Yaksha Prashnam - 1

By Chitra Devraj

Namaskar Mahatmas!

With the blessing of my Guru and the grace of the Lord, I am before you with yaksha prashnam.

The Yaksha Prashnam is the dialogue between a Yaksha and the King Yudishthira. This part comes in the Vana Parva of the Mahabharatha. Every scripture is complete by itself if we meditate on it and put it into practice. Please participate in this satsang with your valuable comments, feedbacks. Please share your views regarding this text.

With humble prostrations to everyone of you.


THE BACKGROUND STORY

Once, when the Pandavas were living in Dwaitavana – it was during their final stay of a few months – a Brahmin came to Yudishthira with a request. He said a deer had entered his hut and carried away the sticks (Arani) used for making fire. In those days no house should be without fire. They used to rub these sticks together and make fire and worship every day. So the Brahmin was desperate to get back his sticks which are stuck to the horns of the deer. The Brahmin requested the Pandavas to chase the deer and get back his sticks.

It is the duty of a Kshathriya to protect a Brahmana. The Pandavas left at once in search of the deer. They followed it very far but suddenly it disappeared from their sight. They did not know what to do. Yudishthira was unhappy because he could not please the Brahmin (keeping up promises is very important for a wise man). Depressed in mind and fatigued by thirst and hunger, they sat down under the shade of a huge tree. Like all of us, the brothers started thinking to find a reason for this problem (it is a problem because it is important to satisfy a Brahmin who has taken refuge in them). When the brothers were breaking their heads to find the reason, Yudishthira said: "My dear child! Don't you know that when calamities befall a person, they always come in numbers and never singly? We have choice only to bear them. We cannot question the reason behind these happenings in life. They are sent to us and we have to bear them".

The brothers looked back into their life and started finding reasons for the calamity even after listening to Yudishthira. Yudishthira told them that it is not the time to look back and think of the might-have-beens but see what is necessary now at this moment (Whenever there is a problem, we usually don't think of what is required at that moment instead bring all the past into mind and confuse ourselves. The mind takes over the buddhi. One who is steady in wisdom lives only in the present and so efficient in solving problems of life). They were all thirsty and they needed water. Nakula climbed up a tree and looked out for a pond or lake nearby and he found one. They were so happy to hear that. Yudishthira told Nakula to go and bring water for everyone.

He reached the lake. The water looked so cool and inviting. He went near it to drink it. Suddenly he heard a voice from nowhere. It said:"You must not drink this water of this lake because it belongs to me. If you want to drink water or take water, you need to answer my questions". Nakula ignored the voice. He ran to the brink of the lake and drank the cold water. Immediately Nakula fell down dead.

The others waited for a long time. Since Nakula didn't return, Yudisthira sent Sahadeva to go in search of his brother. Sahadeva reached the lake. He saw the dead form of his brother on the ground. He was shocked but the thirst was so great that he rushed towards the water as Nakula had done. The same voice was heard with the same warning. But Sahadeva disregarded the voice and suffered the same fate as his brother. Yudishthira sent Arjuna and then Bheema. Not one of them came back. Intrigued by this, Yudishthira walked towards the lake. He saw all his brothers there, dead.

Yudisthira was stunned at the site of the dead brothers. There is no trace of fighting. It is impossible to believe that the four brothers could have been killed without their fighting for their lives. What could be the cause for this? – Yudishthira started thinking. Overcome by sorrow, he went near the dead forms of his brothers. He had no tears to shed. He was sitting like a stone. Where is the quick death that overtook my brothers? Why has it not come to me yet? Like all other human being's state of mind, thought chased thought in his poor, disturbed mind. Thinking like this his eyes fell on the water in the lake. The thirst came back in greater force. He walked towards the water and was about to drink it. At that time came the voice and the warning which all his brothers ignored.

