the really wealthy person

यक्ष उवाच 

व्याख्याता मे त्वया प्रश्नाः याथातथ्यं परन्तप।

पुरुषं त्विदानीमाख्याहि यश्च सर्वधनी नरः॥१००

युधिष्टिर उवाच

दिवं स्पृशति भूमिं च शब्दः पुण्येन कर्मणा।

यावत्स शब्दो भवति तावत्पुरुष उच्यते॥१०१

तुल्ये प्रियाप्रिये सुखदुःखे तदैव च।

अतीतानागते चोभे स वै सर्वधनी नरः॥१०२ 

श्री महाभारते आरण्यकपर्वणि यक्षप्रश्ने अध्यायः २९६

yakṣa uvāca 

vyākhyātā me tvayā praśnāḥ yāthātathyaṁ parantapa|

puruṣaṁ tvidānīmākhyāhi yaśca sarvadhanī naraḥ||100

yudhiṣṭira uvāca

divaṁ spṛśati bhūmiṁ ca śabdaḥ puṇyena karmaṇā|

yāvatsa śabdo bhavati tāvatpuruṣa ucyate||101

tulye priyāpriye sukhaduḥkhe tadaiva ca|

atītānāgate cobhe sa vai sarvadhanī naraḥ||102 

śrī mahābhārate āraṇyakaparvaṇi yakṣapraśne adhyāyaḥ 296

Yudhistira is giving answers to the Yaksha in the celebrated question-answer session in Mahabharatam.  One of the final queries raised by the God of Dharma in the form of a Yaksha to his son and the answer given by the just King are very illuminating

"Yaksha Said. 

You the valiant and just prince, your have answered most of my question.  Now explain to me who is who is the real man and the one who possesses all the wealth one can aspire for.

Yudhistira answers..

The fame of one's virtuous action spreads all over the heaven as also the earth. If such fame is everlasting,  till that time he is famous as a real man.  Likewise, he is blessed with all kinds of wealth   so long as he is possessed of equanimity, he is not affected by  happenings which are agreeable to him or not,  he is steady in his approach whether happiness or unhappiness visits him  and who is consistent in his approach to things whether those happened in the past, or which are contemporaneous or which are going to happen. "

Wealth for a man of character is the reputation  that he is blessed with.  To earn the reputation, to maintain it  through evenly nice actions and to have it passed on to the posterity without any blemish is the greatest possession one can have. Likewise  steadiness in character and approach, equanimity and lack of unwanted attachment to mundane possessions makes one really great and indeed wealthy.

--

,

blemish-less mind is the greatest achievement

यक्ष उवाच-
किं स्थैर्यमृषिभिः प्रोक्तं किं च धैर्यमुदाहृतं।
स्नानं च किं परं प्रोक्तं दानं च किमिहोच्यते॥७६॥
युधिष्टिर उवाच-
स्वधर्मे स्थिरता स्थैर्यं धैर्यमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः।
स्नानं मनमलत्यागो दानं वै भूतरक्षणं॥७७॥
महाभारते आरण्यकपर्वणि यक्षप्रश्ने अध्यायः २९७
yakṣa uvāca-
kiṁ sthairyamṛṣibhiḥ proktaṁ kiṁ ca dhairyamudāhṛtaṁ|
snānaṁ ca kiṁ paraṁ proktaṁ dānaṁ ca kimihocyate||76||
yudhiṣṭira uvāca-
svadharme sthiratā sthairyaṁ dhairyamindriyanigrahaḥ|
snānaṁ manamalatyāgo dānaṁ vai bhūtarakṣaṇaṁ||77||
mahābhārate āraṇyakaparvaṇi yakṣapraśne adhyāyaḥ 297

yakSa uvaacha:-
kiM sthairyamR^iSibhiH proktaM kiM cha dhairyamudaahR^itaM.
snaanaM cha kiM paraM proktaM daanaM cha kimihochyate..76..
yudhiSTira uvaacha:-
swadharme sthirataa sthairyaM dhairyamindriyanigrahaH.
snaanaM manamalatyaago daanaM vai bhuutarakSaNaM..77..
mahaabhaarate aaraNyakaparvaNi yakSaprashne adhyaayaH 297

this is another question on ideal life by Dharmaraja in the guise of a yaksha to his son and the great king Yudhishira and its answer
yaksha said:-
what exactly is steadfastness as envisage by the sages? what is the real boldness? what is the ultimate ablution(bath)? and what is the noblest charity?

Yudhistira said.
Steadfastness lies in one's unwavering faithfulness to his ordained duty at any cost.  The real boldness lies in one's capacity to control his emotions and sense organs.  The cleanest ablution is cleansing one's mind of all evil thought and emotions.  The real charity is in the protection of all beings even at the cost of one's own life.

The adherence to swadharma is a cardinal principle in our traditions.  The duties could have come through heredity or through the commitments one has set up for himself.  But once a person has committed himself to performance of certain duties, he  has no justifications in retracting himself, unless in the rarest of the rare occasions.  A man with discretion, therefore, will undertake a mission only after due deliberation.  Running away in the middle at the face of even the least impediment makes a person lose his name and fame.  So he has to be steadfast.  Usually we call a person very bold when he exhibits great physical prowess.  But the real boldness is in controlling ones own sense organs which crave for pleasure and safety when the call of duty should prod him to strenuous action. The really brave person is one who is in absolute control of himself.  It is meaningless to claim oneself to be very clean just because he had a good bath and application of fragrant toiletry.  If a person is carrying muck in his mind, he can never be clean.  The charity on the part of a king or an administrator should manifest itself in his readiness to sacrifice his own personal ambitions for the protection of persons dependent on him.
To have a blemish-less mind is the greatest achievement

