Yudhishthira's Wisdom

Yudhishthira's Wisdom: Shanta Rameshwar, India

Summary:

The story has been taken from the popular Hindu mythology "The Mahabharata". It is a moral story that teaches us about the importance of wisdom, justice, morality, patience, courage and good conduct of life.

One day, Yudhishthira with his four brothers (Pandavs) starts hunting a deer in a forest. Meanwhile, thet feel tired and thirsty. Therefore, Yudhishthira send his brothers to search water. However, they never return back. It makes Yudhishthira's feel so sad and goes for searching his brothers. As he starts walking, he finds a beautiful pool with fresh and cool water. He also sees his four brothers who are dead and unconscious. He hears the voice calling him to answer before drinking water. The voice is a warning not to drink the water before answering the questions. In fact, the voice is by Yaksha.

Yudhishhthira obeys Yaksha before satisfying his thirst. Similarly, he correctly answers Yaksha's philosophical questions. Yaksha is pleased with Yudhishthira's wisdom. He appears in the form of Yama and tells Yudhishthira to choose one of the brothers whom he wants to save. Because except him all brothers already drank the water disobeying the warning of the voice, that is the voice of Yaksha and they fell on the ground one by one and became unconscious because of the curses of the voice.

Yudhishthira bases his choice entirely on the moral considerations, not on his own selfish needs and soon. Without selfishness, he asks his brother Nakula, only one son from his step mother to be saved. Yaksha is so happy with his wisdom. He even tells him that he restores all his brothers. In addition, Yaksha promises him to protect them from future hardships , gives him some useful device on where to go next. Therefore, this story highlights the importance of wisdom, patience, courage, truthfulness, justice and morality to make successful life solving the every riddles of our life.

Application of Four Levels:

1. Literal Comprehension:

This story is based on Hindu mythology “Mahabharata”. One day, Yudhishthira and his four younger brothers and hunting a deer in the forest. Suddenly, they feel thirsty and could not find the water. At last, Yudhishthira decides to send his brothers one by one to find out and bring the water. All brothers go for searching the water but nobody returns back. Then, Yudhishthira goes to search where his brothers are going. As he starts walking, he locates the water and sees all brothers lying on the ground with unconsciousness. As he decides to drink water, he hears the strange voice with warning not to drink the water without giving the answer of questions. Of course, it is the voice of Yaksha and his brothers disobeyed his voice and drunk the water, therefore, the died because of the crime. However, Yudhishthira strongly obeys Yaksha and gives the correct answer of those philosophical questions. Yaksha becomes happy on Yudhishthira's wisdom. Then, he tells him to choose on brother where he saves his life. Without any selfishness, Yudhishthira chosses his younger brother, Nakula from his step mother than brother from his own mother. Yaksha is highly pleased looking at his wisdom and tells him to save all brother's life. He even promises that he will help them in their hardships in the future.

2. Interpretation:

This mythological story is taken from Mahabharata. The righteousness of Yudhisthira is the key point of this story. It focuses on rationality, patience and loyalty to God are great human qualities. If we conduct any work fairly that has innovative result. The story appears to tell us that we must be faithful and honest on our work. If we have self-centered and careless attitude, that decay our personality in particular and humanity in general. Again, the reasonable, sensible and philosophical answers of the questions given by Yudhisthira can be knowledgeable. The due respect, love and affection to the brother becomes another crucial meaning of this story. This story states the significance of patience and obedience to gods, wisdom and right conduct. Courage is man's surest weapon against danger and if he gives up his pride, he is loved by all. This is a moral story in which we can make a life successful if we follow the truthful, right and moral path like Yudhishthira did.

3. Critical Thinking:

This story teaches us the importance of morality, truthfulness, good conduct, patience, wisdom, justice, fairness and courage. The world has been brightened by these things. It is a courage because of which we have all kinds of achievements. These are admirable ideas that can be found in the story. However, some ideas in the story are less convincing. Are there Gods? If so what is their existence? Would all people agree that the sun shines by the power of God? Can dead people come back to a life? To what extent it can be said that having less anger means being happy? Can we truly say that patience, moral and right conduct are rewarded on this earth?

4. Assimilation:

This story has greatly influenced me. I have learnt a good moral and lesson from the path of Yudhisgthira where one's life becomes successful out of many challenges and difficulties. If he/she has the courage, patience, wisdom, truthfulness and justice. If one does good, loves all creatures , follows the right and truth, has the courage and patience, uses his wisdom, then, he surely remains immortal in this world forever.

Write the story 'Yudhishthira Wisdom' from the point of view of Yaksha.

Ans: I am Yaksha, the heavenly god father of Pandava brothers. Yudhishthira and his four brothers felt thirsty in the forest during hunting a deer. I found his youngest brother, Sahadev coming to the pool to drink water but I wanted him to drink before giving the answer of my questions. But he disobeyed me and drunk the water. So, I punished him and he soon died. Similarly, other brothers like Nakula, Arjun and Bhim did not listen my voice and disobeyed me. Then, I punished them like Sahadev and all of them died. Finally, Yudhishthira arrived near the pool to drink the water. But it is he who always obeyed me and gave the correct answer one by one of those questions.

I became so happy to see Yudhishthira's wisdom. Then, I told him to choose one brother to save his life. Yudhishthira without any doubt and selfishness choose Nakula, his younger brother from his step mother. Looking at his greatest wisdom, patience, truth and courage, I was highly pleased and told him to save all brothers' life, so did I. Finally, I suggested him that I would help them in their hardships and challenging situations.

(Subedi, K.P. and Bhandari, M.B. (2014). Business English. Kathmandu: Highland Publication P. Ltd.)