Yaksha Prashna

The Yaksha Prashna are a series of questions posed by a Yaksha to Dharma Raja – Yudhisthir. The answers to these questions attempt to impart great wisdom and knowledge. This incident is depicted in the Mahabharat in the form of a conversation between the Yaksha and Yudhisthira. Here we have picked seventy such questions that stay relevant in today’s time. While they are worth a read, the takeaways are crucial too!
Once in their thirteen years of exile, the Pandavas and Draupadi felt thirsty. In order to quench their thirst, Nakul goes to fetch some water from the nearby lake. However, he does not return even after a long while. Sahadev then goes on to look for him. Arjun and Bheem also follow, none of them return back. On suspicion, the eldest of the Pandavas – Yudhisthir, then goes in search of his brothers. In the nearby lake, he finds his brothers lying unconscious on the ground. This looked strange and just when Yudhisthir was about to drink water from the lake, a voice sops him saying:
This Lake belongs to me; I have asked your brothers to answer my questions before drinking the water. But they denied my pledge, and drank water and hence they are dead. You too will become victim if you do not answer my question before drinking this water.
To this, Yudhisthira replied: I have no desire to take what belongs to you. Please ask me the questions; I will try my best to reply your queries.
The Yaksha was known to be Vasampaya, who owned the lake. He was determined to test the wisdom of Yudhisthra. He then promises to bring back his brothers to life if Yudhisthira satisfies him with his answers.
1. Yaksha asked, “Who makes the sun rise and who causes the sun to set?
Yudhisthira answered, “It is lord Brahma who makes the sun rise and it is Dharma that makes the sun set.”

2. Yaksha aksed, “Who is it who keeps the sun company?”
Yudhisthira answered, “The Gods keep the company of the sun.”

3. Yaksha aksed, “And in whom is the sun established?”
Yudhisthira answered, “The sun is established in Truth.”

4. Yaksha aksed, “By what does one become a learned person?”
Yudhisthira answered, “It is through the study of Srutis (spiritual scriptures) that a person becomes a learned person.”

5. Yaksha asked, “By what does a person attain something that is great?”
Yudhisthira answered, “It is by ascetic austerities (tapas) that one can acquire greatness.”

6. Yaksha aksed, “By what does a person acquire intelligence?”
Yudhisthira answered, “It is by serving the old ones that one becomes intelligent.”

7. Yaksha asked, “What is the value to those who cultivate and what is the value to those who sow?”
Yudhisthira answered, “The foremost value to those who cultivate is rain; the foremost value to those who sow is seed.”

8. Yaksha asked, “And what is the value to those who wish the prosperity in the world?”
Yudhisthira answered, “The foremost value to those who wish the prosperity in the world is preacher.”

9. Yaksha asked, “Which person who enjoys all the objects of sensing, breathing but yet is not alive?”
Yudhisthira answered, “The one who does not offer anything to Gods, Guests, Servant, Pitris, and so on is the one who enjoys all the objects of sensing, breathing but yet is not alive.”

10. Yaksha asked, ”What is it that does not close eyes when asleep?”
Yudhisthira answered, “It is the fish that does not close eyes when asleep.”

11. Yaksha aksed, “What is it that does not move after its birth?”
Yudhisthira answered, “It is the egg that does not move after birth.”

12. Yaksha aksed, “What is it which is without a heart?”
Yudhisthira answered, “It is the stone that has no heart.”

13. Yaksha aksed, “Who is the friend of exile?”
Yudhisthira answered, “A companion is the friend of exile.”

14. Yaksha aksed, “Who is friend of the householder?”
Yudhisthira answered, “A wife is the friend of the householder.”

15. Yaksha aksed, “Who is the friend of a sick person?”
Yudhisthira answered, “A physician/ doctor is the friend of a sick person.”

16. Yaksha aksed, “Who is the friend of the one who is about to die?”
Yudhisthira answered, “Charity is the friend of the person who is about to die.”

17. Yaksha aksed, “What is it which stays alone forever?”
Yudhisthira answered, “It is the Sun that stays alone forever.”

18. Yaksha aksed, “What is reborn after its birth?”
Yudhisthira answered, “The Moon is reborn after its birth.”

19. Yaksha aksed, “What is the remedy against cold?”
Yudhisthira answered, “It is Fire that is the remedy against cold.”

20. Yaksha aksed, “What is the largest field of all?”
Yudhisthira answered, “The Earth is the largest filed of all.”

21. Yaksha aksed, “What is the highest shelter of happiness?”
Yudhisthira answered, “Good behaviour is the highest shelter of Happiness.”