--

fairness even in war

यक्ष उवाच -
तपः किं लक्षणं प्रोक्तं को दमश्च प्रकीर्तितः।
क्षमा च का परा प्रोक्ता का च ह्रीः परिकीर्तिता॥६८


युधिष्ठिर उवाच -
तपः स्वधर्मवर्तित्वं मनसो दमनं दमः
क्षमा द्वन्द्वसहिष्णुत्त्वं ह्रीरकार्यनिवर्तनं॥६९
महाभारते आरण्यकपर्वणि यक्षप्रश्ने  अध्यायः २९७
yakṣa uvāca -
tapaḥ kiṁ lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ ko damaśca prakīrtitaḥ|
kṣamā ca kā parā proktā kā ca hrīḥ parikīrtitā||68
yudiṣṭhira uavāca -
tapaḥ svadharmavartitvaṁ manaso damanaṁ damaḥ
kṣamā dvandvasahiṣnutvaṁ hrīrakāryanivartanaṁ||69
mahābhārate āraṇyakaparvaṇi yakṣapraśne  adhyāyaḥ 297

In the celebrated question-answer session between Yama in the guise of a yaksha and his son Yudhishtira the Dharmaputra as found in the Aaranyakaparvam of Mahabharatham, this is a significant discussion.
Yaksha asks:-
(1) what is the noblest penance?  
(2) what is the vital restraint? 
(3) what constitutes the greatest forgiveness?
 and
 (4) What is the greatest escape from shame ?

The wise King Yudhistira answers.. 
(1)  The noblest penance is the unwavering adherence to ones own traditions and age-old virtues and faith.
 (2) The most vital restraint that is to be effected is the restraint of one's own mind. (3) The noblest forgiveness is that which is shown  to  enemies even in a war. 
(4)  The greatest escape from shame can come from not indulging in acts which are abhorrent to nature, society and decency.

Religion and faith constitute decisive  issues in all significant segments of society. 

The attempt to challenge the age-old traditions and faith and tendency to forcibly draw away a person from his faith to another  constitutes one of the greatest threats to peaceful coexistence in a multi-spectral  society.  
Our  forebears who followed traditions were not naive or idiotic people.  
There is no reason whatsoever either to veer away from one's own faith and it is also not right to impose one's own faith and beliefs on others.  
If traditions are to evolve through subtle changes, the dynamic society will bring about such transition in its own smooth and unobtrusive manner. 

The most unstable and wavering object or thing that we can find in this world  is human mind.  
It is always indecisive and would be contradicting itself unless it is properly trained and tempered.  
This training is a life-long process.  
Eternal vigil is the only means to restrain the mind..
Even the slightest concession given to mind to indulge in lack of discipline can wreak havoc for ourselves and also for others.  
But this is easier said than done.

 The fiercest wars and duels have their own rules.  
If we look back to our hoary  traditions, it would be seen that an unarmed person, even if he is the most hated enemy will not be killed in a war. 
We can see the participants in the war being fought at some particular time-slot, meeting one another during other times and restraining from attack. 
 These were old practices of Dharma.  
Such niceties have no place in these times of terrorism.

Human beings should live a decent life.  
It is simply not proper to deviate from social decorum.
 It is all the more reprehensible to indulge in acts which would jar the normal human sensibility. 
 Exceptions may be necessary, but such detours should be minimal. 
 Each individual cannot simply think that he is an island all by himself.

--

Re: angry man is his own worst enemy.

it is a fotunate day in my life.  if some of the gems of our old masters are published in the notice boards of my own organization it would make the environs better.  but I do not have the authority to do so.

On Fri, May 13, 2011 at 7:04 AM, Naman rs <rsnaman@hotmail.com> wrote:

Few words pregnant wth lot of meaning. These vices are more common nowadays
than the virtues.
I am taking a print out of this and putting in my school notice board for the teachers' and
students' benefits.

Luv


Sahasranaman R

Happiness is a funny mathematics, it multiplies when divided!!

 

---

Date: Fri, 13 May 2011 06:23:40 +0530
Subject: angry man is his own worst enemy.
From: kvananthanarayanan@gmail.com
To: kvananthanarayanan@gmail.com

यक्ष उवाच--
कः शत्रुर्दुर्जयः पुंसाम् कश्च व्यादिरनन्तकः
कीदृशस्च स्मृतः साधुरसाधुः कीदृषः स्मृतः॥७२॥
युधिष्टिर उवाच--
क्रोधः सुदुर्जयो शत्रुर्लोभो व्याधिरनन्तकः।
सर्वभूतहितः साधुरसाधुर्निर्दयः स्मृतः॥७३
महाभारते आरण्यकपर्वणि यक्षप्रश्ने अध्यायः २९७yakṣa uvāca--
kaḥ śatrurdurjayaḥ puṁsām kaśca vyādiranantakaḥ
kīdṛśasca smṛtaḥ sādhurasādhuḥ kīdṛṣaḥ smṛtaḥ||72||
yudhiṣṭira uvāca--
krodhaḥ sudurjayo śatrurlobho vyādhiranantakaḥ|
sarvabhūtahitaḥ sādhurasādhurnirdayaḥ smṛtaḥ||73
mahabhārate āraṇyakaparvaṇi yakṣapraśne adhyāyaḥ 297

In the celebrated question-answer session between the Yaksha and the King Dharmaputra, the yaksha asks the king to define some very impossible characteristics of a man which are not easily controlled and some traits which makes the man very noble.
The questions by yaksha are.. Who is the most invincible enemy?  Which is the most incurable disease?  Who is the most noble person? Who is the most despicable person?
The wise king answers. (1) Uncontrollable anger or rage is the worst enemy  one can have  (2)  Stinginess and jealousy are the most incurable diseases.
(3) The noble man is one who strives for ever for the welfare of all beings and (4) a man  who has no place for kindness in his heart is the most despicable one.
The crisp answers speak volumes.  Anger and its elder brother rage, have arrogance, thoughtlessness and violence as thier companions.  Most of the destructive acts in the human lore were committed by persons under the influence of rage.  A jealous fellow is always sad about what others have and does not care much about the huge possessions in his own kitty. And this fellow will never think of parting with even little of his welath for some good purpose.  The noblest though that can arise to anyone is that "let there be welfare in the whole of universe..and since the universe includes this noble man also, and therefore he need not take special care of himself.  And  a person who does not have sympathy for anyone is not a human being at all.

