About the Author Shanta Rameshwar Rao
ShantaRameshwar Rao was born in India. She has received her education in Patna,
Lucknow, and Hyderabad, India. She is also the founder of the Vidyaranga
School. She has written several books for both children as well as for adults.
She is also one of the famous story writers and novelists from the eastern
world.
Summary of the story Yudhishthira's Wisdom by Shanta Rameshwar Rao (Source: The Mahabharata)
This story
has been taken from the popular Hindu mythology "The Mahabharata." It
is a moral story that teaches us about the importance of wisdom, justice,
morality, patience, courage, and good conduct in life.
One day,
Yudhishthira with his four brothers (Pandavs) starts hunting a deer in a
forest. Meanwhile, they feel tired and thirsty. Therefore, Yudhishthira sends
his brothers to search for water However, they never return. It makes
Yudhishthira feel so sad and goes for searching his brothers. As he starts
walking, he finds a beautiful pool with fresh and cool water He also sees his
four brothers who are dead and unconscious. He hears the voice calling him to
answer before drinking water. The voice is a warning not to drink the water
before answering the questions. In fact, the voice is by Yaksha.
Yudhishthira
obeys Yaksha before satisfying his thirst. Similarly, he correctly answers
Yaksha's philosophical questions. Yaksha is pleased with Yudhishthira's wisdom.
He appears in the form of Yama and tells Yudhishthira to choose one of the
brothers whom he wants to save. Because except for him, all brothers already
drank the water disobeying the warning of the voice ie, the voice of Yaksha and
they fell to the ground one by one and became unconscious because of the curses
of the voice.
Yudhishthira
bases his choice entirely on the moral considerations, not on his own selfish
needs and soon. Without selfishness, he asks his brother Nakula, the only son
of his stepmother to be saved. Yaksha is so happy with his wisdom. He even
tells him that he restores all his brothers. In addition, Yaksha promises to
protect them from future hardships and gives him some useful devices on where
to go next. Therefore, this story highlights the importance of wisdom,
patience, courage, truthfulness, justice, and morality to make successful life
by solving every riddle in our life.
Application of Four Levels for the poem Yudhishthira's Wisdom
i. Literal Comprehension
This story
is based on Hindu Mythology "Mahabharata". One day. Yudhishthira and
his four younger brothers are hunting a deer in the forest. Suddenly, they feel
thirsty and could not find the water. At last, Yudhishthira decides to send his
brothers one by one to find out and bring the water. All brothers go for
searching the water but nobody returns.
Then,
Yudhishthira goes to search for where his brothers are going. As he starts
walking, he locates the water and sees all brothers lying on the ground
unconscious. As he decides to drink water, he hears the strange voice warning
him not to drink the water without answering questions. Of course, it is the
voice of Yaksha and his brothers who disobeyed his voice and drank the water,
therefore, they died because of the crime.
However,
Yudhishthira strongly obeys Yaksha and gives the correct answer to those
philosophical questions. Yaksha becomes happy with Yudhishthira's wisdom. Then,
he tells him to choose one brother whom he saves his life. Without any
selfishness, Yudhishthira chooses his younger brother, Nakula from his
stepmother than his brother from his own mother.
Yaksha is
highly pleased looking at his wisdom and tells him to save all his brothers'
life. He even promises that he will help them in their hardships in the future.
ii. Interpretation
This story states
the importance of patience and obedience to gods, wisdom, and right conduct.
Courage is man's surest weapon against danger and if he gives up his pride, he
is loved by all. This is a moral story in which we can make life successful if
we follow the truthful, right and moral path like Yudhishthira did.
iii. Critical Thinking
This story
teaches us the importance of morality, truthfulness, good conduct, patience,
wisdom, justice, fairness, and courage. The world has been brightened by these
things. It is an act of courage because of which we have all kinds of
achievements. These are admirable ideas that can be found in the story.
However, some ideas in the story are less convincing. Are there Gods? If so,
what is the evidence for their existence? Would all people agree that the sun
shines by the power of God? Can dead people come back to life?
iv. Assimilation
This story
has greatly influenced me. I have learned a good moral lesson from the path of
Yudhishthira where one's life becomes successful out of many challenges and
difficulties if he/she has the courage, patience, wisdom, truthfulness, and
justice. If one does good, loves all creatures, follows the right and truth,
has the courage and patience, and uses his wisdom, then, he surely remains
immortal in this world forever.
|
Also read |
Write the story 'Yudhishthira's Wisdom' from the point of view of Yaksha.
I am Yaksha,
the heavenly godfather of the Pandavas brothers. Yudhishthira and his four
brothers felt thirsty in the forest during hunting a deer. I found his youngest
brother Sahadev coming to the pool to drink water but I warned him not to drink
before answering my questions. But he disobeyed me and drank the water. So, I
punished him and he soon died. Similarly, other brothers like Nakula, Arjuna,
and Bhim did not listen to my voice and disobeyed me. Then, I punished them
like Sahadev and all of them died. Finally, Yudhishthira arrived near the pool
to drink the water. But it is he who always obeyed me and gave the correct
answer one by one of those questions.
I became so
happy to see Yudhishthira's wisdom. Then, I told him to choose one brother to
save his life. Yudhishthira without any doubt and selfishness chose Nakula, his
younger brother from his stepmother. Looking at his greatest wisdom, patience,
truth, justice, and courage, I was highly pleased and told him to save all my
brothers' life, and so did I. Finally, I suggested to him that I would help
them in their hardships and challenging situations.
|
Also read |