Vaisampayana said, “Yudhishthira saw his brothers, each possessed of the
glory of Indra himself, lying dead like the Regents of the world dropped
from their spheres at the end of the Yuga. And beholding Arjuna lying
dead, with his bow and arrows dropped on the ground, and also Bhimasena
and the twins motionless and deprived of life, the king breathed a hot
and long sigh, and was bathed in tears of grief. And beholding his
brothers lying dead, the mighty armed son of Dharma with heart racked in
anxiety, began to lament profusely, saying, ‘Thou hadst, O mighty-armed
Vrikodara, vowed, saying,--I shall with mace smash the thighs of
Duryodhana in battle! O enhancer of the glory of the Kurus, in thy death,
O mighty-armed and high-souled one, all that hath become fruitless now!
The promises of men may be ineffectual; but why have the words of the
gods uttered in respect of thee been thus fruitless? O Dhananjaya, while
thou wert in thy mother’s lying-in-room, the gods had said,--O Kunti,
this thy son shall not be inferior to him of a thousand eyes! And in the
northern Paripatra mountains, all beings had sung, saying,--The
prosperity (of this race), robbed by foes will be recovered by this one
without delay. No one will be able to vanquish him in battle, while there
will be none whom he will not be able to vanquish. Why then hath that
Jishnu endued with great strength been subject to death? Oh, why doth
that Dhananjaya, relying on whom we had hitherto endured all this misery,
lie on the ground blighting[108] all my hopes! Why have those heroes,
those mighty sons of Kunti, Bhimasena and Dhananjaya, came under the
power of the enemy,--those who themselves always slew their foes, and
whom no weapons could resist! Surely, this vile heart of mine must be
made of adamant, since, beholding these twins lying today on the ground
it doth not split! Ye bulls among men, versed in holy writ and acquainted
with the properties of time and place, and endued with ascetic merit, ye
who duly performed all sacred rites, why lie ye down, without performing
acts deserving of you? Alas, why lie ye insensible on the earth, with
your bodies unwounded, ye unvanquished ones, and with your vows
untouched?’ And beholding his brothers sweetly sleeping there as (they
usually did) on mountain slopes, the high souled king, overwhelmed with
grief and bathed in sweat, came to a distressful condition. And
saying,--It is even so--that virtuous lord of men, immersed in an ocean
of grief anxiously proceeded to ascertain the cause (of that
catastrophe). And that mighty-armed and high-souled one, acquainted with
the divisions of time and place, could not settle his course of action.
Having thus bewailed much in this strain, the virtuous Yudhishthira, the
son of Dharma or Tapu, restrained his soul and began to reflect in his
mind as to who had slain those heroes. ‘There are no strokes of weapons
upon these, nor is any one’s foot-print here. The being must be mighty I
ween, by whom my brothers have been slain. Earnestly shall I ponder over
this, or, let me first drink of the water, and then know all. It may be
that the habitually crooked-minded Duryodhana hath caused this water to
be secretly placed here by the king of the Gandharvas. What man of sense
can trust wicked wight of evil passions with whom good and evil are
alike? Or, perhaps, this may be an act of that wicked-souled one through
secret messengers of his.’ And it was thus that that highly intelligent
one gave way to diverse reflections. He did not believe that water to
have been tainted with poison, for though dead no corpse-like pallor was
on them. ‘The colour on the faces of these my brothers hath not faded!’
And it was thus that Yudhishthira thought. And the king continued, ‘Each
of these foremost of men was like unto a mighty cataract. Who, therefore,
save Yama himself who in due time bringeth about the end of all things,
could have baffled them thus.’ And having concluded this for certain, he
began to perform his ablutions in that lake. And while he descended into
it, he heard these words from the sky, uttered by the Yaksha,--‘I am a
crane, living on tiny fish. It is by me that thy younger brothers have
been brought under the sway of the lord of departed spirits. If, thou, O
prince, answer not the questions put by me, even thou shalt number the
fifth corpse. Do not, O child, act rashly! This lake hath already been in
my possession. Having answered my questions first, do thou, O Kunti’s
son, drink and carry away (as much as thou requirest)!’ Hearing these
words, Yudhishthira said, ‘Art thou the foremost of the Rudras, or of the
Vasus, or of the Marutas? I ask, what god art thou? This could not have
been done by a bird! Who is it that hath overthrown the four mighty
mountains, viz., the Himavat, the Paripatra, the Vindhya, and the Malaya?