--

angry man is his own worst enemy.

यक्ष उवाच--
कः शत्रुर्दुर्जयः पुंसाम् कश्च व्यादिरनन्तकः
कीदृशस्च स्मृतः साधुरसाधुः कीदृषः स्मृतः॥७२॥
युधिष्टिर उवाच--
क्रोधः सुदुर्जयो शत्रुर्लोभो व्याधिरनन्तकः।
सर्वभूतहितः साधुरसाधुर्निर्दयः स्मृतः॥७३
महाभारते आरण्यकपर्वणि यक्षप्रश्ने अध्यायः २९७yakṣa uvāca--
kaḥ śatrurdurjayaḥ puṁsām kaśca vyādiranantakaḥ
kīdṛśasca smṛtaḥ sādhurasādhuḥ kīdṛṣaḥ smṛtaḥ||72||
yudhiṣṭira uvāca--
krodhaḥ sudurjayo śatrurlobho vyādhiranantakaḥ|
sarvabhūtahitaḥ sādhurasādhurnirdayaḥ smṛtaḥ||73
mahabhārate āraṇyakaparvaṇi yakṣapraśne adhyāyaḥ 297

In the celebrated question-answer session between the Yaksha and the King Dharmaputra, the yaksha asks the king to define some very impossible characteristics of a man which are not easily controlled and some traits which makes the man very noble.
The questions by yaksha are.. Who is the most invincible enemy?  Which is the most incurable disease?  Who is the most noble person? Who is the most despicable person?
The wise king answers. (1) Uncontrollable anger or rage is the worst enemy  one can have  (2)  Stinginess and jealousy are the most incurable diseases.
(3) The noble man is one who strives for ever for the welfare of all beings and (4) a man  who has no place for kindness in his heart is the most despicable one.
The crisp answers speak volumes.  Anger and its elder brother rage, have arrogance, thoughtlessness and violence as thier companions.  Most of the destructive acts in the human lore were committed by persons under the influence of rage.  A jealous fellow is always sad about what others have and does not care much about the huge possessions in his own kitty. And this fellow will never think of parting with even little of his welath for some good purpose.  The noblest though that can arise to anyone is that "let there be welfare in the whole of universe..and since the universe includes this noble man also, and therefore he need not take special care of himself.  And  a person who does not have sympathy for anyone is not a human being at all.

--

wisest answers

यक्ष उवाच-
को मोदते किमाश्चर्यं कः पन्था का च वार्तिका।
वद मे चतुर प्रश्नान् मृता जीवन्तु बान्धवाः॥ ९५॥
युधिष्ठिर उवाच-

पञ्चमेऽहनि षष्ठे वा शाकम् पचति स्वे गृहे
अनृणी चाप्रवसी च स वारिचर मोदते॥ ९६
अहन्यहनि भूतानि गच्छन्तीह यमालयं
शेषा स्थावरमिच्छन्ति किमार्श्चर्यमतः परं॥९७
तर्कोऽप्रतिष्ठः श्रुतयो विभिन्नाः नैको ऋषिर्यस्य मतं प्रमाणं।
धर्मस्य तत्त्वं निहितं गुहायां महाजनो येन गतः स पन्था॥९८
अस्मिन् महामोहमये कटाहे सूर्याग्निना रात्रिदिवेन्धनेन।
मासर्तुदर्वी परिघट्टनेन भूतानि कालः पचतीति वार्ता॥९९
महाभारते आरण्यकपर्वणि यक्षप्रश्ने अध्यायः२९६
yakṣa uvāca-
ko modate kimāścaryaṁ kaḥ pantha kā ca vārtikā|
vada me catura praśnān mṛtā jīvantu bāndhavāḥ|| 95||
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca-
pañcame'hani ṣaṣṭhe vā śākam pacati sve gṛhe
anṛṇī cāpravasī ca sa vāricara modate|| 96
ahanyahani bhūtāni gacchantīha yamālayaṁ
śeṣā sthāvaramicchanti kimārścaryamataḥ paraṁ||97
tarko'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnāḥ naiko ṛṣiryasya mataṁ pramāṇaṁ|
dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthā||98
asmin mahāmohamaye kaṭāhe sūryāgninā rātridivendhanena|
māsartudarvī parighaṭṭanena bhūtāni kālaḥ pacatīti vārtā||99
mahābhārate āraṇyakaparvaṇi yakṣapraśne adhyayaḥ 296

