains this correctly, as I imagine, bysupposing that by 'sacrifice' is meant the spiritual sacrificefor the acquisition of pure knowledge. In the objectivesacrifice which one celebrates, the Sama, the Yajus, and theRik mantras are all necessary. In the subjective sacrifice theacquisition of true knowledge, life and mind are asnecessary as the mantras from the Sama and the YajurVedas in an objective one. And as no objective sacrifice cando without the Riks, being principally dependent on them,so the subjective sacrifices for acquiring true knowledge cannever do without prayerfulness, which, I imagine, isrepresented as the Riks. To understand this passagethoroughly would require an intimate acquaintance withthe ritual of a sacrifice like the Agnishtoma or any other ofthat kind.Yaksha Prasnah ( )34

The Yaksha asked, 'What is of the foremostvalue to those that cultivate? What is of theforemost value to those that sow? What is ofthe foremost value to those that wish forprosperity in this world? And what is of theforemost value to those that bring forth?'Yudhishthira answered, 'That which is of theforemost value to those that cultivate is rain:that of the foremost value to those that sowis seed: that of the foremost value to thosethat bring forth is offspring5.5 Some texts read apatatam for uvapatam. If the former be thecorrect reading, the meaning would be-'What is the best of thingsthat fall?' Nilakantha explains both avapatam nivapatam in aspiritual sense. By the first he understands-'They that offeroblation to the gods,' and by the second, 'They that offer oblations

Yaksha Prasnah ( )35

The Yaksha asked, 'What person, enjoyingall the objects of the senses, endued withintelligence, regarded by the world andliked by all beings, though breathing, dothnot offer anything to these five, viz., gods,guests, servants, Pitris, and himself, thoughendued with breath, is not yet alive.'to the Pitris.' The necessity of a spiritual interpretation, however,is not very apparent.Yaksha Prasnah ( )36

The Yaksha asked, 'What is weightier thanthe earth itself? What is higher than theheavens?' What is fleeter than the wind?And what is more numerous than grass?'Yudhishthira answered, 'The mother isweightier than the earth; the father is higherthan the heaven; the mind is fleeter than thewind; and our thoughts are more numerousthan grass.'Yaksha Prasnah ( )37

Yudhishthira answered, 'The mother isweightier than the earth; the father is higherthan the heaven; the mind is fleeter than thewind; and our thoughts are more numerousthan grass.'The Yaksha asked, 'What is that which dothnot close its eyes while asleep; What is thatwhich doth not move after birth? What isthat which is without heart? And what isthat which swells with its own impetus?'Yaksha Prasnah ( )38

Yudhishthira answered, 'A fish doth notclose its eyes while asleep: an egg doth notmove after birth: a stone is without heart:and a river swelleth with its own impetus.'The Yaksha asked, 'Who is the friend of theexile? Who is the friend of the householder?Who is the friend of him that ails? And whois the friend of one about to die?'Yudhishthira answered, 'The friend of theexile in a distant land is his companion, theYaksha Prasnah ( )39

friend of the householder is the wife; thefriend of him that ails is the physician: andthe friend of him about to die is charity.The Yaksha asked,-'Who is the guest of allcreatures? What is the eternal duty? What, Oforemost of kings, is Amrita? And what isthis entire Universe?'Yudhishthira answered, “Agni is the guestof all creatures: the milk of kine is amrita:Yaksha Prasnah ( )40

Homa (therewith) is the eternal duty: andthis Universe consists of air alone6.”The Yaksha asked,-'What is that whichsojourneth alone? What is that which is rebornafter its birth? What is the remedyagainst cold? And what is the largest field?'6 Yudhishthira has the authority of the Srutis for saying that theone pervading element of the universe is air.Yaksha Prasnah ( )41

