One day all the Pandavas were roaming in a jungle when they grew thirsty. Yudhistira sent each brother one by one to a nearby pond to collect water.

Yaksha warned each brother not to drink water without his permission but they ignored him and drank the water. The water was filled with poison and the moment the water passed their throat, they died.

Then came Yudhisthir and he successfully answered all of Yaksha’s questions.

yakhsha-yudhisthir

Yaksha: Prithvi se bhaari kya hai?
Yudhisthir: Mata

Yaksha: Aakash se uncha kaun hai?
Yudhisthir: Pita

Yaksha: Pavan se bhi adhik tivra gati kiski hai?
Yudhisthir: Man ki

Yaksha: Sankhya mein tinko se adhik kya hai?
Yudhisthir: Chinta

Yaksha: Mrityu ke sameep hue purush ka mitra kaun hai?
Yudhisthir: Daan

Yaksha: Dharma, yash, swarg aur sukh ka mukhya sthaan kya hai?
Yudhisthir: Dharma ka mukhya sthan dakhshta hai aur Yash ka mukhya sthan Daan. Swarg ka mukhya sthan satya hai aur sukh ka mukhya sthaan seel.

Yaksha: Manushya ki aatma kya hai?
Yudhisthir: Putra/Putri.

Yaksha: Jagat ko kis vastu ne dhak rakha hai?
Yudhisthir: Agyaan ne

Yaksha: Aalasya kya hai?
Yudhisthir: Dharma na karna Aalasya hai.

Yaksha: Sukhi kaun hai?
Yudhisthir: Jo Wrini na ho.

Yaksha: Sachha Snan kaun sa hai?
Yudhisthir: Jo man ka mayl dho de.

Yaksha: Kaajal se bhi adhik kala kya hai?
Yudhisthir: Kalank.

Yaksha: Shrestha dharma kya hai?
Yudhisthir: Daya shrestha dharma hai.

Yaksha: Kisko vash mein rakhne se shok nahi hota?
Yudhisthir: Man ko.

Yaksha: Lajja kya hai?
Yudhisthir: Na karne yogya kaam se door rehna, lajja hai

Yaksha: Daya kya hai?
Yudhisthir: Sabke sukh ki ichha karna, daya hai.

Yaksha: Rastra ki mrityu ka karan kya ho sakta hai?
Yudhisthir: Arajakta

Yaksha: Hey Rajan, Brahmanavta ka praman kya hai? Kul, Charitra, Siksha ya Sashtragyaan?
Yudhisthir: Hey Yaksha. Kul, Siksha, ya Sashtragyaan Brahmanatva ko praman nahi karta. Brahmanavta ka praman to Charitra hi hai. Achhe charitra wala Shudra us brahman se achha hai jo janm se to Brahman ho aur shastra ka gyaan rakhta ho parantu jiska charitra achha na ho.

Yaksha: Dharma kya tark mein hai?
Yudhisthir: Nahi

Yaksha: To kya rishiyon ki vichardhara mein hai?
Yudhisthir: Nahi. Kisi ek rishi ki vichardhara doosre rishi se nahi milti, unme matbhed hota hai. Kisi rishi ke paas sampoorna satya nahi hai.

Yaksha: To phir Sampoorna satya kahan hai?
Yudhisthir: Vyakti ke hriday ki gufa mein.

Yaksha: Sabse bara ascharya kya hai?
Yudhisthir: Har vyakti yeh janta hai ki mrityu jeevan ka antim satya hai. lekin har vyakti yahi sochta hai ki uske jeevan ka antim satya mrityu nahi.

Yaksha: Hey Bharatshrestha, tumne mere sabhi prasno ke sahi uttar diye hain. Isliye in charon bhaiyon me se, kisi ek ko jivit kar sakte ho.
Yudhisthir: Agar aapki yahi ichha hai, to main Nakul to jivit dekhna chahunga

Yaksha: Hey Kunti nandan, Bheem aur Arjuna jaise maharathiyon ke hote hue, tum Nakul ko kyun jivit dekhna chahte ho?
Yudhisthir: Mere liye Mata Kunti aur Mata Madri mein koi antar nahi. Agar Mata Kunti ka ek putra jeevit hai, to mata madri ka bhi ek putra jeevit hona chachiye. Main mata madri ke saath anyay nahi kar sakta.