Great is the feat done by thee, thou foremost of strong persons! Those
whom neither gods, nor Gandharvas nor Asuras, nor Rakshasas could endure
in mighty conflict, have been slain by thee! Therefore, exceedingly
wonderful is the deed done by thee! I do not know what thy business may
be, nor do I know thy purpose. Therefore, great is the curiosity and fear
also that have taken possession of me? My mind is greatly agitated, and
as my head also is aching, I ask thee, therefore, O worshipful one, who
art thou that stayest here?’ Hearing these words the Yaksha said, ‘I am,
good betide thee, a Yaksha, and not an amphibious bird. It is by me that
all these brothers of thine, endued with mighty prowess, have been slain!’
Vaisampayana continued, ‘Hearing these accursed words couched in harsh
syllabus,[109] Yudhishthira, O king, approaching the Yaksha who had
spoken then, stood there. And that bull among the Bharatas then beheld
that Yaksha of unusual eyes and huge body tall like a palmyra-palm and
looking like fire or the Sun, and irresistible and gigantic like a
mountain, staying on a tree, and uttering a loud roar deep as that of the
clouds. And the Yaksha said, ‘These thy brothers, O king, repeatedly
forbidden by me, would forcibly take away water. It is for this that they
have been slain by me! He that wisheth to live, should not, O king, drink
this water! O son of Pritha, act not rashly! This lake hath already been
in my possession. Do thou, O son of Kunti, first answer my questions, and
then take away as much as thou likest!’ Yudhishthira said, ‘I do not, O
Yaksha, covet, what is already in thy possession! O bull among male
beings, virtuous persons never approve that one should applaud his own
self (without boasting, I shall, therefore, answer thy questions,
according to my intelligence). Do thou ask me!’ The Yaksha then said,
‘What is it that maketh the Sun rise? Who keeps him company? Who causeth
him to set? And in whom is he established?’ Yudhishthira answered,
‘Brahma maketh the Sun rise: the gods keep him company: Dharma causeth
him to set: and he is established in truth.’[110] The Yaksha asked, ‘By
what doth one become learned? By what doth he attain what is very great?
How can one have a second? And, O king, how can one acquire
intelligence?’ Yudhishthira answered, ‘It is by the (study of the) Srutis
that a person becometh learned; it is by ascetic austerities that one
acquireth what is very great: it is by intelligence that a person
acquireth a second and it is by serving the old that one becometh
wise.’[111] The Yaksha asked, ‘What constituteth the divinity of the
Brahmanas? What even is their practice that is like that of the pious?
What also is the human attribute of the Brahmanas? And what practice of
theirs is like that of the impious?’ Yudhishthira answered, ‘The study of
the Vedas constitutes their divinity: their asceticism constitutes
behaviour that is like that of the pious; their liability to death is
their human attribute and slander is their impiety.’ The Yaksha asked,
‘What institutes the divinity of the Kshatriyas? What even is their
practice that is like that of the pious? What is their human attribute?
And what practice of theirs is like that of the impious?’ Yudhishthira
answered, ‘Arrows and weapons are their divinity: celebration of
sacrifices is that act which is like that of the pious: liability to fear
is their human attribute; and refusal of protection is that act of theirs
which is like that of the impious.’ The Yaksha asked, ‘What is that which
constitutes the Sama of the sacrifice? What the Yajus of the sacrifice?
What is that which is the refuge of a sacrifice? And what is that which
sacrifice cannot do without?’ Yudhishthira answered, ‘Life is the Sama of
the sacrifice; the mind is the Yajus of the sacrifice: the Rik is that
which is the refuge of the sacrifice; and it is Rik alone which sacrifice
cannot do without.’[112] The Yaksha asked, ‘What is of the foremost value
to those that cultivate? What is of the foremost value to those that sow?
What is of the foremost value to those that wish for prosperity in this
world? And what is of the foremost value to those that bring forth?’
Yudhishthira answered, ‘That which is of the foremost value to those that
cultivate is rain: that of the foremost value to those that sow is seed:
that of the foremost value to those that bring forth is offspring.[113]’
The Yaksha asked, ‘What person, enjoying all the objects of the senses,
endued with intelligence, regarded by the world and liked by all beings,
though breathing, doth not offer anything to these five, viz., gods,
guests, servants, Pitris, and himself, though endued with breath, is not
yet alive.’ The Yaksha asked, ‘What is weightier than the earth itself?
