Vana Parva, at the lake
The Yaksha prashna is the dialogue at a poisoned lake in the Vana Parva. A yaksha has struck down four of the Pandavas, and Yudhishthira answers his questions to win them back. Asked for the greatest wonder, he says people watch others die every day and still expect to live forever (MBh 3.314.118).
It is the twelfth year of exile. Thirsty, the brothers go one by one to a lake, ignore a voice that tells them to answer first, drink, and fall. Yudhishthira comes last, and stops to listen.
In the order the Yaksha asks them. The question first, then Yudhishthira's answer.
The Yaksha asks
किंस्विदादित्यमुन्नयति के च तस्याभितश्चराः ।कश्चैनमस्तं नयति कस्मिंश्च प्रतितिष्ठति ॥
kiṃsvidādityamunnayati ke ca tasyābhitaścarāḥ |kaścainamastaṃ nayati kasmiṃśca pratitiṣṭhati ||
What raises the sun? Who walk beside it? What brings it to its setting? In what does it stand firm?
MBh 3.314.47The Yaksha to Yudhishthira
Yudhishthira answers
ब्रह्मादित्यमुन्नयति देवास्तस्याभितश्चराः ।धर्मश्चास्तं नयति च सत्ये च प्रतितिष्ठति ॥
brahmādityamunnayati devāstasyābhitaścarāḥ |dharmaścāstaṃ nayati ca satye ca pratitiṣṭhati ||
Brahman raises the sun. The gods walk beside it. Dharma brings it to its setting, and it stands firm in truth.
MBh 3.314.48Yudhishthira to the Yaksha
The Yaksha asks
केन स्विच्छ्रोत्रियो भवति केन स्विद्विन्दते महत् ।केन स्विद्द्वितीयवान्भवति राजन्केन च बुद्धिमान् ॥
kena svicchrotriyo bhavati kena svidvindate mahat |kena sviddvitīyavānbhavati rājankena ca buddhimān ||
How does one become learned? How does one reach what is great? How does one gain a companion, King? And how does one become wise?
MBh 3.314.49The Yaksha to Yudhishthira
Yudhishthira answers
श्रुतेन श्रोत्रियो भवति तपसा विन्दते महत् ।धृत्या द्वितीयवान्भवति बुद्धिमान्वृद्धसेवया ॥
śrutena śrotriyo bhavati tapasā vindate mahat |dhṛtyā dvitīyavānbhavati buddhimānvṛddhasevayā ||
By hearing the Veda one becomes learned. By tapas one reaches what is great. By steadiness one gains a companion. By serving elders one becomes wise.
MBh 3.314.50Yudhishthira to the Yaksha
The Yaksha asks
किंस्विद्गुरुतरं भूमेः किंस्विदुच्चतरं च खात् ।किंस्विच्छीघ्रतरं वायोः किंस्विद्बहुतरं तृणात् ॥
kiṃsvidgurutaraṃ bhūmeḥ kiṃsviduccataraṃ ca khāt |kiṃsvicchīghrataraṃ vāyoḥ kiṃsvidbahutaraṃ tṛṇāt ||
What is heavier than the earth? What is higher than the sky? What is faster than the wind? What is more numerous than grass?
MBh 3.314.61The Yaksha to Yudhishthira
Yudhishthira answers
माता गुरुतरा भूमेः खात्पितोच्चतरस्तथा ।मनः शीघ्रतरं वाताच्चिन्ता बहुतरी तृणात् ॥
mātā gurutarā bhūmeḥ khātpitoccatarastathā |manaḥ śīghrataraṃ vātāccintā bahutarī tṛṇāt ||
A mother is heavier than the earth. A father is higher than the sky. The mind is faster than the wind. Worries outnumber the grass.
MBh 3.314.62Yudhishthira to the Yaksha
The Yaksha asks
किंस्वित्सुप्तं न निमिषति किंस्विज्जातं न चेङ्गते ।कस्यस्विद्धृदयं नास्ति किंस्विद्वेगेन वर्धते ॥
kiṃsvitsuptaṃ na nimiṣati kiṃsvijjātaṃ na ceṅgate |kasyasviddhṛdayaṃ nāsti kiṃsvidvegena vardhate ||
What does not close its eyes in sleep? What does not move once it is born? What has no heart? What swells by its own rush?