Yaksha: Aur agar main yeh kahu ki tumhare do bhai jeevit ho sakte hain, tab tum kisko chunoge?
Yudhisthir: Sahadev. Kyunki woh Bheem or Arjuna dono hi se chota hai.

Yaksha: Tum Bharatvansh ka gaurav ho. Tumhe tumhare sabhi bhai jeevit milenge
Yudhisthir: Yaksha jeevan daan nahi de sakte. Kripya apna parichay bataiyye.

Yaksh then shows his real identity to Yudhistira, he was Dharma raaj, the father of Yudhistir. He came here to test his son.


 

English translation of the questions

Yaksha: What is heavier than the earth?
Yudhisthir: Mother

Yaksha: What is higher than the sky?
Yudhisthir: Father

Yaksha: What is faster than the wind?
Yudhisthir: The mind.

Yaksha: What is more in number than twigs?
Yudhisthir: Worries

Yaksha: Who is friend of the person close to his death?
Yudhisthir: Charity

Yaksha: Where does religion, success, heaven and happiness reside?
Yudhisthir: Religion resides in awareness. Success resides in charity or philantrophy. Heaven resides in Truth. Happiness is Chastity (celibacy).

Yaksha: What is a man’s soul?
Yudhisthir: His children.

Yaksha: What has covered the earth?
Yudhisthir: Ignorance.

Yaksha: What is laziness?
Yudhisthir: Ignorance towards own’s dharma is laziness.

Yaksha: Who is truly happy?
Yudhisthir: A person free from debt of any form.

Yaksha: What is true cleansing?
Yudhisthir: The cleansing of the mind.

Yaksha: What is darker than charcoal?
Yudhisthir: Disrepute

Yaksha: What is the best religion?
Yudhisthir: Pity / empathy / consideration.

Yaksha: What can prevent mourning?
Yudhisthir: Controlling the mind.

Yaksha: What is the definition of shame?
Yudhisthir: Keeping yourself away from unworthy things.

Yaksha: What is Piety?
Yudhisthir: Wishing happiness of all (including your enemies) is Piety.

Yaksha: What kills a nation?
Yudhisthir: Slavery and Anarchy

Yaksha: What is the true test of Brahminhood? Dynasty, character, teaching or Knowledge?
Yudhisthir: Dynasty, knowledge or teaching does not prove Brahminhood. The true test of Brahminhood is character of an individual. A person of lowerly caste with a strong character is more respectful than a Brahman who has knowledge and is born into a renowned family but has no character.

Yaksha: Is religion or Dharma a logic?
Yudhisthir: No it is not.

Yaksha: Is religion or Dharma found in the philosophy of sages?
Yudhisthir: No. Each sage differs in opinion from another sage and there lies conflict between their arguments. No philosopher, brahman or learned man has understanding of complete truth.

Yaksha: Then where is complete truth?
Yudhisthir: Within the heart, soul and mind of a person who believes.

Yaksha: What is the greatest wonder?
Yudhisthir: Every man knows that death is the ultimate truth of life. However, he wishes otherwise.

Yaksha: You have answered all my questions correctly. If you want, you can have one of your brothers alive
Yudhisthir: If that is your wish, I would want Nakula to be alive.

Yaksha: Hey Rajan(King), why do you want Nakula to be alive when you have Maharathis such as Arjuna and Bheema?
Yudhisthir: To me, both mothers are alike. I am the eldest son of Kunti and I am alive. So I would want the eldest son of mother Madri to be alive. I cannot do injustice with her.

Yaksha: And if I say that two of your brothers will be alive, whom would you choose?
Yudhisthir: I would choose Sahadeva because he is younger than both Bheema and Arjuna.

Yaksha: Hey Bharatshrestha, I am pleased with your answers. All your brothers will get their life back
Yudhisthir: Yaksha cannot give life to anyone. Please tell me your real identity.

Yaksh then shows his real identity to Yudhistira, he was Dharma raaj, the father of Yudhistir. He came here to test his son.

 
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