Yudhishthira answered,-'The sun sojournsalone; the moon takes birth anew: fire is theremedy against cold: and the Earth is the

largest field.'The Yaksha asked,-'What is the highestrefuge of virtue? What of fame? What ofheaven? And what, of happiness?'Yudhishthira answered,- 'Liberality is thehighest refuge of virtue: gift, of fame: truth,Yaksha Prasnah ( )42

of heaven: and good behaviour, ofhappiness.'The Yaksha asked,-'What is the soul of man?Who is that friend bestowed on man by thegods? What is man's chief support? Andwhat also is his chief refuge?'Yudhishthira answered,-'The son is a man'ssoul: the wife is the friend bestowed on manYaksha Prasnah ( )43

by the gods; the clouds are his chief support;and gift is his chief refuge.'The Yaksha asked,-'What is the best of alllaudable things? What is the most valuableof all his possessions? What is the best of allgains? And what is the best of all kinds ofhappiness?'Yudhishthira answered,-"The best of alllaudable things is skill; the best of allpossessions is knowledge: the best of allYaksha Prasnah ( )44

gains is health: and contentment is the bestof all kinds of happiness.'The Yaksha asked,-'What is the highest dutyin the world? What is that virtue whichalways beareth fruit? What is that which if

controlled, leadeth not to regret? And whoare they with whom an alliance cannotbreak?'Yudhishthira answered,-'The highest ofduties is to refrain from injury: the ritesYaksha Prasnah ( )45

ordained in the Three (Vedas) always bearfruit: the mind, if controlled, leadeth to noregret: and an alliance with the good neverbreaketh.'The Yaksha asked,-'What is that which, ifrenounced, maketh one agreeable? What isthat which, if renounced, leadeth to noregret? What is that which, if renounced,maketh one wealthy? And what is thatwhich if renounced, maketh one happy?'Yaksha Prasnah ( )46

Yudhishthira answered,-'Pride, if renounced,maketh one agreeable; wrath, if renouncedleadeth to no regret: desire, if renounced,maketh one wealthy: and avarice, ifrenounced, maketh one happy.'The Yaksha asked,-'For what doth one giveaway to Brahmanas? For what to mimes anddancers? For what to servants? And for whatto king?'Yaksha Prasnah ( )47

Yudhishthira answered,-'It is for religiousmerit that one giveth away to Brahmanas: itis for fame that one giveth away to mimesand dancers: it is for supporting them thatone giveth away to servants: and it is for

obtaining relief from fear that one giveth tokings.'The Yaksha asked,-'With what is the worldenveloped? What is that owing to which athing cannot discover itself? For what arefriends forsaken? And for what doth one failto go to heaven?'Yaksha Prasnah ( )48

Yudhishthira answered,-'The world isenveloped with darkness. Darkness doth notpermit a thing to show itself. It is fromavarice that friends are forsaken. And it isconnection with the world for which onefaileth to go to heaven.'The Yaksha asked,-'For what may one beconsidered as dead? For what may akingdom be considered as dead? For whatmay a Sraddha be considered as dead? Andfor what, a sacrifice?'Yaksha Prasnah ( )49

Yudhishthira answered,-'For want of wealthmay a man be regarded as dead. A kingdomfor want of a king may be regarded as dead.A Sraddha that is performed with the aid ofa priest that hath no learning may beregarded as dead. And a sacrifice in whichthere are no gifts to Brahmanas is dead.'The Yaksha asked,-'What constitutes theway? What, hath been spoken of as water?What, as food? And what, as poison? Tell usalso what is the proper time of a Sraddha,and then drink and take away as much asthou likest!'

Yaksha Prasnah ( )50

Yudhishthira answered,-'They that are goodconstitute the way7. Space hath been spokenof as water8. The cow is food9. A request ispoison. And a Brahmana is regarded as theproper time of a Sraddha10. I do not knowwhat thou mayst think of all this, O Yaksha?'7 The word used in the question is dik, literally, direction.Obviously, of course, it means in this connection way.Yudhishthira answers that the way which one is to tread along isthat of the good.8 The Srutis actually speak of space as water. These are questionsto test Yudhishthira's knowledge of the Vedic cosmogony.9 The Srutis speak of the cow as the only food, in the followingsense. The cow gives milk. The milk gives butter. The butter isused in Homa. The Homa is the cause of the clouds. The cloudsgive rain. The rain makes the seed to sprout forth and producefood. Nilakantha endeavours to explain this in a spiritual sense.There is however, no need of such explanation here.10 What Yudhishthira means to say is that there is no special timefor a Sraddha. It is to be performed.Yaksha Prasnah ( )51