This is the concluding part of the question-answer session between Dharmaputra, who is standing at the banks of a lake where his four younger brothers are lying dead as punishment for defiance to a Yaksha ( in fact, Yama Dharma himself in disguise) prohibiting them from taking water from the lake. The yakshsa (a demi-god) puts many questions to the wise king on proper conduct of life, statecraft etc., and the noble king has answered all these questions to the satisfaction of the yaksha. Finally, the Yaksha asks a question with four limbs and makes an offer to the king that if these four points are answered, his younger brothers would be revived to life.
The questions are (1) who is really happy? (2) what is the most surprising issue in human life? (3) what is the righteous path for a human being to follow? (4) what is the most important news for all?
Yudhistira answers:- (1) Even when due to vagaries of life's fortunes, a person is able to earn the wherewithals for cooking his food only in the fifth or sixth part of the day (when the day is practically over) and still he is remaining honest and truthful and does not wander away from the duties of the householder, that person is the man of supreme happiness. (2) Every day some of the mortal beings die, and they are led to the house of the god of death, but other beings who are watching this do not even care to give a fleeting thought to the fact that their turn for a visit to Yamaloka is not far off, but consider themselves as permanent fixtures on this earth.. this sense of self delusion is the most surprsing issue in human life. (3) There are various schools of thoughts set out in scriptures and law and there is a lot of difference of opinion in interpretations, various seers have given divergent opinions on some common issues and therefore it is difficult to decide as to which of the views are to be taken as precedent, and in this process the real import and meaning of dharmas( the rules that guide us to righteous life) are confined in the darkest corner of a very dark cave.. Therefore the righteous path to be followed is that which has been adopted as the guideline by our elders and the noble people as a majority. (4) The frying pan is the world filled with ignorance, the sun acts as fire and time in slices of days and night cooks us the mundane creatures with seasons and months serving as wooden ladles...the life is just cooked and spent away..this is the greatest news.

The answer regarding the delusion of permanence lurking in the minds of the living beings even when they see their peers perish is considered to be the wisest answer given by Yudhistira. We have to appreciate the fact that the instinct for survival is the driving force that keeps the world afloat. It is good for us to admit the fact that death will come sooner or later, but that is not reason good enough to ignore our duties and responsibilities.
"Nihitam guhaayaam" hidden in the darkness of a cave....this idea is repeated in upanishads and this epic as well as elsewhere, because our ancestors were always conscious of limitations of human thoughts and reasoning.. "Yatho vaacho nivarthanthe apraapya manasaa saha... where words come back emptyhanded because they fail to keep pace with the mind." "kasmai havisha juhema?
whom shall we propitiate with havis (the holy offering of food)? we do not know Him exactly.." these speculations always loomed large in the thoughts of our ancestors...they were never stubborn or self sure and arrogant..

--

।श्रीकृष्णो रक्षतु।
|śrīkṛṣṇo rakṣatu|
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan
(kanfusion)
blog http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/
त्यजन्तु बान्धवाः सर्वे निन्दन्तु गुरवो जनाःI
तदापि परमानन्दो गोविन्दो मम जीवनंII
let all my relatives abandon me, let the great people insult me, still I am in supreme bliss since my life is GOVINDA alone.
Iकृष्णात् परं किमपि तत्वं अहं न जाने"I
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु।
lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu|

darkness of ignorance

यक्ष उवाच
केनस्विदावृतो लोकः केनस्विन्न प्रकाशते।
केन त्यजति मित्राणि केन स्वर्गं न गच्छति॥६२॥
युधिष्टिर उवाच
अज्ञानेनावृतो लोकः तमसा न प्रकाशते।
लोभात्त्यजति मित्राणि सङ्गात् स्वर्गं न गच्छति॥६३॥
श्रीमहाभारते आरण्यकपर्वणि यक्षप्रश्ने अध्यायः॥ २९७॥
yakṣa uvāca
kenasvidāvṛto lokaḥ kenasvinna prakāśate|
kena tyajati mitrāṇi kena svargaṁ na gacchati||62||
yudhiṣṭira uvāca
ajñānenāvṛto lokaḥ tamasā na prakāśate|
lobhāttyajati mitrāṇi saṅgāt svargaṁ na gacchati||63||
śrīmahābhārate āraṇyakaparvaṇi yakṣapraśne adhyāyaḥ || 297||

Yaksha Prasnam is a highly celebrated part of the epic Mahabharatham. During their wanderings in the forest, the elder brother Yudishtira had asked his youngest brother to fetch some drinking water. Sahadeva went to a nearby lake and was about to gather some water, when he was confronted by a Yaksha in the form of a crane who challenges the young prince to answer some questions and then alone take water. The youngest pandava ignored him and on touching the water, fell dead. The elder pandavas, Nakula, Arjuna and Bheemasena approached the lake in that order, and by ignoring the Yaksha they also met the same fate of the youngest brother. The king Yudhistira himself came to the lake and saw his younger brothers lying lifeless with the crane watching. The crane accosted the king with some questions and the learned king gave the most appropriate answers on Dharma. The Crane aka Yaksha reveals in the end that he is the God of Death Yama himself (the father of Yudhistira) and had come to test the depth of knowledge of the king , blesses him and also revives the four youngsters to life. . In the prolonged session of queries, the quintessence of lofty principles of human existence are explained by the good king. The couplets quoted above form part of this conversation.
Yaksha asked:- (1) what is it that covers the entire world? (2) what is it that keeps the world in darkness? (3) what makes a man abandon all his friends? and (4) What blocks a man in his journey to the heaven?

Yudhistira answers. (1) The entire world is covered to its detriment with lack of proper knowledge. (2) Tamas, meaning both lack of light and the ulterior type of emotions, keeps the world in darkness. (3) avarice, that is, tendency not to share the wealth and good fortune with others makes one abandon all his friend.(4) Excessive attachment to mundane things prevents one from elevating himself to heaven.
The most prevalent evil in this world is ignorance and half baked knowledge. Human beings forget their limits under the infulence of these. Physical darkness may be bearable but the evil hablits or tamogunas one develops will keep him and the entire world in darkness. Money is the most efficient destroyer of friendships. And the poor human being loses sight of lofty goals and achievement by just holding fast to silly things.

--

The insufferable grief is ignorance.