MBh 3.314.63The Yaksha to Yudhishthira
Yudhishthira answers
मत्स्यः सुप्तो न निमिषत्यण्डं जातं न चेङ्गते ।अश्मनो हृदयं नास्ति नदी वेगेन वर्धते ॥
matsyaḥ supto na nimiṣatyaṇḍaṃ jātaṃ na ceṅgate |aśmano hṛdayaṃ nāsti nadī vegena vardhate ||
A fish sleeps with its eyes open. An egg, once born, does not move. A stone has no heart. A river swells by its own rush.
MBh 3.314.64Yudhishthira to the Yaksha
The Yaksha asks
किंस्वित्प्रवसतो मित्रं किंस्विन्मित्रं गृहे सतः ।आतुरस्य च किं मित्रं किंस्विन्मित्रं मरिष्यतः ॥
kiṃsvitpravasato mitraṃ kiṃsvinmitraṃ gṛhe sataḥ |āturasya ca kiṃ mitraṃ kiṃsvinmitraṃ mariṣyataḥ ||
Who is the friend of one far from home? Of one at home? Of one who is ill? Of one about to die?
MBh 3.314.65The Yaksha to Yudhishthira
Yudhishthira answers
विद्या प्रवसतो मित्रं भार्या मित्रं गृहे सतः ।आतुरस्य भिषङ्मित्रं दानं मित्रं मरिष्यतः ॥
vidyā pravasato mitraṃ bhāryā mitraṃ gṛhe sataḥ |āturasya bhiṣaṅmitraṃ dānaṃ mitraṃ mariṣyataḥ ||
Learning is the friend of one far from home. A wife is the friend at home. The doctor is the friend of the sick. What you have given away is the friend of the dying.
MBh 3.314.66Yudhishthira to the Yaksha
The Yaksha asks
धन्यानामुत्तमं किंस्विद्धनानां स्यात्किमुत्तमम् ।लाभानामुत्तमं किं स्यात्सुखानां स्यात्किमुत्तमम् ॥
dhanyānāmuttamaṃ kiṃsviddhanānāṃ syātkimuttamam |lābhānāmuttamaṃ kiṃ syātsukhānāṃ syātkimuttamam ||
What is the best thing to be praised for? The best of wealth? The best of gains? The best of joys?
MBh 3.314.75The Yaksha to Yudhishthira
Yudhishthira answers
धन्यानामुत्तमं दाक्ष्यं धनानामुत्तमं श्रुतम् ।लाभानां श्रेय आरोग्यं सुखानां तुष्टिरुत्तमा ॥
dhanyānāmuttamaṃ dākṣyaṃ dhanānāmuttamaṃ śrutam |lābhānāṃ śreya ārogyaṃ sukhānāṃ tuṣṭiruttamā ||
Skill is the best thing to be praised for. Learning is the best wealth. Health is the best gain. Contentment is the best joy.
MBh 3.314.76Yudhishthira to the Yaksha
The Yaksha asks
किंनु हित्वा प्रियो भवति किंनु हित्वा न शोचति ।किंनु हित्वाऽर्थवान्भवति किंनु हित्वा सुखी भवेत् ॥
kiṃnu hitvā priyo bhavati kiṃnu hitvā na śocati |kiṃnu hitvā'rthavānbhavati kiṃnu hitvā sukhī bhavet ||
Giving up what makes a person loved? Giving up what ends grief? Giving up what makes one rich? Giving up what makes one happy?
MBh 3.314.79The Yaksha to Yudhishthira
Yudhishthira answers
मानं हित्वा प्रियो भवति क्रोधं हित्वा न शोचति ।कामं हित्वाऽर्थवान्भवति लोभं हित्वा सुखी भवेत् ॥
mānaṃ hitvā priyo bhavati krodhaṃ hitvā na śocati |kāmaṃ hitvā'rthavānbhavati lobhaṃ hitvā sukhī bhavet ||
Give up pride and you are loved. Give up anger and you stop grieving. Give up craving and you are rich. Give up greed and you are happy.