The Yaksha asked,-'What hath been said tobe the sign of asceticism? And what is truerestraint? What constitutes forgiveness. Andwhat is shame?'Yudhishthira answered,-'Staying in one'sown religion is asceticism: the restraint ofthe mind is of all restraints the true one:forgiveness consists in enduring enmity; andwhenever a good and able priest may be secured.Yaksha Prasnah ( )52

shame, in withdrawing from all unworthyacts.'The Yaksha asked,-'What, O king is said tobe knowledge? What, tranquillity? What

constitutes mercy? And what hath beencalled simplicity?'Yudhishthira answered,-'True knowledge isthat of Divinity. True tranquillity is that ofthe heart. Mercy consists in wishingYaksha Prasnah ( )53

happiness to all. And simplicity isequanimity of heart.'The Yaksha asked,-'What enemy isinvincible? What constitutes an incurabledisease for man? What sort of a man is calledhonest and what dishonest?'Yudhishthira answered,-'Anger is aninvincible enemy. Covetousness constitutesan incurable disease. He is honest thatYaksha Prasnah ( )54

desires the weal of all creatures, and he isdishonest who is unmerciful.'The Yaksha asked,-'What, O king, isignorance? And what is pride? What also isto be understood by idleness? And whathath been spoken of as grief?'Yudhishthira answered,-'True ignoranceconsists in not knowing one's duties. Pride isa consciousness of one's being himself anactor or sufferer in life. Idleness consists inYaksha Prasnah ( )55

not discharging one's duties, and ignorancein grief.'The Yaksha asked,-'What hath steadinessbeen said by the Rishis to be? And what,patience? What also is a real ablution? And

what is charity?'Yudhishthira answered,-'Steadiness consistsin one's staying in one's own religion, andtrue patience consists in the subjugation ofthe senses. A true bath consists in washingYaksha Prasnah ( )56

the mind clean of all impurities, and charityconsists in protecting all creatures.'The Yaksha asked,-'What man should beregarded as learned, and who should becalled an atheist? Who also is to be calledignorant? What is called desire and what arethe sources of desire? And what is envy?'Yudhishthira answered,-'He is to be calledlearned who knoweth his duties. An atheistis he who is ignorant and so also he isYaksha Prasnah ( )57

ignorant who is an atheist. Desire is due toobjects of possession, and envy is nothingelse than grief of heart.'The Yaksha asked,-'What is pride, and whatis hypocrisy? What is the grace of the gods,and what is wickedness?'Yudhishthira answered,-'Stolid ignorance ispride. The setting up of a religious standardis hypocrisy. The grace of the gods is theYaksha Prasnah ( )58

fruit of our gifts, and wickedness consists inspeaking ill of others.'The Yaksha asked,-'Virtue, profit, and desireare opposed to one another. How couldthings thus antagonistic to one another exist

together?'Yudhishthira answered,-'When a wife andvirtue agree with each other, then all thethree thou hast mentioned may existtogether.'Yaksha Prasnah ( )59

The Yaksha asked,-'O bull of the Bharatarace, who is he that is condemned toeverlasting hell? It behoveth thee to soonanswer the question that I ask!'Yaksha Prasnah ( )60

Yudhishthira answered,-'He thatsummoneth a poor Brahmana promising tomake him a gift and then tells him that hehath nothing to give, goeth to everlastinghell. He also must go to everlasting hell, whoimputes falsehood to the Vedas, thescriptures, the Brahmanas, the gods, and theceremonies in honour of the Pitris, He alsogoeth to everlasting hell who though inpossession of wealth, never giveth away norenjoyeth himself from avarice, saying, hehath none.'The Yaksha asked,-'By what, O king, birth,behaviour, study, or learning doth a personbecome a Brahmana? Tell us with certitude!'Yaksha Prasnah ( )61