यक्ष उवाच
किं मोहः प्रोच्यते राजन् कश्च मानः प्रकीर्तितः।
किमालस्यं च विज्ञेयं कश्च शोकः प्रकीर्तितः॥
युधिष्ठिर उवाच
मोहो हि धर्ममूढस्त्वं मानस्त्वात्माभिमानिता।
धर्मनिष्क्रियताऽऽलस्यं शोकस्त्वज्ञानमुच्यते॥
सर्गः २९७ श्लोकाः ७४-७५ महाभारते आरण्यकपर्वणि यक्षप्रश्ने
yakṣa uvāca
kiṁ mohaḥ procyate rājan kaśca mānaḥ prakīrtitaḥ|
kimālasyaṁ ca vijñeyaṁ kaśca śokaḥ prakīrtitaḥ||
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
moho hi dharmamūḍhastvaṁ mānastvātmābhimānitā|
dharmaniṣkriyatā''alasyaṁ śokastvajñānamucyate||
sargaḥ 297 ślokāḥ 74-75 mahābhārate āraṇyakaparvaṇi yakṣapraśne

In the encounter between the god of death in the form of a Yaksha and his son the yudistira the king(the famous yaksha prasna episode of Sri Mahabharatham, )  the wise king answers to four queries of the yaksha  like this
the questions of yaksha  (1)  what is lack of knowledge?  (2) what is vainglorious attitude? (3) what is unpardonable laziness and (4) what is the real grief?
Yudishtira answers.  (1) Not knowing one's own duties is the worst ignorance. (2) Excessive consciousness of self- importance leads to vainglorious attitude  (3) Laziness of the worst form is inaction where one's duty is to act with diligence, (4)  The insufferable grief is ignorance.

--

one-word answers

यक्ष उवाच
किंस्विदेकपदं धर्म्यं  किंस्विदेकपदं यशः।
किंस्विदेकपदं स्वर्ग्यं  किंस्विदेकपदं सुखं॥
युधिष्ठिर उवाच
दाक्ष्यमेकपदं धर्म्यं दानमेकपदं यशः।
सत्यमेकपदं स्वर्ग्यं शीलमेकपदं सुखं॥
श्रीमहाभारथे आरण्यपर्वणि यक्षप्रश्नात्   २९७   श्लोकानि ५०   ५१
yakṣa uvāca
kiṁsvidekapadaṁ dharmyaṁ  kiṁsvidekapadaṁ yaśaḥ|
kiṁsvidekapadaṁ svargyaṁ  kiṁsvidekapadaṁ sukhaṁ||
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
dākṣyamekapadaṁ dharmyaṁ dānamekapadaṁ yaśaḥ|
satyamekapadaṁ svargyaṁ śīlamekapadaṁ sukhaṁ||
śrīmahābhārathe āraṇyaparvaṇi yakṣapraśnāt   297   ślokāni 50   51

The yaksha asks yudishtira.. 1. which is the first or foremost attribute of dharma.
2. which is the first and foremost path to fame?
3. Which is the first and foremost route to heaven? ;and  
4. Which is the first and foremost source of welfare?
Yudhishtira answers  1.Being liberal and not rigid is the foremost attribute of dharma. 
2. Being lavish in gifts is the path to fame.
3.Absolute honesty is the route to heaven;  and
 4. unblemished and excellent character is the source of welfare.

The questions and answers are so crisp that no one could explain it more.

--

kill these four bedbugs

यक्ष उवाच
किं नु हित्वा प्रियो भवति किं नु हित्वा न शोचति।
किं नु हित्वाऽर्थवान् भवति किं नु हित्वा सुखी भवेत्॥
युधिष्ठिर उवाच
मानं हित्वा प्रियो भवति क्रोधम् हित्वा न शोचति।
कामं हित्वाऽर्थवान् भवति लोभम् हित्वा सुखी भवेत्॥
महभारते यक्षप्रश्ने  ५८--५९   २९७ सर्गं आरण्यकपर्वणि
yakṣa uvāca
kiṁ nu hitvā priyo bhavati kiṁ nu hitvā na śocati|
kiṁ nu hitvā'rthavān bhavati kiṁ nu hitvā sukhī bhavet||
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
mānaṁ hitvā priyo bhavati krodham hitvā na śocati|
kāmaṁ hitvā'rthavān bhavati lobham hitvā sukhī bhavet||
mahabhārate yakṣapraśne  58--59   297 sargaṁ āraṇyakaparvaṇi

This is an interesting question-answer session between the Yaksha (who is fact is the Dharmaraaja) and yudhistira, the Dharmaputra.
The yaksha makes four queris 
1. abandoning what does one becomes the beloved of all?
2.abandoning what one is saved of all sorrows?
3. abandoning which one becomes the richest? and
4. abandoning which one becomes extremely comfortable?

The  equally wise son of that brilliant querist,  answers that:-
1.  if arrogance is abandoned, one becomes the darling of all, 
2. abstain from bouts  uncontrollable rage and one's sorrows also would be  packed off then.
3. steer clear of  lustfulness and one's wealth will remain with himself. 
and
4. put on tethers  avarice and eagerness to hoard everything for oneself and life becomes very calm and comfortable.

The questions and answers are classically lucid and no better comments can be ever made

--

a good wife holds the key

यक्ष उवाच
धर्ममर्थश्चकामश्च परस्पर विरोधिनः।
एषाम् नित्यविरुद्धानाम् कथमेकत्र सङ्गमः॥
युधिष्ठिर उवाच
यदा धर्मश्च भार्या च परस्परवशानुगौ।
तदा धर्मार्थकामानं त्रयाणामपि सङ्गमः॥
yakṣa uvāca
dharmamarthasca kāmasc paraspara virodhinaḥ|
eṣām nityviruddhānāṁ kathamekatra saṅgamaḥ||
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca
yadā dharmasca bhāryā ca parasparavaśānugau|
tadā dharmārthakāmānaṁ trayāṇāmapi saṅgamaḥ||

The above extract from the celebrated Yaksha Prasnam in Mahabharatham,   when during the sojourn in forest by the pandavas, Yudhistira got thirsty and asked  his younger brothers to fetch water, and the brothers from Sahadeva to Bhima,  went to a nearby  lake to bring water.  One by one they were challenged  by a bird to answer certain queries  and  warned them not to drink water without answering them .  All the four ignored  the bird's request and fell dead.  
Ultimately Yudhistira himself went to the lake and he realized that the bird was not an ordinary being but a Yaksha  incognito.  He respectfully started answering all the questions raised.  
The discussion has   emerged as  a worthy treatise on human  conduct.
The Yaksha is making a query..
.virtue, wealth and desire are three mutually conflicting factors in human life.
 In pursuing virtue on can face a situation where his wealth is depleted and his personal desires are challenged to their detriment too often.  