22. Yaksha aksed, “What is the highest shelter of virtue?”
Yudhisthira answered, “Liberty is the highest shelter of virtue.”

23. Yaksha aksed, “What is the soul of man? And who is that friend bestowed on man by the gods?”
Yudhisthira answered, “A man’s son is the soul of a man; A man’s wife is that friend bestowed on man by gods.”

24. Yaksha aksed, “What is the best of all things?”
Yudhisthira answered, “It is the Skills one has acquired, that are the best of all things.”

25. Yaksha aksed, “What is the most valuable of all possessions?”
Yudhisthira answered, “It the knowledge one has, that is the most valuable possessions of all.”

26. Yaksha aksed, “What is the best of all gains?”
Yudhisthira answered, “A person’s health is the best of all gains.”

27. Yaksha aksed, “What is the best of all kinds of happiness?”
Yudhisthira answered, “It is contentment that is the best of all kinds of happiness.”

28. Yaksha aksed, “In the world, which is the highest duty?”
Yudhisthira answered, “Refraining from injury is the highest duty in the world.”

29. Yaksha aksed, “Which is the virtue, if one acquires, always bears fruits?”
Yudhisthira answered, “Rites ordained from scriptures like the Vedas, always bear fruits.”

30. Yaksha aksed, “What is it, if controlled, leads to no regret?”
Yudhisthira answered, “The mind, if controlled, leads to no regrets.”

31. Yaksha aksed, “With whom can an alliance never break?”
Yudhisthira answered, “An alliance with Good can never break.”

32. Yaksha aksed, “What if renounced, make one agreeable?”
Yudhisthira answered, ” If a person’s Pride is renounced, then it is bound to make them agreeable.”

33. Yaksha aksed, “What if renounced, leads no regret?”
Yudhisthira answered, ” If a person’s Anger is renounced, then it is bound to leave no regrets in their life.”

34. Yaksha aksed, “What if renounced, makes one wealthy?”
Yudhisthira answered, ” If a person’s Desire is renounced, then it is bound to make them wealthy.”

35. Yaksha aksed, “What if renounced, makes one happy?”
Yudhisthira answered, ”If a person’s Greed is renounced, then it is bound to make them happy.”

36. Yaksha aksed, “With what is world enveloped?”
Yudhisthira answered, ”The world is enveloped by darkness around it.”

37. Yaksha aksed, “What is that owing to which a thing cannot discover itself?”
Yudhisthira answered, ”It is darkness that does not permit anything to show itself.”

38. Yaksha aksed, “Why one fail to go to heaven?”
Yudhisthira answered, ”Connection with the world can fail one from going to heaven.”

39. Yaksha aksed, “Why friends are forsaken?”
Yudhisthira answered, ”Greed and lust lead to forsaking one’s friends.”

40. Yaksha aksed, “Which one is considered as dead?”
Yudhisthira answered, ”One who years or wants for wealth is considered dead.”

41. Yaksha aksed, “Which sacrifice is considered as dead?”
Yudhisthira answered, ”The sacrifice that returns no gifts for Brahmins is considered dead.”

42. Yaksha aksed, “Which kingdom is considered as dead?”
Yudhisthira answered, ”The kingdom that yearns for a king is considered a dead
kingdom.”

43. Yaksha aksed, “Which Shradha (Puja) is considered as dead?”
Yudhisthira answered, ”The Shradha (Puja) that is performed by the aid of Guru without the person himself having no knowledge of real knowledge.”

44. Yaksha aksed, “What is forgiveness?”
Yudhisthira answered, ”Forgiveness lies in the stable enmity of a person.”

45. Yaksha aksed, “What is shame?”
Yudhisthira answered, ”Shame is withdrawing from all unworthy acts one indulged in.”
46. Yaksha aksed, “What is true restraint?”
Yudhisthira answered, ”Restraining the mind is considered true restraint.”

47. Yaksha aksed, “What is true knowledge?”
Yudhisthira answered, ”True knowledge is having the knowledge of Divinity, and Supreme personality of Godhead Lord Shri Krishna.”

48. Yaksha aksed, “What is mercy?”
Yudhisthira answered, ”Mercy of a person lies in the wishing of happiness for all living creatures.”

