Yaksha prasna is a sacred conversion between Yamaraj (in the guise of an Yaksha) and his own son Yudhistara, who was in exile with his brothers and wife. This conversation briefs the vedic wisdom, politics, ethos and truth that a common man require in a subtle manner. Especially in villages it is very popular and people used have discussion on this while narrating.Under some mysterious circumstances, the brothers went in search of a stag which force them to take rest in a thick forest. Yudhistara summoned his youngest brother Nakula to get some water in the vicinity. He went in the direction where he heard some cries of the cranes at distant. He could not make his return and remaining brothers followed in the same way and to Yudistara's dismay no one returned. Signalled with possible danger, Yudistara went himself to the spot and shocked to see all his brothers were dead with no causalities. He thus imagined some super natural power acted and killed his brothers because there is no such person on this planet or in the higher planets could even challenge his brothers. Thus he prepared to offer final rites to his brothers, a celestial voice thunder saying - " O Yudhistara, I am the Yaksha, owner of this lake and your brothers with out following my order, tried to take water and end up with this fate. If you also do the same with out following my order, you will also meet this tragic". But Yudishtira replied he will oblige his orders and asked what can he do. Yaksha told He will ask some questions on wisdom and truth and yudhistara need to reply with correct answers. Yudhistara agreed and thus starts the 'Yaksha Prasna'
1. What is it that makes the Sun rise? - Brahma makes the Sun rise
2. Who keeps him company? - The gods keep him company
3. Who causes him to set? - Dharma causes him to set
4. And in who, is he established? - He is established in truth
5. By what does one become learned? - It is by the study of the Srutis that a person becomes learned
6. By what does he attain what is very great? - it is by ascetic austerities that one acquires what is very great
7. How can one have a second? - it is by intelligence that a person acquires a second
8. How can one acquire intelligence? - it is by serving the old that one becomes wise
9. What institutes the divinity of the Kshatriyas? - Arrows and weapons are their divinity
10. What is their practice that is like that of the pious? -Celebration of sacrifices is like that of the pious
11. What is their human attribute? -Liability to fear is their human attribute
12. And what practice of theirs is like that of the impious? - Refusal of protection is like that of the impious
13. What is that which constitutes the Sama of the sacrifice? - Life is the Sama of the sacrifice
14. What is the Yajus of the sacrifice? - The mind is the Yajus of the sacrifice
15. What is that which is the refuge of a sacrifice? - The Rik is that which is the refuge of the sacrifice
16. What is that which sacrifice cannot do without? - It is Rik alone which sacrifice cannot do without
17. What is of the foremost value to those that cultivate? - That which is of the foremost value to those that cultivate is rain
18. What is of the foremost value to those that sow? - that of the foremost value to those that sow is seed
19. What is of the foremost value to those that wish for prosperity in this world?
20. What is of the foremost value to those that bring forth? - that of the foremost value to those that bring forth is offspring who offer oblations to the ancestors.
21. What a person is called who does not offer anything to these five, viz., gods,
guests, servants, ancestors, and himself and who is not considered alive though breathing?
- The one who does not look after Gods, guests, servants, ancestors and his own self is considered as not breathing , even if he breaths
22. What is weightier than the earth itself? - The mother is weightier than the earth
23. What is higher than the heavens? - The father is higher than the heaven
24. What is fleeter than the wind? - The mind is fleeter than the wind
25. What is more numerous than grass? - our thoughts are more numerous than grass
26. What is that which does not close its eyes while asleep? - A fish does not close its eyes while asleep
27. What is that which does not move after birth? - an egg does not move after birt
28. What is that which is without heart? - a stone is without heart
29. what is that which swells with its own impetus? - river swells with its own impetus
30. Who is the friend of the exile? - The friend of the exile in a distant land is his companion
31. Who is the friend of the householder? - The friend of the householder is the wife
32. Who is the friend of him that ails? - The friend of him that ails is the physician
33. Who is the friend of one about to die? - The friend of him about to die is charity
34. Who is the guest of all creatures? - Fire is the guest of all creatures
35. What is the eternal duty? - Eternal duty is the laws of the sanatan dharma
36. What is Amrita? - Cow’s milk is nectar
37. What is this entire Universe? - The air which is all pervading, is the whole world
38. What is that which travels alone? - The sun travels alone
39. What is that which is re-born after its birth? - The moon takes birth anew
40. What is the remedy against cold? - Fire is the remedy against cold
41. What is the largest field? - Earth is the largest field
42. What is the highest refuge of virtue? - Liberality is the highest refuge of virtue
43. What of fame? - Gift, of fame
44. What of heaven? - Truth, of heaven
45. And what, of happiness? - good behavior, of happiness
46. What is the soul of man? - The son is a man's soul
47. Who is that friend bestowed on man by the gods? - the wife is the friend bestowed on man by the gods
48. What is man's chief support? - the clouds are his chief suppor
49. What also is his chief refuge? - and charity is his chief refuge
50. What is the best of all laudable things? - The best of all laudable things is skill
51. What is the most valuable of all his possessions? - The best of all possessions is knowledge
52. What is the best of all gains? - The best of all gains is health
53. What is the best of all kinds of happiness? - contentment is the best of all kinds of happiness
54. What is the highest duty in the world? - The highest of duties is to refrain from injury
55. What is that virtue which always bears fruit? - The rites ordained in the Vedas always bear fruit
56. What is that which if controlled, leads to no regret? - The mind, if controlled, leads to no regret
57. Who are they with whom an alliance cannot break? - An alliance with the good never breaks
58. What is that which, if renounced, makes one agreeable? - Pride, if renounced, makes one agreeable
59. What is that which, if renounced, leads to no regret? - Anger, if renounced leads to no regret
60. What is that which, if renounced, makes one wealthy? - Desire, if renounced, makes one wealthy
61. what is that which if renounced, makes one happy? - avarice, if renounced, makes one happy
62. For what does one give away to Brahmanas? - It is for religious merit that one gives away to Brahmanas
63. For what to actors and dancers? - it is for fame that one gives away to actors and dancers
64. For what to servants? - It is for supporting them that one gives away to servants
65. And for what to king? - It is for obtaining relief from fear that one gives to kings
66. With what is the world enveloped? - The world is enveloped with darkness
67. What is that owing to which a thing cannot discover itself? - Darkness does not permit a thing to show itself
68. For what are friends forsaken? - It is from greed that friends are forsaken
69. And for what does one fail to go to heaven? - And it is connection with the world for which one fails to go to heaven
70. For what may one be considered as dead? - For want of wealth may a man be regarded as dead
71. For what may a kingdom be considered as dead? - A kingdom for want of a king may be regarded as dead
72. For what may a Sraaddha be considered as dead? - A Sraaddha that is performed with the aid of a priest who has no learning may be regarded as dead
73. And for what, a sacrifice? - And a sacrifice in which there are no gifts to Brahmanas is dead
74. What constitutes the way? - They that are good constitute the way
75. What, has been spoken of as water? - Space has been spoken of as water
76. What, as food? - The cow is food.
77. And what, as poison? - A request is poison
** Cow: The Srutis speak of the cow as the only food, in the following sense. The cow gives milk. The milk gives butter. The butter is used in Homa. The Homa is the cause of the clouds. The clouds give rain. The rain makes the seed to sprout forth and produce food.
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