The poser here is how these three can be balanced to have a fulfilling  life.
Yudhishtira has a very sensible  answer. 

 The day to day  virtuous activities  of a man are mostly under the silent but active participation  of his wife. Besides the domestic finance cannot be managed without the genuine  support of a good wife..And for an honest man all his desires are fulfilled and enjoyed only by sharing such happiness with wife.  Thus if one man is fortunate to have  a discerning and  wise lady as his wife..there will be absolute control over the apparently conflicting interests.

Some of my friends queried as to whether there is any mention extolling the excellence of a wife in our scriptures, when I had quoted  from neetisaaram earlier,   where the danger of having bad wife was described . This is perhaps the answer to it through yaksha prasna.

--

living but dead

यक्ष
     मृतं कथं स्यात् पुरुषः कथं राष्ट्रम् मृतम् भवेत्
     श्राद्धम् मृतं कथं च स्यात् कथं यज्ञो मृतो भवेत्
युधिष्टिर
     मृतो दरिद्रः पुरुषो मृतं राष्ट्र अराजकं
     मृतं अश्रोत्रियं श्राद्धम् मृतो यज्ञो त्वदक्षिणः
yakṣa
     mṛtaṁ kathaṁ syāt puruṣaḥ kathaṁ rāṣṭram mṛtam bhavet
     śrāddham mṛtaṁ kathaṁ ca syāt kathaṁ yajño mṛto bhavet
yudhiṣṭira
     mṛto daridraḥ puruṣo mṛtaṁ rāṣṭra arājakaṁ
     mṛtaṁ aśrotriyaṁ śrāddham mṛto yajño tvadakṣiṇaḥ
യക്ഷന്‍
മൃതം കഥം സ്യാത് പുരുഷ കഥം രാഷ്ട്രം മൃതം ഭവേത്
ശ്രാദ്ധം മൃതംകഥം ച സ്യാത്‌ കഥം യജ്നോ മൃതം ഭവേത്
യുധിഷ്ഠിരന്
 മൃതോദരിദ്ര പുരുഷ മൃതംരാഷ്ട്രം അരാജകം
മൃതം അശ്രൊതൃയം ശ്രാദ്ധം മൃതോ യജ്ഞ തു അദക്ഷിണമ്

The Yaksha asked,--'For what may one be considered as dead? For what may a kingdom be considered as dead? For what may a Sraddha be considered as dead? And for what, a sacrifice?' Yudhishthira answered,--'For want of wealth may a man be regarded as dead. A kingdom for want of a king may be regarded as dead. A Sraddha that is performed with the aid of a priest that hath no learning may be regarded as dead. And a sacrifice in which there are no gifts to Brahmanas is dead

A man without money is more or less dead.A nation without a good leader is dead.  A religious ceremony without proper care and proper gifts to the participants is also dead/
This is from the Yakshapraanam of Mahabharatam   Vanaparvam/

श्री कृष्णो रक्षतु

Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan

blog   http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/

Fwd: the best friend

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ananthanarayanan Vaidyanathan <kvananthanarayanan@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, May 12, 2010 at 5:49 AM
Subject: Re: the best friend
To: iyer venkatraman <venkat0357@gmail.com>

dear Venkat, the pandavas relied heavily on Dharma, It is recorded in Bharatha that the Kauravas consulted Sahadeva for the auspicious time to start the war so that they will be victorious.. And truthful to his study the youngest Pandava gave the correct muhurtham also. Krishna ( who had no preconceived notions on Dharma because He is the Dharma Artha Kama and Moksha) had to turn the wheel of time to turn the table in favour of Pandavas.. My dear friend, the virtue and vice are relative.. We are born and brought up to imbibe certain values which are sweet to us. The Asura of vedas becomes Ahura Mazda, the powerful God of Zend avesta of Parsis.
That is the reason why upanishads said and Mahabharatham reiterated... Nihitham guhaayam... the secrets of life are enclosed in a dark cave... the cave is defined as so many thing by so many in our spiritual lore.. Yes, let us follow the path brightened by our learned ancestors. One thing is sure, there is nothing left in spirituality for us to create...we can at best discover...and each discovery only reveals how ignorant we are. (धर्मस्य तत्त्वं निहतं गुहायां महाजनाः येन गतः स पन्था dharmasya tattvaṁ nihataṁ guhāyāṁ mahājanāḥ yena gataḥ sa panthā)
May krishna bless you
KVA

On Wed, May 12, 2010 at 5:16 AM, iyer venkatraman <venkat0357@gmail.com> wrote:

Yes Dr. Infinity,

Yaksha Prashna in Mahabharata covers the essential Philosophy of life and was sort of bhagavat gita for Yudhistra ! in catechismic format, A soul steeped in Dharma answers every question equanimity and from the field of extreme Wisdom-nothing could be more enlightening. What is not there in the Mahabharata cannot be found anywhere, Every character is a particular view-point of life -every level of consciousness is covered and under different circumstances-The Lord is unbiased even when he agrees to be Arjuna's Charioteer for he offers himself to both the Kauravas and the Pandavas - Similarly both ends of the scale are there for us to choose from- where and with what we align determines our life-i.e. the choices we make every moment of our life decides our course and therefore further choices too-truly its one long journey-