Yudhishthira answered,-'Listen, O Yaksha! Itis neither birth, nor study, nor learning, thatis the cause of Brahmanahood, withoutdoubt, it is behaviour that constitutes it.One's behaviour should always be wellguarded,

especially by a Brahmana. He whomaintaineth his conduct unimpaired, isnever impaired himself. Professors andYaksha Prasnah ( )62

pupils, in fact, all who study the scriptures,if addicted to wicked habits, are to beregarded as illiterate wretches. He only islearned who performeth his religious duties.He even that hath studied the four Vedas isto be regarded as a wicked wretch scarcelydistinguishable from a Sudra (if his conductbe not correct). He only who performeth theAgnihotra and hath his senses under control,is called a Brahmana!'The Yaksha asked,-'What doth one gain thatspeaketh agreeable words? What doth hegain that always acteth with judgment?What doth he gain that hath many friends?And what he, that is devoted to virtue?'Yaksha Prasnah ( )63

Yudhishthira answered,-'He that speakethagreeable words becometh agreeable to all.He that acteth with judgment obtainethwhatever he seeketh. He that hath manyfriends liveth happily. And he that isdevoted to virtue obtaineth a happy state (inthe next world).'The Yaksha asked,-'Who is truly happy?What is most wonderful? What is the path?And what is the news? Answer these fourYaksha Prasnah ( )64

questions of mine and let thy dead brothers

revive.'Yudhishthira answered, 'O amphibiouscreature, a man who cooketh in his ownhouse, on the fifth or the sixth part of theday, with scanty vegetables, but who is notYaksha Prasnah ( )65

in debt and who stirreth not from home, istruly happy.Day after day countless creatures are goingto the abode of Yama, yet those that remainbehind believe themselves to be immortal.What can be more wonderful than this?Argument leads to no certain conclusion, theSrutis are different from one another; there isnot even one Rishi whose opinion can beaccepted by all; the truth about religion andduty is hid in caves: therefore, that alone isthe 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 thewooden ladle. Time is the cook that iscooking all creatures in that pan (with suchaids); this is the news.'Yaksha Prasnah ( )66

The Yaksha asked,-'Thou hast, O represser offoes, truly answered ail my questions! Tellus now who is truly a man, and what mantruly possesseth every kind of wealth.'Yudhishthira answered,-'The report of one'sgood action reacheth heaven and spreadethover the earth. As long as that report lasteth,Yaksha Prasnah ( )

67

so long is a person to whom the agreeableand the disagreeable, weal and woe, the pastand the future, are the same, is said topossess every kind of wealth.'The Yaksha said, -'Thou hast, O king trulyanswered who is a man, and what manpossesseth every kind of wealth. Therefore,let one only amongst thy brothers, whomthou mayst wish, get up with life!'Yaksha Prasnah ( )68

Yudhishthira answered,-'Let this one that isof darkish hue, whose eyes are red, who istall like a large Sala tree, whose chest isbroad and arms long, let this Nakula, OYaksha, get up with life!The Yaksha rejoined,-'This Bhimasena isdear unto thee, and this Arjuna also is oneYaksha Prasnah ( )69

upon whom all of you depend! Why, then, Oking dost thou, wish a step-brother to get upwith his life! How canst thou, forsakingBhima whose strength is equal to that of tenthousand elephants, wish Nakula to live?People said that this Bhima was dear to thee.From what motive then dost thou wish astep-brother to revive? Forsaking Arjuna themight of whose arm is worshipped by all thesons of Pandu, why dost thou wish Nakulato revive?'Yaksha Prasnah ( )70

Yudhishthira said,-'If virtue is sacrificed, he

that sacrificeth it, is himself lost. So virtuealso cherisheth the cherisher. Thereforetaking care that virtue by being sacrificedmay not sacrifice us, I never forsake virtue.Abstention from injury is the highest virtue,and is, I ween, even higher than the highestobject of attainment. I endeavour to practisethat virtue.Therefore, let Nakula, O Yaksha, revive! Letmen know that the king is always virtuous! Iwill never depart from my duty. Let Nakula,therefore, revive! My father had two wives,Kunti and Madri. Let both of them havechildren. This is what I wish. As Kunti is toYaksha Prasnah ( )71

me, so also is Madri. There is no differencebetween them in my eye. I desire to actequally towards my mothers. Therefore, letNakula live'The Yaksha said,-'Since abstention frominjury is regarded by thee as higher thanboth profit and pleasure, therefore, let all thybrothers live, O bull of Bharata race!"