The Divine Yaksha Prasna In Mahabarata

"Yaksha Prashna" in the Mahabarata is everything that One should know about Dharma, Bhagawan has mentioned about this Wonderful Episode of the Mahabarata many many times and the Questions by the Yaksha and the Brilliant answers by Dharmaja are the most wonderful seen in the Mahabarata.

Extracted from Yaksha Prashnas, a chapter in the Mahabaratha.

"What makes the sun shine everyday?"
"The Power Of Brahman."

"What rescues man in danger?"
"Courage is man's salvation in danger."

"By the study of which science does man become wise?"
"Not by studying any sastra does man become wise. It is by association with the great in wisdom that he gets wisdom."

"What is more nobly sustaining than the earth?"
"The mother who brings up the children she has borne is nobler and more sustaining than the earth."

"What is higher than the sky?"
"The father."

"What is fleeter than the wind?"
"The Mind."

"What is more blighted than withered straw?"
"A sorrow-stricken heart."

"What befriends a traveller?"
"Learning."

"Who is a friend of one who stays at home?"
"The Wife."

"Who accompanies a man at death?"
"Dharma. That alone accompanies the soul in its solitary journey after death."

"What is the biggest vessel?"
"The earth, which contains all within itself is the greatest vessel."

"What is happiness?"
"Happiness is the result of good conduct."

"What is that, abandoning which, man becomes loved by all?"
"Pride - for abandoning that man will be loved by all."

"What is the loss which yields joy and not sorrow?"
"Anger, for giving it up, we will no longer be subject to sorrow.""

What is that, by giving up which, man becomes rich?"
"Desire - getting rid of it, man becomes wealthy."

What is the sole means of Dharma?
Dexterity in the discharge of one's Dharma is the sole means of Dharma.

What is the sole means of fame?
Charity is the sole means of fame!

What is the sole means of heaven?
Truthfulness is the sole means of heaven!

What is the sole means of happiness?
Good conduct is the sole means of happiness

Who is the soul of man?
Who else but one's son? Son is the soul of man!

Who is a person's fate-ordained friend?
One's wife is the fate-ordained friend!

What could be the greatest of gains?
Health is the best of gains!

What is the greatest happiness?
Contentment is the greatest happiness!

What is greater than Dharma in the world?
Benevolence is greater than Dharma!

Which Dharma remains eternal for ever for all time to come?
What else but the Vedic Dharma which is eternal and fruitful for all time.

Subduing which, do men not grieve?
Men grieve not, by subduing their minds.

With whom does friendship never age?
Friendship with the good and wise never ages!

By abandoning which does man become loveable?
By abandoning pride, man becomes more loveable.

By abandoning which, do men not grieve?
By abandoning avarice, men do not grieve!

By abandoning which, does man becomes richer?
By abandoning desire!

By abandoning which man becomes happier?
By abandoning avarice, man will become happier!

What is penance (tapas) and how is it defined?
Penance is observing one's own Dharma!

What is self-control?
Self-control is the control of the mind!

What is said to be the greatest forbearance?
One's capacity to put up with the pairs of opposites such as heat and cold, richness and poverty, happiness and sorrow is what is called forbearance!

What is the sense of shame said to be?
Turning away from what ought not to be done is sense of shame!

What is supreme sympathy?
Wishing for the happiness of all is sympathy!

What is straight forwardness?
Equanimity of mind is straight forwardness!

Which is the enemy difficult to be overcome by men?
Anger is the enemy hard to be conquered!

Which is the endless disease?
Avarice(Extreme greed for material wealth) is the endless malady!

What makes one a good man and what makes one bad?
A good man is one who is kind to one and all and a bad man is one who has no sense of sympathy!

What is the greatest bath?
Discarding one's mental impurity is the greatest bath!

What is the greatest gift in this world?
Protection of beings is the greatest gift!

What is greater than the earth?
Mother.

What is higher than the skies?
Father.

What is faster than the breeze?
The mind.

Who are the living dead?
A person who does not pay the dues to his servants, offer hospitality to his guests or prayers to God.

What is the wonder of wonders of human existence in this world?
Day after day, living beings pass away to the abode of Death in this world and every living human remains an eye-witness to it. But still, the rest desire to live. What greater wonder can there be than this?