Yudishthira stopped the act of drinking the water and looked around to locate the source of the voice. The voice said:"I am the Yaksha who owns this lake. Your brothers didn't listen to my warning and so now lie dead". Yudishthira spoke sadly to the Yaksha: "What Yaksha are you? Are you one of the Rudras? Are you the chief among the Maruts? Who are you that could fell, at one stroke, these masses of strength? My brothers are so powerful that no one, not even a God can kill any one of them. But you have killed all the four of them. They were not allowed even to fight for their own lives. My Lord, I am overcome with terror and admiration for you. I am curious to know who you are! Please reveal yourself to me. I want to see you".

The Yaksha appeared in front of Yudishthira. He was indeed a gruesome spectacle. Yudishthira saluted the yaksha for his power. Yudishthira said:"I am honoured by your appearance. You have listened to my request. I feel very grateful to you".

The Yaksha said:"I am telling you also, unless you answer all my questions, you cannot drink water in my lake".

Yudishthira replied:" My Lord, I will not insult you by disregarding your words. You say that this lake belongs to you. In that case, I have no right to drink water unless you permit me to do so. I will try to find answers for them. I will try, to the best of my ability, to please you with my answers". (Without accepting a challenge man does not grow. If we are afraid to take a risk, then we rule out all possibility of getting better in life. We all have taken the risk when we choose to live in Gulf for the first time. If we have not taken that risk, we would not have got this prosperous life. 'I will try, to the best of the ability' – is the right attitude of life, whatever be the situation in life. With fear one can never be strong. The strength of Yudishthira is shown in these words and also the great humility).

The Yaksha said: "Arjuna invoked all the divine astras which he had at his command and aimed at me. He could not do anything to me. I am pleased with your humility. I will ask you answer several questions on ethics".

"Yes. I am ready" – said Yudisthira.

THE YAKSHA STARTED HIS ARROW OF QUESTIONS ON YUDISHTHIRA.

The questions and answers form the important part of the episode. Questions seem to be simple but the deeper reflection given by Yudishthira is astonishing and the answers are the essence of our Vedas and other scriptures. Let us meditate on the answers already given by the king to put it into practice in our day to day living.

THE QUESTIONS OF YAKSHA TO KING YUDISHTHIRA

1. What makes the Sun rise? Whom has he for companion? Who is the cause for the setting of the Sun? In whom is the Sun established?



Brahma makes the Sun rise. During the creation, it is Brahmaji who creates everything as per the will of the Lord. Whatever we see or feel in nature is the Dharma by itself, which is nothing but Lord.



His company is kept by the Gods. Gods act as per Dharma. When we perform sacrifices which are our dharma, the Gods bestow on us the rains, seasons and other necessities which is their dharma. In the eighth chapter of Gita it is mentioned that persons who have practiced devotion to God and performed all their duties and works offered to Him, without any desire for fruits will have gradual spiritual progress by passing through the realms of fire, light etc, presided over by the deities known by those names. It is the path of light.



Dharma causes him to set. Lots of activities are triggered with the rise of the sun. Everybody's dharma starts with the dawn of the day. There are so many people waiting to perform their dharma. The sun sets at one place but reveals itself in the other place to help the people there. What is night for us is the day for the other part of the world. Think of time where there is no setting of sun. The whole day goes in activity with an eye to rest in the night. All are interconnected in the creation. Parasparam bhavayantah – gita tells mutually cherish each other and grow. That is Dharma.



The Sun is established in truth. The sun reveals itself fully in a slushy water and also equally in the Ganges. It gives heat and light to all under him. Both good and bad acts are going under the sun but the sun is untouched and unlimited by anything. The truth is not different for a Chandaala or a Brahmana. The truth remains the same wherever or whoever it is. The Jnani is always compared to the effulgent of a sun because, it is self effulgent. We don't require a torch to see the sun. Only the worldly minded needs all kinds of wealth, strength and status to show himself to the outer world where as the wise man revels in the light of knowledge and he lights the path of everyone around him – like Yudishthira established in truth.



