Yaksha Prasna

YAKSHA PRASHNA
(Dialogue with Yaksha)


Prof Dr Colonel ( Retired) K Prabhakar Rao

In Hindu mythology Yaksha is a celestial and divine person with divinity. In Mahabharatha epic there is an instant when Dharma raja the eldest Pandava prince and his brothers were deprived of their kingdom by the deceit of Duryodhana the Kaurava Prince. In the forests Pandava princes spent nearly 12 years and were leading a life of courage and discipline. Once a Brahmana came to the princes and said that his Arani ( The pair of wooden blocks to generate fire by friction) were entangled in the deer’s horns and the deer has run away in to the forest. He cried that he would not be in a position to generate fire for his daily rituals. The Pandava princes set out to catch hold of the deer as it was the duty of Kshatriya to protect and help hmanas.Although they searched at great length there was no trace of the animal and they were highly thirsty. Then Dharam raja told Nakula to climb a tree and search for water from a distance. Nakula obliged and having seen some water plants and cranes at a distance he told that they can expect wate at some distance. He took his quiver and walked away to fetch water for his thirsty brothers. He reached the pool and was about to drink when a voice said that the pool belonged to him and some questions have top be answered to satisfy him Nakula rejected the advice and drank water and immediately fell dead. Dhramaraja waited for long and sent Sahadeva to search Nakula and he too fell at the pool when he drank water. Arjuna and Bheema too met the same fate one after the other when sent and at last Dhramaraja moved to the pool and was much grieved at the site. The Yaksha commanded that his questions have to be answered and the Prince agreed. The dialogue is as under:

Q1.What makes sun shine every day?
A. The power of Brahman (This is not to be considered as Brahmans)

Q2. What rescues man in danger
A.Courage is mans salvation in danger

Q3.By study of which science man becomes wise?
A.By association with great in wisdom that he gets wisdom

Q4.What is more nobly sustaining than earth
A. The mother who brings up her children is nobler and more sustaining than earth

Q5.What is higher then sky?
A. Father

Q6. What is more blighted than withered straw?
A.A sorrow stricken heart

Q7.What befriends a traveler?
A.Leraning

Q8.Who is friend of one who stays at home?
A. Wife

Q9.Who accompanies a man in death?
A. Dharma

Q10. Which is the biggest vessel?
A. Earth that contains every thing in it.

Q11.What is happiness?
A.It is the result of good conduct

Q12.What is that abandoning by which he is loved by al?
A. Pride

Q13. What is that loss that yields joy and not sorrow?
A.Anger

Q14. What is that by giving up which man becomes rich
A.Desire

Q15.What makes one a real Brahmana? Is it by birth, good conduct or learn. Reply decisively?
A.Good conduct alone makes a man Brahmana

Q16.What is the greatest wonder in the world
A.Every day man sees creatures die. Yet those who live seek to live for ever.

Yudhishtara ( Dharmaraja) Answered all correctly and the Yaksha much pleased came out and said that he can chose any one of his brothers who would be revived. Pandava eldest Prince said that his brother Nakula be brought to life. The Yaksha was much pleased and demanded why he chose Nakula while other brothers such Arjuna and Bheema were
Very great warriors. Dhramaraja said Nakula and Sahdeva were the sons of queen Madri his step mother. He was alive being the son of Kunti and it was therefore proper to demand the life of Madri’s son. The Yaksha who was none other than the God of death was very greatly pleased and revived all the dear princes. He blessed the Princes that they would be able to overcome all hardships and would destroy all their enemies and regain the lost kingdom. The Yaksha then disappeared.
We see that the answers given by the illustrious prince were convincing and Mahabharatha epic centers around the correct conduct of Dahrmaraja who displayed no anger, intolerance and ego and was the embodiment of truth. Hinduism sustains on such Characters of yore..
Dr K Prabhakar Rao