MBh 3.314.80Yudhishthira to the Yaksha
The Yaksha asks
तपः किंलक्षणं प्रोक्तं को दमश्च प्रकीर्तितः ।क्षमा च का परा प्रोक्ता का च ह्रीः परिकीर्तिता ॥
tapaḥ kiṃlakṣaṇaṃ proktaṃ ko damaśca prakīrtitaḥ |kṣamā ca kā parā proktā kā ca hrīḥ parikīrtitā ||
What is the mark of tapas? What is self-control? What is the highest forbearance? What is called shame?
MBh 3.314.89The Yaksha to Yudhishthira
Yudhishthira answers
तपः स्वधर्मवर्तित्वं मनसो दमनं दमः ।क्षमा द्वन्द्वसहिष्णुत्वं ह्रीरकार्यनिवर्तनम् ॥
tapaḥ svadharmavartitvaṃ manaso damanaṃ damaḥ |kṣamā dvandvasahiṣṇutvaṃ hrīrakāryanivartanam ||
Tapas is living by your own dharma. Self-control is mastering the mind. Forbearance is bearing the pairs, like heat and cold, praise and blame. Shame is turning back from a wrong act.
MBh 3.314.90Yudhishthira to the Yaksha
The Yaksha asks
कः शत्रुर्दुर्जयः पुंसां कश्च व्याधिरनन्तकः ।कीदृशश्च स्मृतः साधुरसाधुः कीदृशः स्मृतः ॥
kaḥ śatrurdurjayaḥ puṃsāṃ kaśca vyādhiranantakaḥ |kīdṛśaśca smṛtaḥ sādhurasādhuḥ kīdṛśaḥ smṛtaḥ ||
Which enemy is hardest to defeat? Which illness has no end? Who is called good, and who is called bad?
MBh 3.314.93The Yaksha to Yudhishthira
Yudhishthira answers
क्रोधः सुदुर्जयः शत्रुर्लोभो व्याधिरनन्तकः ।सर्वभूतहितः साधुरसाधुर्निर्दयः स्मृतः ॥
krodhaḥ sudurjayaḥ śatrurlobho vyādhiranantakaḥ |sarvabhūtahitaḥ sādhurasādhurnirdayaḥ smṛtaḥ ||
Anger is the enemy hardest to defeat. Greed is the illness with no end. The good person wants the good of every being. The bad person has no mercy.
MBh 3.314.94Yudhishthira to the Yaksha
The Yaksha asks
किं स्थैर्यमृषिभिः प्रोक्तं किं च धैर्यमुदाहृतम् ।स्नानं च किं परं प्रोक्तं दानं च किमिहोच्यते ॥
kiṃ sthairyamṛṣibhiḥ proktaṃ kiṃ ca dhairyamudāhṛtam |snānaṃ ca kiṃ paraṃ proktaṃ dānaṃ ca kimihocyate ||
What do the sages call steadiness? What is courage? What is the true bath? What is giving?
MBh 3.314.97The Yaksha to Yudhishthira
Yudhishthira answers
स्वधर्मे स्थिरता स्थैर्यं धैर्यमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः ।स्नानं मनोमलत्यागो दानं वै भूतरक्षणम् ॥
svadharme sthiratā sthairyaṃ dhairyamindriyanigrahaḥ |snānaṃ manomalatyāgo dānaṃ vai bhūtarakṣaṇam ||
Steadiness is standing firm in your own dharma. Courage is mastering the senses. The true bath is washing the mind clean. Giving is protecting living beings.