Happy experiencing

Yours Spiritually

venkat

On Wed, May 12, 2010 at 3:58 AM, Ananthanarayanan Vaidyanathan <kvananthanarayanan@gmail.com> wrote:

यक्षः
किंस्विद् आत्मा मनुष्यस्य किंस्विद् दैवकृतः सखा।
उपजीवनं किंस्विदस्य किंस्विदस्य परायणम्॥

युधिष्टिरः
पुत्र आत्मा मनुष्यस्य भार्या दैवकृता सखा।
उपजीवनं तु पर्जन्यो दानं अस्य परायणं॥

yakṣaḥ
kiṁsvid ātmā manuṣyasya kiṁsvid daivakṛtaḥ sakhā|
upajīvanaṁ kiṁsvidasya kiṁsvidasya parāyaṇam||
yudhiṣṭiraḥ
putra ātmā manuṣyasya bhāryā daivakṛtā sakhā|
upajīvanaṁ tu parjanyo dānaṁ asya parāyaṇaṁ|

यक्षप्रश्नं महाभारतं वनपर्वम्
yakṣapraśnaṁ mahābhārataṁ vanaparvam


The Yaksha asked,-
'What is the soul of man
Who is that friend bestowed on man by the gods?
What is man's chief support?
And what also is his chief refuge?

Yudhishthira answered,--'
The son is a man's soul:
the wife is the friend bestowed on man by the gods;
the clouds are his chief support;
and gift is his chief refuge.
It is the cardinal concept of Indian life that one's son is just the external growth of oneself, to be loved, to be possessed, to be trained and to be cherished as one would do for himself. The srutis say, when a son is born, while performing his samskaras, we have to tell him that you are born as a part of myself..aatma vai putra naamasi.. (here again gender is not important...it applies to the daughter also... ) . The best friend ordained by God himself for any man is his wife. Good or bad, learned or imbecile the man is, the poor woman always keeps his company. (The feminists may have a different view, but in our country the vast majority is like that. For the support of ones livelihood in this earth, the clouds that pour the nectar of pure water to sustain the earth and the life on it, is the most important factor. A man gains sustenance in the nether world by making bounteous gifts to the needy in this world and there for it is his refuge. Sometimes gift come as a refuge for the poor on this earth when it is recieved by the needy. The circumstances leading to the dialogue between Yaksha and Yudistira is already explained earlier.

the best friend

यक्षः
किंस्विद् आत्मा मनुष्यस्य किंस्विद् दैवकृतः सखा।
उपजीवनं किंस्विदस्य किंस्विदस्य परायणम्॥
     
युधिष्टिरः
पुत्र आत्मा मनुष्यस्य भार्या दैवकृता सखा।
उपजीवनं तु पर्जन्यो  दानं अस्य परायणं॥

yakṣaḥ
kiṁsvid ātmā manuṣyasya kiṁsvid daivakṛtaḥ sakhā|
upajīvanaṁ kiṁsvidasya kiṁsvidasya parāyaṇam||
yudhiṣṭiraḥ
putra ātmā manuṣyasya bhāryā daivakṛtā sakhā|
upajīvanaṁ tu parjanyo  dānaṁ asya parāyaṇaṁ|

यक्षप्रश्नं  महाभारतं वनपर्वम्
yakṣapraśnaṁ  mahābhārataṁ vanaparvam


The Yaksha asked,-
'What is the soul of man
Who is that friend bestowed on man by the gods?
What is man's chief support?
And what also is his chief refuge?

 Yudhishthira answered,--'
The son is a man's soul:
the wife is the friend bestowed on man by the gods;
the clouds are his chief support;
 and gift is his chief refuge.
It is the cardinal concept of Indian life that one's son is just the external growth of oneself, to be loved, to be possessed, to be trained and to be cherished as one would do for himself.  The srutis say, when a son is born, while performing his samskaras, we have to tell him that you are  born as a part of myself..aatma vai putra naamasi.. (here again gender is not important...it applies to the daughter also... ) .  The best friend ordained by God himself for any man is his wife. Good or bad, learned or imbecile the man is, the poor woman always keeps his company. (The feminists may have a different view, but in our country the vast majority is like that.  For the support of ones livelihood in this earth, the clouds that pour the nectar of pure water to sustain the earth and the life on it, is the most important factor.   A man gains sustenance in the nether world by making bounteous gifts to the needy in this world and there for it is his refuge.  Sometimes gift come as a refuge for the poor on this earth when it is recieved by the needy. The  circumstances leading to the dialogue between Yaksha and Yudistira is already explained earlier.

--
श्री कृष्णो रक्षतु
Have a nice and happy day
with profound respect and warm regards
K V Ananthanarayanan

blog   http://kanfusion.blogspot.com/

things without which a meaningful life is not possible

यक्ष
धन्यानां उत्तमं किंस्विद् धनानां किंस्विद् उत्तमं
लाभानां उत्तमं किंस्विद् किं सुखानां तथोत्तमं
युधिष्टिर
धन्यानां उत्तमं दाक्ष्यं धनानां उत्तमं श्रुतम्
लाभानम् श्रेष्टं आरोग्यं सुखानां तुष्तिरुत्तमा
महभारतं वनपर्वं यक्षप्रश्नं
yakṣa
dhanyānāṁ uttamaṁ kiṁsvid dhanānāṁ kiṁsvid uttamaṁ
lābhānāṁ uttamaṁ kiṁsvid kiṁ sukhānāṁ tathottamaṁ
yudhiṣṭira
dhanyānāṁ uttamaṁ dākṣyaṁ dhanānāṁ uttamaṁ śrutam
lābhānam śreṣṭaṁ ārogyaṁ sukhānāṁ tuṣtiruttamā
mahabhārataṁ vanaparvaṁ yakṣapraśnaṁ
yakṣa
dhanyānāṁ uttamaṁ kiṁsvid dhanānāṁ kiṁsvid uttamaṁ
lābhānāṁ uttamaṁ kiṁsvid kiṁ sukhānāṁ tathottamaṁ
yudhiṣṭira
dhanyānāṁ uttamaṁ dāksyaṁ dhanānāṁ uttamaṁ śrutam
lābhānam śresṭaṁ ārogyaṁ sukhānāṁ tuṣtiruttamā
mahabhārataṁ vanaparvaṁ yakṣapraśnaṁ