What is higher than the heavens?’ What is fleeter than the wind? And what
is more numerous than grass?’ Yudhishthira answered, ‘The mother is
weightier than the earth; the father is higher than the heaven; the mind
is fleeter than the wind; and our thoughts are more numerous than grass.’
The Yaksha asked, ‘What is that which doth not close its eyes while
asleep; What is that which doth not move after birth? What is that which
is without heart? And what is that which swells with its own impetus?’
Yudhishthira answered, ‘A fish doth not close its eyes while asleep: an
egg doth not move after birth: a stone is without heart: and a river
swelleth with its own impetus.’ The Yaksha asked, ‘Who is the friend of
the exile? Who is the friend of the householder? Who is the friend of him
that ails? And who is the friend of one about to die?’ Yudhishthira
answered, ‘The friend of the exile in a distant land is his companion,
the friend of the householder is the wife; the friend of him that ails is
the physician: and the friend of him about to die is charity. The Yaksha
asked,--‘Who is the guest of all creatures? What is the eternal duty?
What, O foremost of kings, is Amrita? And what is this entire Universe?’
Yudhishthira answered,--Agni is the guest of all creatures: the milk of
kine is amrita: Homa (therewith) is the eternal duty: and this Universe
consists of air alone.’[114] The Yaksha asked,--‘What is that which
sojourneth alone? What is that which is re-born after its birth? What is
the remedy against cold? And what is the largest field?’ Yudhishthira
answered,--‘The sun sojourneth alone; the moon takes birth anew: fire is
the remedy against cold: and the Earth is the largest field.’ The Yaksha
asked,--‘What is the highest refuge of virtue? What of fame? What of
heaven? And what, of happiness?’ Yudhishthira answered,--‘Liberality is
the highest refuge of virtue: gift, of fame: truth, of heaven: and good
behaviour, of happiness.’ The Yaksha asked,--‘What is the soul of man?
Who is that friend bestowed on man by the gods? What is man’s chief
support? And what also is his chief refuge?’ Yudhishthira answered,--‘The
son is a man’s soul: the wife is the friend bestowed on man by the gods;
the clouds are his chief support; and gift is his chief refuge.’ The
Yaksha asked,--‘What is the best of all laudable things? What is the most
valuable of all his possessions? What is the best of all gains? And what
is the best of all kinds of happiness?’ Yudhishthira answered,--“The best
of all laudable things is skill; the best of all possessions is
knowledge: the best of all gains is health: and contentment is the best
of all kinds of happiness.’ The Yaksha asked,--‘What is the highest duty
in the world? What is that virtue which always beareth fruit? What is
that which if controlled, leadeth not to regret? And who are they with
whom an alliance cannot break?’ Yudhishthira answered,--‘The highest of
duties is to refrain from injury: the rites ordained in the Three (Vedas)
always bear fruit: the mind, if controlled, leadeth to no regret: and an
alliance with the good never breaketh.’ The Yaksha asked,--‘What is that
which, if renounced, maketh one agreeable? What is that which, if
renounced, leadeth to no regret? What is that which, if renounced, maketh
one wealthy? And what is that which if renounced, maketh one happy?’
Yudhishthira answered,--‘Pride, if renounced, maketh one agreeable;
wrath, if renounced leadeth to no regret: desire, if renounced, maketh
one wealthy: and avarice, if renounced, maketh one happy.’ The Yaksha
asked,--‘For what doth one give away to Brahmanas? For what to mimes and
dancers? For what to servants? And for what to king?’ Yudhishthira
answered,--‘It is for religious merit that one giveth away to Brahmanas:
it is for fame that one giveth away to mimes and dancers: it is for
supporting them that one giveth away to servants: and it is for obtaining
relief from fear that one giveth to kings.’ The Yaksha asked,--‘With what
is the world enveloped? What is that owing to which a thing cannot
discover itself? For what are friends forsaken? And for what doth one
fail to go to heaven?’ Yudhishthira answered,--‘The world is enveloped
with darkness. Darkness doth not permit a thing to show itself. It is
from avarice that friends are forsaken. And it is connection with the
world for which one faileth to go to heaven.’ The Yaksha asked,--‘For
what may one be considered as dead? For what may a kingdom be considered
as dead? For what may a Sraddha be considered as dead? And for what, a
sacrifice?’ Yudhishthira answered,--‘For want of wealth may a man be
regarded as dead. A kingdom for want of a king may be regarded as dead. A
Sraddha that is performed with the aid of a priest that hath no learning
may be regarded as dead. And a sacrifice in which there are no gifts to
Brahmanas is dead.’ The Yaksha asked,--‘What constitutes the way? What,
hath been spoken of as water? What, as food? And what, as poison? Tell us
also what is the proper time of a Sraddha, and then drink and take away
as much as thou likest!’ Yudhishthira answered,--‘They that are good
constitute the way.[115] Space hath been spoken of as water.[116] The cow
is food.[117] A request is poison. And a Brahmana is regarded as the
proper time of a Sraddha.[118] I do not know what thou mayst think of all
this, O Yaksha?’ The Yaksha asked,--‘What hath been said to be the sign
of asceticism? And what is true restraint? What constitutes forgiveness.
