Yudhishthira's Wisdom Four Levels Summary

Yudhisthira’s Wisdom

The Mahabharata (Shanta R.Rao’s adaptation)
Unit: Ancient Tales
Subject: Adventures in English Volume I

Literal Comprehension: 

Once in the exiled period, five Pandav brothers grew thirty while running after a deer in the forest of Yaksha. In the hot weather, they were tired and thirsty Yudisthira sent his youngest brother Sahadeva in search of water. He came across a beautiful pond and was ready to drink water hurriedly. Some voices stopped him from drinking until he could have given his questions answers. Thinking it might be fancy he drank water. He sooner got fainted. Similarly, Nakula, Bhima, and Arjuna got the same fate lastly Yudhishthira himself went and found such a condition of brothers. He waited for admonition from drinking water after listening similar. He gave the answers to all questions asked by Yaksha until Yaksha became pleased. He promised to restore one of the brothers. For that Yudhisthira preferred Nakala for many pleasing reasons. So Yaksha was happy to restore all his brothers and gave the blessing for an easy and comfortable life of remaining exiled period.

Interpretation: 

This mythological story is taken from Mahabharata. The righteousness of Yudhisthira is the central point of this story. It focuses on wisdom; patience and loyalty to God are great human qualities. If we conduct any work rightly that has a creative result. The story seems too tall that we must be faithful and honest in our work. If we have a selfish and careless attitude, that ruins our personality in particular and humanity in general. Again, the reasonable and philosophical answers to the questions given by Yudhisthira can be knowledgeable. The due respect and love to the brother become another important meaning of this story.

Critical Thinking: 

The charming tale of Mahabharata seems to be philosophical and knowledgeable to any reader. Despite its morality and simplicity of language, there are some contradictory points in this story. At present, there is a question about the existence of God. Some disagreeing points can be given by asking a question like:

( a) can we see Yaksha in our life?

(b) can sunshine with God’s power?

(c) Does god exist really?

(d) Is it true having less anger means being happy?

Etc. Still, we can learn much more about philosophy from this story.

Assimilation:

 Reading this text gave me new awareness. To be truly human, we must have wisdom and righteousness. We learn that we should forsake pride, anger, desires, etc. to be happy and satisfied in our life. I have learned to change myself changing my thinking as well.

Most Probable Questions for Examination | Yudhisthira’s Wisdom

1. How has been shown the importance of courage and patience to get victory from the problem in the legend, Yudhisthira Wisdom?

Ans: In fact the legend, Yudhisthira Wisdom gives us many moral lessons. Among them; the best moral lesson is that to get victory over any type of problem, we should have patience. In the story too, if Yudhisthira had not got patience like his all brothers, he would also have faced the same reality as his four brothers had faced. But he took great patience and tried to give correct answers to Yaksha. So, at last, he was able to save his all brothers’ life.

In the story, the Pandava brothers were spending their lives in the forest. When they saw a deer in the jungle, they chased it, reached far from their hut. Due to the extremely hot, they felt thirsty. Therefore, Yudhisthira sent his youngest brother, Sahadeva to search for the water. Sahadeva went but did not return for a long time. Then sad Yudhisthira sent his another, Nakula, Bhima, and Arjuna respectively but nobody returned back. Finally, Yudhisthira himself went to search for his brothers.

While searching for them, he reached a pond where his all brother was lying down. Seeing such the dead condition of his brothers, he wept and cried heavily. However, he wanted to delete his thirst at first. As he was about to drink water, somebody warned him that without giving answers to his questions, he was not allowed to drink it. Yudhisthira told the unknown person’s voice to ask him questions and he would try his best to give correct answers as far as possible.

He supplied corrected answers asked by Yaksha and was pleased and happy Yaksha restored his all brothers’ life. In this way, this legend teaches us the importance of patience and wisdom to defeat problems or obstacles happening in our life.

2. Retell the story of “Yudhisthira’s Wisdom” from the point of view of Yaksha.

Ans: I am Yaksha. While chasing a deer, the five Pandavas' brothers got tired and thirsty. They came into my pond to drink water one by one. Besides Yudhisthira, all four brothers tried to drink water without giving me questions. So, I made them unconscious. Finally, Yudhisthira came to drink water but unlike his brothers, he did not drink water before answering my questions. I became quite pleased with his answers and told him to choose one brother to whom I could make a restore. He chooses Nakula who was the son of his stepmother, Mandri. Later I revived his all brother and promised them to help in their final year of exile.

3. Retell the story “Yudhisthira’s Wisdom” from the point of Yudhishthira?

Ans: Once, in our exile time, I and my four brothers were spending our life in the forest. When we saw a deer in the jungle, we chased it reached very far from our hut. Due to the extremely hot, I felt very thirsty. I sent my youngest brother, Sahadeva to search for water. Sahadeva went but did not return back for a long time. Then I sent Nakula, Bhima and, Arjuna respectively. But nobody returned.

Finally, I myself went to search for my brothers. While searching for them, I reached a pond where my all brother was lying down. Seeing such dead condition of my brothers, I wept and cried heavily. Anyway, at first, I wanted to delete my thirst. As I was about to drink water, somebody warned me that without giving the answers to the questions, I was not allowed to drink. I told the unknown person's voice to ask me questions and I would try my best to give correct answers as far as possible. Now, the voice (Yaksha) started asking questions:

Yaksha asks: How does the sunshine?

I answer: Due to God's grace (KRIPA).

Yaksha: What is the powerful weapon to fight against dangerous situations?

I answer Courage.

Yaksha asks: Who gives more than earth?

I answer Mothers.

Yaksha asks: When does the man become the dearest of others?

I answer: When he leaves his proud.

Yaksha asks: What thing is essential to leave and leaving that thing he will be happy?

I answer: Anger

Yaksha asks: To be a rich man, what thing should leave?

I answer Will or wish.

Hearing my answers, Yaksha became quite happy wanted to revive my one brother, so Yaksha asked me to whom to revise. I requested to restore the life of Nakula. Then Yaksha asked me why I did not see the importance of other brothers. I replied to him that I along with Bhima and Arjuna were offerings of Kunti but Sahadeva and Nakula were offerings of Madri, so if they both died, Mandri would be childless. From the side of Kunti, I was alive and could continue our dynasty. Yaksha became quite pleased with my answers and showed me his real appearance. In fact, he was Yamaharaja. Finally, he restored my all four brothers. He also promised that he would help us to hide in our last years of exile. Likewise, he also advised us to go and stay in Matsya disguising our appearance.

 

More: