The Questions of the righteous Crane or the Yaksha)Question No.

1:Yaksha questioned: Who

makes the sun to rise and ascend in the skies? Who moves around the Sun? Who makes the
sun set in the horizons? What is the true natureof the Sun and where is the sun
established?Yudhisthira answered: Brahma makes the sun rise and ascend. The Gods
perambulate about theSun. The Dharm sets the Sun. Truth is the actual Sun and the Sun is
established in truth only.Question No. 2: Yaksha enquired:What instills ‘divinity’ in Brahmins?
What is the quality of virtuousity in a Brahmin? What is the humanlike quality of a Brahmin?
What is the conduct akin to a non-virtuous person in aBrahmin?Yudhisthira replied: The self-
study (Swadhyana) of the Vedas is divinity in a Brahmin. Penance is the quality like a virtuous
person in a Brahhmin. Death is human-like quality in a Brahmin. Criticising others is conduct in
a Brahmin like a non-virtuous person.Question No. 3: Yaksha asked: What instills ‘divinity’ in
Kshatriyas? What is the quality ofvirtuousity in a Kshatriya? What is the humanlike quality of a
Kshatriya? What is the conduct akin to a non-virtuous person in aKshatriya?Yudhisthira replied:
The art of archery is the divinity in a Kshatriya. Oblation is Kshatriya’squality of virtuousity in
Kshatriya.Fear is his humanly quality. Abandoning people under protection of the Kshatriya is
conduct like a non-virtuous person in the Kshatriya.Question No. 4 the Yaksha asked: What is
that thing which is like a Mantra in the performance of oblations (Yajnya)? Who is the performer
of rites and ceremonies during Yajnya? Who accepts the offerings and oblations of a Yajnya?
What is that which even a Yajnya can not transgress?Yudhisthira replied: ‘Breath’ is like a
Mantra in the performance of rites. ‘Mind’ is the performer of all rites in the course of Yajnya.
Only Shlokas of the Vedas, termed rucha or the richa accept oblation. The Yajnya can not
surpass nor transgress the richas.Question No. 5 the Yaksha asked: What is heavier than earth,
higher than heavens, fasterthan the wind and more numerous than straws?Yudhishthira: One’s
mother is heavier than the earth; one’s father is higher than the mountains. The mind is faster
than wind and our worries are more numerous than straws.Question No. 6 the Yaksha asked:
Who is the friend of a traveler? Who is the friend of onewho is ill and one who is
dying?Yudhishthira: The friend of a traveler is his companion. The physician is the friend of one
who is sick and a dying man’s friend is charity.Question No. 7 the Yaksha asked: What is that
which, when renounced, makes one lovable? What is that which is renounced makes happy and
wealthy?Yudhishthira: Pride, if renounced makes one lovable; by renouncing desire one
becomes wealthy; and to renounce avariceis to obtain happiness.Question No. 8 the Yaksha
asked: What enemy is invincible?What constitutes an incurable disease? What sort of man is
noble and what sort is ignoble?Yudhishthira: Anger is the invincible enemy. Covetousness
constitutes a disease that is incurable. He is noble who desires the well-being of all creatures,
and he is ignoble who is without mercy.Question No. 9 the Yaksha asked: Who is truly happy?
What is the greatest wonder? What is the path? And what is the news?Yudhishthira: He who
has no debts is truly happy. Day after day countless people die. Yet theliving wish to live
forever. O Lord,what can be a greater wonder? Argument leads 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 hid in caves of our heart: therefore, that
alone is the path along which the great have trod. This world full of ignorance is like a pan. The
sun is fire, the days and nights are fuel. The months and the seasons constitute the wooden
ladle. Time is the cook that is cooking all creatures in that pan (with such aids).