And what is shame?’ Yudhishthira answered,--‘Staying in one’s own
religion is asceticism: the restraint of the mind is of all restraints
the true one: forgiveness consists in enduring enmity; and shame, in
withdrawing from all unworthy acts.’ The Yaksha asked,--‘What, O king is
said to be knowledge? What, tranquillity? What constitutes mercy? And
what hath been called simplicity?’ Yudhishthira answered,--‘True
knowledge is that of Divinity. True tranquillity is that of the heart.
Mercy consists in wishing happiness to all. And simplicity is equanimity
of heart.’ The Yaksha asked,--‘What enemy is invincible? What constitutes
an incurable disease for man? What sort of a man is called honest and
what dishonest?’ Yudhishthira answered,--‘Anger is an invincible enemy.
Covetousness constitutes an incurable disease. He is honest that desires
the weal of all creatures, and he is dishonest who is unmerciful.’ The
Yaksha asked,--‘What, O king, is ignorance? And what is pride? What also
is to be understood by idleness? And what hath been spoken of as grief?’
Yudhishthira answered,--‘True ignorance consists in not knowing one’s
duties. Pride is a consciousness of one’s being himself an actor or
sufferer in life. Idleness consists in not discharging one’s duties, and
ignorance in grief.’ The Yaksha asked,--‘What hath steadiness been said
by the Rishis to be? And what, patience? What also is a real ablution?
And what is charity?’ Yudhishthira answered,--‘Steadiness consists in
one’s staying in one’s own religion, and true patience consists in the
subjugation of the senses. A true bath consists in washing the mind clean
of all impurities, and charity consists in protecting all creatures.’ The
Yaksha asked,--‘What man should be regarded as learned, and who should be
called an atheist? Who also is to be called ignorant? What is called
desire and what are the sources of desire? And what is envy?’
Yudhishthira answered,--‘He is to be called learned who knoweth his
duties. An atheist is he who is ignorant and so also he is ignorant who
is an atheist. Desire is due to objects of possession, and envy is
nothing else than grief of heart.’ The Yaksha asked,--‘What is pride, and
what is hypocrisy? What is the grace of the gods, and what is
wickedness?’ Yudhishthira answered,--‘Stolid ignorance is pride. The
setting up of a religious standard is hypocrisy. The grace of the gods is
the fruit of our gifts, and wickedness consists in speaking ill of
others.’ The Yaksha asked,--‘Virtue, profit, and desire are opposed to
one another. How could things thus antagonistic to one another exist
together?’ Yudhishthira answered,--‘When a wife and virtue agree with
each other, then all the three thou hast mentioned may exist together.’
