[Advaita-l] Yaksha Prashna samvada

[KAMESWARARAO MULA]

Dear Friends,                           Dharma Vaka Upakhyan, between Yudhishthira and a yaksha,in the disguise form of Vaka (crane). The crane is a symbol of love and fidelity, long life. Valmikicurses the hunter that killed the Kruancha.1.Yaksha asked Yudhisthira, "Who makes the sun rise and ascend in the skies?Who moves the Sun around? Who makes the sun set in the horizons? What is thetrue nature of the Sun and where is the Sun established"?Yudhishthirareplied, "Brahma makes the sun rise and ascend. The Gods perambulate about the Sun. The Dharma sets the Sun.Truth is the actual Sun and the Sun isestablished in Truth only.2.Yaksha enquired: What instills 'divinity' in Brahmins?What is the quality of virtuousity in a Brahmin? What is the humanlike qualityof a Brahmin? Yudhisthirareplied: The self-study (Swadhyana) of the Vedas is divinity in a Brahmin.Penance is the quality like a virtuous person in a Brahmin. Death is human-like quality in aBrahmin. 3. The Yaksha asked, "What instills divinity in Kshatriyas?What is the quality of virtuousity in a Kshatriya? What is the humanityof a Kshatriya? Yudhishthirareplied, "The art of archery instills divinity in a Kshatriya. Oblation isthe quality of virtuousity in a Kshatriya. Fear is his humanity. 4.The Yaksha asked, "What is that thing which is like Mantra in theperformance of oblations (Yajna)? Who is the performer of rites and ceremoniesduring Yajna? Who accepts the offerings and oblations of a Yajna? Yudhishthirareplied, "Breath is like Mantra inthe performance of rites. Mind isthe performer of all rites in the course of Yajna. Fire accepts everythingand takes all oblations to gods.5.The Yaksha asked, "What is heavier than Earth, higher than heavens, fasterthan the wind and more numerous than straws"?Yudhishthir:"Mother is heavier than the Earth”,father is higher than the heavens, the mindis faster than the wind and our worries are more numerous than straws".6.The Yaksha asked, "Who is the friend of a traveler? Who is the friend ofone who is ill and one who is dying"?Yudhishthira:The friend of a traveler is hiscompanion. The physician is the friend of one who is sick and a dying man's friend is charity.7.The Yaksha asked, "What enemy is invincible? What constitutes an incurabledisease? What sort of man is noble and what sort is ignorable"?Yudhishthira:,"Anger is the invincible enemy. Covetousnessconstitutes a disease that is incurable. He is noble who desires thewell-being of all creatures, and ignorable is who is without mercy"8.The Yaksha asked, "Who is truly happy? What is the greatest wonder? Whatis the path? what is the news"?Yudhishthirareplied:  who has no debts is trulyhappy. Day after day countless people die. Yet the living wish to live forever.O Lord, what can be a greater wonder? Argumentleads to no certain conclusion, the Srutis are different from one another;there is not even one Rishi whose opinion can be accepted by all. The truth about Dharma and duty is hides inthe cave of our hearts, thereforethat alone is the path. This world full of ignorance is like a pan. Thesun is fire, the days and nights are fuel. The months and the seasonsconstitute the wooden ladle. Time is the cook that is cooking all creatures inthat pan  and it is the news.Atthe end the Yaksha revealed himself to be Yama-Dharma-Raja, the god of death,who was none other than Yudhishthira's father. He also admitted to Yudhishthirathat it was he who had stolen the arani disguised in the form of the deer. Heblessed him saying since he had adhered to Dharma (righteousness), the Dharma would protect them.
Sri Guru Padaravindarpana MastuKameswara