യക്ഷഃ
ധന്യാനാം ഉത്തമം കിംസ്വിദ് ധനാനാം കിംസ്വിദുത്തമം
ലാഭാനാം ഉത്തമം കിംസ്വിദ് കിം സുഖാനാം തഥോത്തമം
യുധിഷ്ഠിരഃ
ധന്യാനാം ഉത്തമം ദാക്ഷ്യം ധനാനാം ഉത്തമംശ്രുതം
ലാഭാനാംശ്രേഷ്ഠമാരോഗ്യം സുഖാനാം തുഷടിരുത്തമാ

The Yaksha asked,--'What is the best of all laudable things? What is the most valuable of all his possessions? What is the best of all gains? And what is the best of all kinds of happiness

' Yudhishthira answered,--"The best of all laudable things is skill; the best of all possessions is knowledge: the best of all gains is health: and contentment is the best of all kinds of happiness.'

This is another sloka from the celebrated  Yaksha Prasnam... the cirucustances leading to the dialogue were explained two days ago. 

Precision and dexterity in one's chosen field of work is the most praiseworthy possession of any person. If one has the efficiency in work, he need not run after others showcasing his virtues but like bees coming in search of flowers with honey, people will queue at his doorsteps to make use of his service. 

The Greatest wealth one can have is the wealth of knowledge.. This wealth can be accumulated without facing competition from others, it does not get diminished ever if one gives away the whole of it to others,  no robber can steal it.  

The ultimate profit one can derive from this life is wholesome health.  Without health all other faculties one possesses could be utilised only to  a limited extent. Once health is lost, knowledge and dexterity also declines.  Kalidasa said, Sareeramaadhyam khalu dharmasaadhanam....the health of the body is the vehicle for attaining the dharma.

And coming to the question of what is real pleasure,  it is none other than the state of happiness and fulfilment one attains after a satisfying pursuit.

Remember Jefferson the great statesman and the third President of USA made a sweeping remark about the human indenpend

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

heaviest, tallest, fastest and infinite

यक्षः
किम् स्वित् गुरुतरं भूमेः किं स्वित् उच्च्तरम् च खात्
किं स्वित् शीघ्रतरम् वायोः किं स्वित् बहुतरम् तृणात्
युधिष्टिरः
माता गुरुतरा भूमेः पिता उच्चतरश्च खात्
मनो शीघ्रतरम् वायोः चिन्ता बहुतरो तृणात्

yakṣaḥ
kim svit gurutaraṁ bhumeḥ kiṁ svit ucctaram ca khāt
kiṁ svit śīghrataram vāyoḥ kiṁ svit bahutaram tṛṇāt
yudhiṣṭiraḥ
mātā gurutarā bhūmeḥ pitā uccataraśca khāt
mano śīghrataram vāyoḥ cintā bahutaro tṛṇāt

महाभारतम् वनपर्वम्  यक्षप्रश्न  खण्ड २९७
mahābhāratam vanaparvam  yakṣapraśna  khaṇḍa 297

The Yaksha asked, 'What is weightier than the earth itself? What is higher than the heavens?' What is fleeter than the wind? And what is more numerous than grass?' Yudhishthira answered ''The mother is weightier than the earth; the father is higher than the heaven; the mind is fleeter than the wind; and our thoughts are more numerous than grass.
(translation of Kisar Mohan Ganguly) The pandavas are driven to forests by the machinations of the Kauravas and one day yudhistira the eldest Pandava, feeling thirsty, sent his youngest brother Sahadeva to fetch water from a lake which he found during their wanderings.  Sahadeva approached the lake and. a Crane which was sitting nearby. warned that if he were to take water from the lake first he should answer some questions to be put forth by the Crane (This Crane later manifested as a Yaksha, but in fact, it was Lord Yamadharma himself in disguise). Sahadeva ignored the Crane and fell dead on touching the water.  Nakula, Arjuna and Bheemasena were also sent on the same mission and they also ignored the Crane-Yaksha and   met with the same fate.  Finally the King Yudishtira himself approached the lake and was confronted by the Yaksha (Crane). The wise king heeded to the queries of the Yaksha and answered them appropriately. This is the famous Yaksha Prasna part in Vanaparvam of Mahabharatham.  The questions and answers have become eternal landmarks in Indian thought . The above  quotation is of one of the questions of the Yaksha and the answer to it by Yudhistira. Many such questions were answered and the pleased Yaksha finally revealed his identity. He was none other than the Lord of death, Yamadharma himself who has come to test the mettle of his son Yudhistira. The mother is the weightiest object for anyone but it is not the physical weight but the weight of love,  The father is tallest not because of the of the height measured by any rods  but the father stands tall representing the ideal icon for uprightness, greatness and for all that is to be followed by a son.  The human mind simply jumps from one thought to another in the shortest span of time and thus is moving faster than even the wind.  And  human thought are so many, and they are uncountable like leaves of grass  growing on earth.