MBh 3.314.98Yudhishthira to the Yaksha
The Yaksha asks
राजन्कुलेन वृत्तेन स्वाध्यायेन श्रुतेन वा ।ब्राह्मण्यं केन भवति प्रब्रूह्येतत्सुनिश्चितम् ॥
rājankulena vṛttena svādhyāyena śrutena vā |brāhmaṇyaṃ kena bhavati prabrūhyetatsuniścitam ||
King, what makes a brahmana: birth, conduct, recitation or learning? Tell me plainly.
MBh 3.314.109The Yaksha to Yudhishthira
Yudhishthira answers
शृणु यक्ष कुलं तात न स्वाध्यायो न च श्रुतम् ।कारणं हि द्विजत्वे च वृत्तमेव न संशयः ॥
śṛṇu yakṣa kulaṃ tāta na svādhyāyo na ca śrutam |kāraṇaṃ hi dvijatve ca vṛttameva na saṃśayaḥ ||
Listen, Yaksha, my friend. Conduct alone makes one twice-born, beyond doubt. Birth, recitation and learning do not.
MBh 3.314.110Yudhishthira to the Yaksha
Answer these, the Yaksha says, and your brothers may live.
The Yaksha asks
को मोदते किमाश्चर्यं कः पन्थाः का च वार्तिका ।वद मे चतुरः प्रश्नान्मृता जीवन्तु बान्धवाः ॥
ko modate kimāścaryaṃ kaḥ panthāḥ kā ca vārtikā |vada me caturaḥ praśnānmṛtā jīvantu bāndhavāḥ ||
Who is happy? What is the wonder? What is the path? What is the news? Answer these four and your dead brothers may live.
MBh 3.314.116The Yaksha to Yudhishthira
Who is happy
पञ्चमेऽहनि षष्ठे वा शाकं पचति स्वे गृहे ।अनृणी चाप्रवासी च स वारिचर मोदते ॥
pañcame'hani ṣaṣṭhe vā śākaṃ pacati sve gṛhe |anṛṇī cāpravāsī ca sa vāricara modate ||
One who cooks greens in his own home on the fifth day or the sixth, owing nothing and living at home: he is happy, creature of the water.
MBh 3.314.117Yudhishthira to the Yaksha
The wonder
अहन्यहनि भूतानि गच्छन्तीह यमालयम् ।शेषाः स्थावरमिच्छन्ति किमाश्चर्यमतः परम् ॥
ahanyahani bhūtāni gacchantīha yamālayam |śeṣāḥ sthāvaramicchanti kimāścaryamataḥ param ||
Day after day, living beings go to the house of death. Those left behind want to stay forever. What could be a greater wonder?
MBh 3.314.118Yudhishthira to the Yaksha
The path
तर्कोऽप्रतिष्ठः श्रुतयो विभिन्नानैको मुनिर्यस्य मतं प्रमाणम् ।धर्मस्य तत्त्वं निहितं गुहायांमहाजनो येन गतः स पन्थाः ॥
tarko'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnānaiko muniryasya mataṃ pramāṇam |dharmasya tattvaṃ nihitaṃ guhāyāṃmahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ ||
Reasoning has no firm footing. The scriptures differ. No single sage has the final word. The truth of dharma lies hidden in a cave. The path is the one the great have walked.
MBh 3.314.119Yudhishthira to the Yaksha
The news
पृथ्वी विभाण्डं गगनं पिधानंसूर्याग्निना रात्रिदिवेन्धनेन ।मासर्तुदर्वीपरिघट्टनेनभूतानि कालः पचतीति वार्ता ॥
pṛthvī vibhāṇḍaṃ gaganaṃ pidhānaṃsūryāgninā rātridivendhanena |māsartudarvīparighaṭṭanenabhūtāni kālaḥ pacatīti vārtā ||
The earth is the pot and the sky its lid. With the sun for fire and nights and days for fuel, stirring with the ladle of months and seasons, Time cooks all beings. That is the news.
MBh 3.314.120Yudhishthira to the Yaksha
"For the born, death is certain." Krishna tells Arjuna the same fact the Yaksha's wonder turns on.
Pleased with the answers, the Yaksha offers one brother back. Yudhishthira asks for Nakula, and the Yaksha asks why.