The Yaksha asked,--‘O bull of the Bharata race, who is he that is
condemned to everlasting hell? It behoveth thee to soon answer the
question that I ask!’ Yudhishthira answered,--‘He that summoneth a poor
Brahmana promising to make him a gift and then tells him that he hath
nothing to give, goeth to everlasting hell. He also must go to
everlasting hell, who imputes falsehood to the Vedas, the scriptures, the
Brahmanas, the gods, and the ceremonies in honour of the Pitris, He also
goeth to everlasting hell who though in possession of wealth, never
giveth away nor enjoyeth himself from avarice, saying, he hath none.’ The
Yaksha asked,--‘By what, O king, birth, behaviour, study, or learning
doth a person become a Brahmana? Tell us with certitude!’ Yudhishthira
answered,-’Listen, O Yaksha! It is neither birth, nor study, nor
learning, that is the cause of Brahmanahood, without doubt, it is
behaviour that constitutes it. One’s behaviour should always be
well-guarded, especially by a Brahmana. He who maintaineth his conduct
unimpaired, is never impaired himself. Professors and pupils, in fact,
all who study the scriptures, if addicted to wicked habits, are to be
regarded as illiterate wretches. He only is learned who performeth his
religious duties. He even that hath studied the four Vedas is to be
regarded as a wicked wretch scarcely distinguishable from a Sudra (if his
conduct be not correct). He only who performeth the Agnihotra and hath
his senses under control, is called a Brahmana!’ The Yaksha asked,--‘What
doth one gain that speaketh agreeable words? What doth he gain that
always acteth with judgment? What doth he gain that hath many friends?
And what he, that is devoted to virtue?’--Yudhishthira answered,--‘He
that speaketh agreeable words becometh agreeable to all. He that acteth
with judgment obtaineth whatever he seeketh. He that hath many friends
liveth happily. And he that is devoted to virtue obtaineth a happy state
(in the next world).’ The Yaksha asked,--‘Who is truly happy? What is
most wonderful? What is the path? And what is the news? Answer these four
questions of mine and let thy dead brothers revive.’ Yudhishthira
answered,--‘O amphibious creature, a man who cooketh in his own house, on
the fifth or the sixth part of the day, with scanty vegetables, but who
is not in debt and who stirreth not from home, is truly happy. Day after
day countless creatures are going to the abode of Yama, yet those that
remain behind believe themselves to be immortal. What can be more
wonderful than this? Argument leads to no certain conclusion, the Srutis
are different from one another; there is not even one Rishi whose opinion
can be accepted by all; the truth about religion and duty is hid in
caves: therefore, that alone is the path along which the great have trod.
This world full of ignorance is like a pan. The sun is fire, the days and
nights are fuel. The months and the seasons constitute the wooden ladle.
Time is the cook that is cooking all creatures in that pan (with such
aids); this is the news.’ The Yaksha asked,--‘Thou hast, O represser of
foes, truly answered all my questions! Tell us now who is truly a man,
and what man truly possesseth every kind of wealth.’ Yudhishthira
answered,--‘The report of one’s good action reacheth heaven and spreadeth
over the earth. As long as that report lasteth, so long is a person to
whom the agreeable and the disagreeable, weal and woe, the past and the
future, are the same, is said to possess every kind of wealth.’ The
Yaksha said,--‘Thou hast, O king truly answered who is a man, and what
man possesseth every kind of wealth. Therefore, let one only amongst thy
brothers, whom thou mayst wish, get up with life!’ Yudhishthira
answered,--‘Let this one that is of darkish hue, whose eyes are red, who
is tall like a large Sala tree, whose chest is broad and arms long, let
this Nakula, O Yaksha, get up with life! The Yaksha rejoined,-’This
Bhimasena is dear unto thee, and this Arjuna also is one upon whom all of
you depend! Why, then, O king dost thou, wish a step-brother to get up
with his life! How canst thou, forsaking Bhima whose strength is equal to
that of ten thousand elephants, wish Nakula to live? People said that
this Bhima was dear to thee. From what motive then dost thou wish a
step-brother to revive? Forsaking Arjuna the might of whose arm is
worshipped by all the sons of Pandu, why dost thou wish Nakula to
revive?’ Yudhishthira said,--‘If virtue is sacrificed, he that
sacrificeth it, is himself lost. So virtue also cherisheth the cherisher.
Therefore taking care that virtue by being sacrificed may not sacrifice
us, I never forsake virtue. Abstention from injury is the highest virtue,
and is, I ween, even higher than the highest object of attainment. I
endeavour to practise that virtue. Therefore, let Nakula, O Yaksha,
revive! Let men know that the king is always virtuous! I will never
depart from my duty. Let Nakula, therefore, revive! My father had two
wives, Kunti and Madri. Let both of them have children. This is what I
wish. As Kunti is to me, so also is Madri. There is no difference between
them in my eye. I desire to act equally towards my mothers. Therefore,
let Nakula live?’ The Yaksha said,--‘Since abstention from injury is
regarded by thee as higher than both profit and pleasure, therefore, let
all thy brothers live, O bull of Bharata race!”