49. Yaksha aksed, “What is simplicity?”
Yudhisthira answered, ”Simplicity lies in the calmness of the heart.”

50. Yaksha aksed, “Which enemy is invincible?”
Yudhisthira answered, ”It is Anger that is the invincible enemy .”

51. Yaksha aksed, “What is incurable disease?”
Yudhisthira answered, ”Greediness is an incurable disease.”

52. Yaksha aksed, “Who is honest of all people?”
Yudhisthira answered, ”A person who wishes well for all creatures is considered honest of all people.”

53. Yaksha aksed, “Who is dishonest of all people?”
Yudhisthira answered, ”It is the unmerciful people who are dishonest of all the others.”

54. Yaksha asked, “What is ignorance?”
Yudhisthira answered, “Not knowing one’s duties is called ignorance.”

55. Yaksha asked, “What is pride?”
Yudhisthira answered, “Consciousness of one’s being himself sufferer in life. Hence, pride is being ignorant.”

56. Yaksha asked, “What is idleness?”
Yudhisthira answered, “Idleness is not performing one’s duties.”

57. Yaksha asked, “What is grief?”
Yudhisthira answered, “Ignorance of a person leads him to grief.”

58. Yaksha asked, “What is steadiness?”
Yudhisthira answered, “Staying in one’s religion is called steadiness.”

59. Yaksha asked, “What is patience?”
Yudhisthira answered, “Overpowering of the senses is called patience.”

60. Yaksha asked, “What is charity?”
Yudhisthira answered, “Protecting all creatures is called Charity.”

61. Yaksha asked, “Who is learned?”
Yudhisthira answered, “One who knows all his duties is the learned person.”

62. Yaksha asked, “Who is atheist?”
Yudhisthira answered, “An atheist is the ignorant.”

63. Yaksha asked, “What is desire?”
Yudhisthira answered, “A desire arises due to possession of an object.”

64. Yaksha asked, “What is envy?”
Yudhisthira answered, “Envy is the grief of the heart.”

65. Yaksha asked, “What is hypocrisy?”
Yudhisthira answered, “Setting up standards of religion is known to be hypocrisy.”

66. Yaksha asked, “What is grace of Gods?”
Yudhisthira answered, “Fruits of our gifts or Charity is considered as the grace of Gods.”

The last set of questions impart great knowledge about the way of life and living.
67. Yaksha asked, “Who is truly happy?”
Yudhisthira answered:
“One who can cook in own home
One who refrain from Tamas Food
One who has no debt
One who does not come out of home for his livelihood
One who does not over strive for material things.”

68. Yaksha asked, “What is most wonderful?”
Yudhisthira answered, “Every day numerous living entities are dying and going to the abode of Yama. Yet one think/believe one will live remain forever (Immortal). What can be more wonderful than this?”

69. Yaksha asked, “What is the path to be followed?”
Yudhisthira answered, “The best path is to follow in the footsteps of the pure devotees (Mahajans) whose hearts are full of Real Truth regarding Dharma.”

70. Yaksha asked, “Who is true man, possessing all kinds of wealth?”
Yudhisthira answered, “One who has overcome the dualities of material life. They are Happiness/Sadness, Friend/Enemy, Love/Hate, Heat/Cold, and so on, possesses all kinds of wealth.

In the end, the Yaksha is pleased by the answers given by Yudhishtira. He gives a final test to Yudhisthira by asking: If he could save one brother from the four of them, who would it be & why? Yudhisthira replies, saying that it would be Nakul. Justifying his choice, he adds that his father had two wives – Kunti and Madri. They were both considered equal in their eyes. He says that he was the son of Kunti and Nakul was the son of Madri. Now given that he could save only one of his four brothers, he wished that the life of one son of mother Madri should be saved.

The Yaksha further asks: What if you could save two of your brothers, then who would it be and why? To this Yudhisthira replies that it would be Sahadev. He justifies his choice by saying that Sahdev was the youngest of Bheema and Arjun, so according to Dharma he has to be saved. He adds saying that he was the son of Madri. He says that it was his Dharma to do so.

Pleased by his answers, and choice of Dharma even at such crucial times, the Yaksha reveals his true identity. He says that he was Lord Dharma, the Godfather of Yudhisthira. He further restores the lives of the four Pandavas. He then blesses them and disappears.