YUDHISTHIRA'S WISDOM(RAO)

Yudhisthira’s Wisdom

                                      

One day Pandava brothers while pursuing after a deer in the forest wander far from their dwelling place. Soon they all become tired and grow thirsty.  Yudhishthira unable to walk any further sends his brother Sahadeva in search of water. But he fails return even after a long time, being worried he sends Nakula to find Sahadeva.  Soon one by one he sends all his brothers away but none of them return back. Yudhishthira becomes anxious and decides to go and see for himself what fate may have overtaken them.  After walking for a distance he finds a beautiful pool where also comes across his four brothers lying unconsciously on the ground. Unable to take the grief he cries out to heavens to take his as well. Earlier his four brothers had ignored Yaksha’s warning not to drink from his enchanted pool unless they answer his questions. Being extremely thirstywhen Yudhishthira also goes down to the pond to drink water, he also hears the voice calling him to answer his questions first before he can drink from the pond. Yudhishthira being wise waits to answer the question before he can drink. Yudhishthira replies to all questions correctly. Then Yaksha asks him to choose one the brother he wished to revive back to life. Without any selfishness he chooses Nakula son from his step mother, over all his other brothers. Yaksha becomes extremely happy with his patience and wisdom and he restores all his brother back to normal and also promises them he would help whenever they are in need.

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While pursuing after a deer in the forest, Pandava brother wander far from their dwelling place. As the day is hot with sun over their heads soon they all become weary and thirsty. So they take a rest under a tree, being an elder, Yudhishthira sends his younger brother Sahadeva in search of water. When he fails to return back in time, he sends Nakula to see what has happened. Soon he sends all his brothers away but they all fail to return back. At last being anxious Yudhishthira sets himself to find what may have happened. Yudhishthira comes across a beautiful pool where he is surprised to find his four brothers lying unconscious on the ground. He can’t take the grief and cries to heaven to take him also. All his four brothers had ignored the Yaksha warning not to drink from his enchanted pond without answering his questions. Yudhishthira unlike his brothers answers the entire question patiently with his wisdom. Yaksha pleased with his wisdom agrees to restore life back to one of his brother, here Yudhishthira without any selfish desire chooses Nakula son from the side of his stepmother. This further pleases Yaksha who then restores back to all his four brothers and also reveals that he is actually god of justice and death Yama who has come to take the test of patience and wisdom.

Deer- Forest- wander far from there dwelling place, sun is hot overhead, grow tired and thirsty sends all his brothers one by in search of water but none return, enchanted pool, philosophical questions, answers, choice of Yudhishthira, Yaksha as Yama the god of justice and death.

                                                  

Interpretation-

 wisdom is superior than physical strength, teach lesson of wisdom and patience and obedience, ways to live virtuous life, Wisdom is supreme virtue

Questions

What makes the sun shine?”

“The power of God” Yudhishthira answered

“What is man’s surest weapon against danger?”

“Courage is his surest weapon in danger.”

“What gives more to man than even the earth does? What feeds him and sustains him and makes him strong?”

“A mother, surely, a mother is more than the earth.”

“When does a man become loved by his fellows?”

When he gives up pride

“What is that which makes a man happy when he has lost it?”

“What can a man give up and immediately become rich?”

“Desire”

While hunting for deer in a forest, the five Pandava brothers grow thirsty. Exhausted, Yudhishthira, the eldest, sends one brother to search for water. When this brother fails to return, Yudhishthira sends his other brothers, one at a time, but they too fail to return. Then Yudhishthira goes to search for his brothers. He finds a beautiful pool, but alas, near it he finds his four brothers prostrate on the ground, either dead or unconscious. Unknown to Yudhishthira, they have all ignored a Yaksha's caution not to drink the water before answering his questions. Despite his overwhelming thirst, Yudhishthira obeys the Yaksha. Moreover, he correctly answers the Yaksha's philosophical queries. Pleased with Yudhishthira's wisdom, the Yaksha agrees to revive one of the brothers, leaving Yudhishthira to decide which of the four it will be. Yudhishthira bases his choice entirely on moral considerations, not on his own selfish needs and preferences. The Yaksha reveals himself as Yama (the god of justice and righteousness), tells Yudhishthira how pleased he is with his uprightness, restores to him his four brothers, promises him protection from future hardships, and gives him some useful advice on where to go next.

Yudhisthira’s WisdoM

Source: MAHABHARATA

Characters:

Five Pandavas and Yaksha

Yudhisthira

Bhim                     Kunti’s Son

Arjun

Nahakul

Sahadeva       Madri’s Son

Settings: - In jungle, exile period, hunting for a deer, thirsty and tired

                    Yudhisthira sends his entire brother to fetch the water

                    Nobody returns

                    He himself moves to search his brothers

                    Finds beautiful pool, brothers prostrating on ground

                    Yaksha (Yama) warned him not to drink the water before answering his queries

                    Yudhisthira answers all the queries of Yaksha tactfully

                    Being happy, Yaksha gives life to all his brothers

Main ideas: be obedient to god,

-    Be patience in difficult time

-    Be sincere, honest, have right conduct