The Yaksha asks
प्रियस्ते भीमसेनोऽयमर्जुनो वः परायणम् ।त्वं कस्मान्नकुलं राजन्सापत्नं जीवमिच्छसि ॥
priyaste bhīmaseno'yamarjuno vaḥ parāyaṇam |tvaṃ kasmānnakulaṃ rājansāpatnaṃ jīvamicchasi ||
Bhima is dear to you, and Arjuna is the one you all lean on. Why, King, do you want Nakula, your stepmother's son, to live?
MBh 3.314.127The Yaksha to Yudhishthira
Yudhishthira answers
धर्म एव हतो हन्ति धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः ।तस्माद्धर्मं न त्यजामि मा नो धर्मो हतोऽवधीत् ॥
dharma eva hato hanti dharmo rakṣati rakṣitaḥ |tasmāddharmaṃ na tyajāmi mā no dharmo hato'vadhīt ||
Dharma destroyed destroys. Dharma protected protects. So I will not abandon dharma, or dharma, destroyed, would destroy us.
MBh 3.314.131Yudhishthira to the Yaksha
Yudhishthira answers
आनृशंस्यं परो धर्मः परमार्थाच्च मे मतम् ।आनृशंस्यं चिकीर्षामि नकुलो यक्ष जीवतु ॥
ānṛśaṃsyaṃ paro dharmaḥ paramārthācca me matam |ānṛśaṃsyaṃ cikīrṣāmi nakulo yakṣa jīvatu ||
Not being cruel is the highest dharma, higher to my mind than the highest gain. I want to act without cruelty. Let Nakula live, Yaksha.
MBh 3.314.132Yudhishthira to the Yaksha
Yudhishthira answers
यथा कुन्ती तथा माद्री विशेषो नास्ति मे तयोः ।मातृभ्यां सममिच्छामि नकुलो यक्ष जीवतु ॥
yathā kuntī tathā mādrī viśeṣo nāsti me tayoḥ |mātṛbhyāṃ samamicchāmi nakulo yakṣa jīvatu ||
As Kunti is, so is Madri. I make no difference between them. I want the same for both my mothers. Let Nakula live, Yaksha.
MBh 3.314.135Yudhishthira to the Yaksha
All four brothers rise. The Yaksha is Dharma, Yudhishthira's father, and he offers boons. For the last, Yudhishthira asks for nothing outside himself.
अहं ते जनकस्तात धर्मो मृदुपराक्रम ।त्वां दिदृक्षुरनुप्राप्तो विद्धि मां भरतर्षभ ॥
ahaṃ te janakastāta dharmo mṛduparākrama |tvāṃ didṛkṣuranuprāpto viddhi māṃ bharatarṣabha ||
I am your father, child: Dharma. You are gentle in your strength. Know that I came here wanting to see you, best of the Bharatas.
MBh 3.315.6Dharma to Yudhishthira
जयेयं लोभमोहौ च क्रोधं चाहं सदा विभो ।दाने तपसि सत्ये च मनो मे सततं भवेत् ॥
jayeyaṃ lobhamohau ca krodhaṃ cāhaṃ sadā vibho |dāne tapasi satye ca mano me satataṃ bhavet ||
Let me always overcome greed, delusion and anger, Lord. Let my mind stay always on giving, tapas and truth.
MBh 3.315.24Yudhishthira to Dharma
Desire, anger and greed: the three gates Krishna tells Arjuna to close, the same three Yudhishthira asks to overcome.
Ten questions from the lake. Each answer shows its verse.
Question 1 of 10
Week 1 of the Gita by email: one verse a day and what it asks of you.
Send my weekSanskrit from a southern-recension text of the Vana Parva, chapters 313 to 315 in its numbering. Where the digital text had obvious typing errors we restored the standard reading and kept a record of each change. The English is Wisdom's own, read with Nilakantha's commentary, with K. M. Ganguli's public-domain translation consulted.
Wisdom translation, edited by Ankur Shukla.
More from the epic: the family tree, Yudhishthira, 25 lines from the Mahabharata.