YAKSHA PRASHNA – 2

Let us now look at the Yaksha’s questions along bwith Yudhishthira’s brilliant answers from the great epic of Mahabharata with a translation in simple English. This prashnotthari is like a modern day rapid fire Quiz :

Yaksha asked:
Who makes the Sun rise? Who travels with him?
Who leads him to set? Where is he firmly anchored? (1)

Yudhisthira’s reply:
It is Brahman which makes the Sun rise. Devas (Gods) travel with him.
Dharma leads him to set and he is firmly anchored in Truth. (2)

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Yaksha :
How does one become a srotriya (one well-versed in vedic lore)?
How does one attain greatness? By what means one gets help?
O King! By what means one becomes intelligent? (3)

Yudhisthira :
One becomes a srotriya by the study of the Vedas.
He achieves greatness by practice of austerities (tapas).
He earns strength by patience and he becomes intelligent by serving elderly men (of wisdom). (4)

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Yaksha :
What is the divinity in brahmanas?
What is the dharma of good people which they follow?
What is the humanly trait in them?
What is the trait in them which is like that of the bad people? (5)

Yudhisthira :
Swadhyaaya (study ofthe Vedas) is the divinity in the Brahmins.
Austerity (tapasya) is the good trait in them.
Their human trait is that they are subject to die.
Their trait like that of the bad people is speaking ill of others. (6)

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Yaksha :
What is the divinityof the Kshatriyas?
What is the dharma of good people which they follow?
What is the human-like trait in them?
What trait in them is like that of the bad people? (7)

Yudhisthira :
Skill in warfare is the divinity in Kshatriyas.
Performance of sacrificial rites is their trait like that of the sages.
Their human trait is fear (timidity).
Abandoning (those who seek protection) is their bad trait. (8)

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Yaksha :
What is Sama in a sacrifice?
What is Yajus in a sacrifice?
What does the sacrifice invoke?
What is it that it does not transgress? (9)

Yudhisthira :
Prana is the sama in a sacrifice.
Mind is the Yaju in it.
It is Rik which the sacrifice invokes
and it is also Rik which it (the sacrifice) does not transgress. (10)

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Yaksha:
What is the best thing for the tiller of the soil?
What is the best thing for the one who sows?
What is the best thing for those who want a stable life?
What is the best thing for those who give birth? (11)

Yudhisthira :
Rain is the best thing for the tiller.
Seed is the best thing for the sower.
Cows are the best for men seeking a stable life.
A son is the best thing for the progenitors. (12)

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Yaksha :
What is that person who enjoys all sense objects, is intelligent,
is honoured by people, is accepted by all and breaths like a
normal human being but lives like a person that is dead? (13)

Yudhisthira :
One who does not offer nourishment (bali, food) to these
five – the gods,the guests, the servants, the ancestors and
the self – is a dead person although alive (breathing). (14)

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Yaksha :
What is weightier than the Earth?
Which is taller than the sky?
What is speedier than air?
What is more abundant than grass? (15)

Yudhisthira :
Mother is weightier than Earth.
Father is taller than the sky.
Mind is speedier than air
and worries are more abundant than grass. (16)

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Yaksha:
Which (creature) does not close the eyes while sleeping?
What does not move after being born?
Which has no heart?
What grows (swells) by its speed? (17)

Yudhisthira:
Fish does not close the eyes while sleeping.
Egg does not move after being laid.
The stone has no heart.
The river swells with speed. (18)

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Yaksha:
Who is the friend of one away from home (travelling)?
Who is the friend at home?
Who is the friend when one is sick?
Who is the friend when one is dying? (19)

Yudhisthira :

Companion(co-traveller) is the friend of a traveller.
Wife is the friend of a person at home.
Physician is the friend when one is sick.
Charity (Dana) is the friend of the dying. (20)

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Yaksha :
Who is the guest for all beings?
What is the ancient (or eternal) dharma?
Which is nectar, O King?
What pervades all the world? (21)

Yudhisthira :
Agni is the guest for all beings.
Cowmilk and somarasa are nectar.
Adherence to truthfulness is the ancient (eternal) dharma.
The whole of this world is pervaded by air. ( 22)

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Yaksha:
Who moves about alone?
Who is reborn again and again?
What is the remedy for biting cold?
Which is the greatest of fields (where crops grow)? (23)

Yudhisthira:
The sun moves on its path alone.
The moon is born again after waning out.
Fire is the remedy for biting cold.
The earth is the biggest field. (24)

To be continued…..