2. What makes one learned?



The study of the Srutis makes one learned. (Sruti means 'those that have been heard'. All the four Vedas Rik, Yajus, Sama and Atharva and also the Upanishads comes under the Sruti. The great saints have passed on the knowledge from generation to generation by hearing and after the self experience pass it on to the worthy disciple. These scriptures deal with our dharma, the greater truths of life and also the highest end one need to strive for. We are learned only when we know what our scriptures say. After knowing putting it into practice is very important otherwise we will be equated to a donkey with loads of theoretical knowledge. All other learning (music, modern studies, art etc) doesn't come under the knowledge said in the scriptures. All the arts are taken away by time. A great singer today is nothing after 50 years. Age takes away the good voice, memory. Shankaracharya says in Bhaja Govindam 'maa kuru dana, jaya, yowvana gharvam. Harathi nimesha kaalah sarvam' – all are taken away by the merciless time. We are ignorant of the fact and spend all our life time to gain knowledge which are temporary. Nachiketas (the boy of 8 year old) had the clarity of what he needed. When Yama raja gifted him all great things of this world and the next, he asked to grant him what is permanent and what is not touched by time. When we are given such opportunity what are we going to ask? (All of us have a big list. Isn't it?) How many parents today insist that their children should read scriptures, do prayers every day? If it gets late, we first erase the prayer in the list. We give our children healthy food, grand dresses, comfortable life, teach them how to score 100/100 but we fail to give them the real knowledge said in the srutis. Our children will be in the line of Dharma and loving to the world only when they learn this ultimate knowledge. Then only we and our children are learned).



How a man attains to what is great?



Ascetic austerities help a man to achieve the great. (What are austerities? Bhagavad Gita 17th chapter deals this in great detail. They are divided into three types 1) saatvika 2) Raajasika and 3) Taamasika. The austerities performed with much show, having in view recognition, praise and adoration as a pious man by others are Raajasik in nature. It is unstable and leads to no permanent good to a man. The austerities performed through the practice of self torture for the destruction of another or under the influence of perverse theories are Taamasik in nature. It is action done in full ignorance and negligence. What Yudishthira speaks here are the austerities which are Saatvik in nature. AUSTERITIES PERTAINING TO BODY: service of the Devas, holy men, teachers, parents and wise persons and also observance of cleanliness, uprightness, continence and non-injury (Gandhiji says that non-injury should be out of fearlessness. If we are not hitting a cockroach it is not non-violence, it is out of fear. Non-injury is a bold and positive step). AUSTERITIES PERTAINING TO SPEECH: speaking only words that are inoffensive, true, pleasant and beneficial, as also regular recitation of scriptures. AUSTERITIES PERTAINING TO MIND: serenity of mind, gentleness, moderation in speech, self-control and purity of heart. Lord says that all the three fold austerities (body, mind and speech) need to be performed. We need to have highest faith. The actions should not be motivated by the expectation of the fruit of actions and in total equanimity of mind. These are the ascetic austerities which help man achieve the GOAL OF LIFE i.e. to experience the inner divinity. 4th chapter of Gita says, Whatever we give up in life, it should culminate in knowledge. Otherwise all the sacrifices are just external signs).



CONCLUSION:

Let us not compromise on our dharma on any day under any circumstances. All our duties need to be done with utmost love and devotion like the sun. The sun reveals itself as a beam of light even through a small peep hole. Let us use every situation in life to show our love and humility to all beings around us. Chinmayanandaji used to tell that how many of us welcome the Sun God in the morning? Even if the sun wants to say 'hello' to us, we pull the curtains close and in addition to that cover our body from head to toe with a thick blanket. He says beautifully if we can get up at 4 in the morning every day we add a few hours to our life every day.

By reading scriptures every day (our Guruji says a chapter of Gita every day. It takes 3 to 5 minutes to read the English translation), meditating and reflecting that knowledge in our actions, will take us near to inner divinity. This discipline is a must for a seeker.

Practicing the three fold austerities (kaaya, vaachaa and manasaa) will make us pure and peaceful in life. Reading the scriptures with total faith will strengthen our practice. Practice will make our conviction strengthened. More conviction will lead to more practice and it will make us perfect.

We will continue in the next week. HARI OM!