The Enchanted Pool

[1]. Yudhishthira waited for his brothers in anxiety and thirst. "Can they have been subjected to a curse or are they still wandering about in the forest in search of water? Can they have fainted or died of thirst? Unable to bear these thoughts, and driven by an overpowering thirst, he gave up waiting and started out to look for his brothers and the pool hoping that he might find them.

Yudhishthira proceeded in the direction his brothers had taken and kept on walking though tracts full of wild bear and spotted deer and big forest birds till he came upon a beautiful green meadow, around a pool of clear water. But when he saw his brothers lying there like flagpoles, of unable to restrain his grief, he lifted his voice and wept.

[2]. He touched the faces of Bhima and Arjuna, as they lay so still and silent, and mourned: "Was this to be the end of all our vows? Just when our exile is about to end, you have been taken away. Even the gods have forsaken me in my misfortune."

As he looked at their mighty limbs, now so helpless, he sadly wondered who could have been powerful enough to kill them. Then he too descended into pool, drawn to the water by and overpowering thirst. At once the voice without form warned.

"Your brothers died because they did not heed my words. They tried to drink water without answering my questions first and then you can quench your thirst. This pool belongs to me".

[3]. It did not take Youdhishthira a moment to understand that these could be none other than the words of a Yaksha and guessed what had happened to his brothers. It took him no time to see a possible way of bringing them back to life. He said to the bodiless voice: "Please ask your questions."

The voice put questions rapidly one after another.

Question 01 :What rescues man in danger?

"COURAGE"

Question 02: By the study of which science does man become wise?

"Not by studying any- 'Shastra' does man become wise. It is by association with the great in wisdom that he gets wisdom."

The Yakasha asked,

Question 03: What is swifter than the wind?

"MIND"

Question 04: What is more faded than dried straw?

"A SORROW - STRICKEN HEART."

[4]. Question 05: What befriends a traveler?

"LEARNING"

Question 06: Who is the friend of one who stays at home?

"THE WIFE."

Question 07: Who accompanies a man in death?

"DHARMA. THAT ALONE ACCOMPANIES THE SOUL IN ITS SOLITARY JOURNEY AFTER DEATH."

Question 08: Which is the biggest vessel?

"THE EARTH, WHICH CONTAINS ALL WITHIN ITSELF, IS THE GREATEST VESSEL."

Question 09: What is happiness?

"HAPPINESS IS THE RESULT OF GOOD CONDUCT."

[5]. Question 10: What is that, by giving up which man becomes loved by all?

"PRIDE. FOR, IF MAN GIVES UP BEING PROUD, HE WILL BE LOVED BY ALL"

Question 11: What is the loss which yields joy and not sorrow?

"ANGER. IF WE GIVE UP BEING ANGRY, WE WILL NO LONGER BE SUBJECT TO SORROW"

Question 12: What is that, by giving up which man becomes rich?

"DESIRE. IF MAN GIVES UP BEING GREEDY, HE WILL BECOME WEALTHY."

Question 13: What makes one a real 'Brahmana? Is it birth, good conduct, or learning? Answer decisively.

"BIRTH AND LEARNING DO NOT MAKE ONE A BRAHMANA; GOOD CONDUCT ALONE DOES. HOWEVER LEARNED A PERSON MAY BE, HE WILL NOT BE A 'BRAHMANA' WITHOUT GIVING UP BAD HABITS. EVEN THOUGH HE MAY BE LEARNED IN THE FOUR VEDAS, A MAN OF BAD CONDUCT FALLS TO A LOWER CLASS."

Question 14: What is the greatest wonder in the world?

"EVERY DAY MEN SEE CREATURES DEPART TO YAMA'S KINGDOM; AND YET THOSE WHO REMAIN WANT TO LIVE FOR EVER. THIS TRULY IS THE GREATEST WONDER."

[6]."Thus, the yaksha put many questions and yudhisthira answered them all.

In the end the yaksha asked "O, King one of your dead brothers can now be revived. Who do you want to come back to life?"

IT TOOK YUDHISHTHIRA A MOMENT TO THINK AND THEN HE WISHED THAT THE CLOUD-COMPLEXIONED, LOTUS-EYED, BROAD-CHESTED AND LONG-ARMED NAKULA, LYING LIKE A FALLEN EBONY TREE, MIGHT ARISE.

The yaksha was pleased at this and asked Yudhisthira : "Why did you choose Nakula in preference to Bhima, who has the strength of sixteen thousand elephants?

I HAVE HEARD THAT BHIMA IS MOST DEAR TO YOU. AND WHY NOT ARJUNA, WHOSE STRENGH IN ARMS IS YOUR PROTECTION? TELL ME WHY YOU CHOOSE NAKULA RATHER THAN EITHER OF THESE TWO,"

[7]. Yudhishthira replied : "O Yaksha, 'dharma' is the only shield of man and not bhima or arjuna, If dharma is given up, man will be ruined kunti and madri were the two wives of my father. I am alive, a son of kunti and so she is not completely bereaved. In order that the scales of justice may be even. I ask that Madri's son, nakula may rivive."

The Yaksha was most pleased with Yudhishthira's impartiality and granted that all his brothers would come back to life.

It was Yama, the Lord of Death, who had taken the form of the Yaksha so that he might see Yudhishthira and test him. He embraced Yudhishthira and blessed him; then he disappeared.

Conclusion: The lesson is an extract from " The Mahabharata", a famous epic in Kauravas and Pandavas and their great fight. Yudhishthira was the eldest of Pandavas who had been living in exile. When one day his brothers did not return taking the water, he started in search of them. He found them lying dead near a pool which belong to Yama, the lord of Death. Yama had taken the form of Yaksha to see Yudhishthira and to test his knowledge. Yudhishthira, out of overpowering thirst wanted to dring the water from the pool. At once, Yaksha warned him first to answer his questions. Yudhishthira answered all questions very wisely. Being satisfied with his answers, Yaksha made his all brothers alive and disappeared. Thus, this lesson reflects the character of Yudhishthira, Dharam Raj, his patience, kindness, love for his brothers and intelligence.