Reading Notes: PDE , Part C

Dharma God. Image Source

The twelfth year of exile for the two brothers was ending soon and this scene begins with the brothers still in the forest. The two brothers were wandering around when they saw a stag with sacred twigs hanging from it. They tried to decide if they kill it or should just the twigs from it. They began to chase the animal but began to get tired fast so they took a break to rest. 

They were on the search to find water and saw that a pond was nearby. Yudhishthira sends Nakula towards the pond. He approached the pond when a voice told him to answer a question before he could drink this water. He did not listen to this voice because he was so thirsty so he ignored the command and began to drink the water. He then fell over dead. Sadhadeva, Nakula’s brother, followed him to the pond wondering what was taking his brother so long. He saw the pond and when he began to approach it he heard the same voice demanding he answer a question before he drank the water. He was too thirst to listen and so he drank the water without listening to the voice and he too fell over dead. Arjuna went towards the water and demanded to know who the voice was otherwise he would begin to shoot his arrows. He drew his bow but the shafts flew from it. Arjuna began to drink the water again, ignoring the voice and fell dead. Bhima also followed them to the pond and he drank from the water and died as well. 

Yudhisthira approached the pond and saw his army dead and began to sorrow over their deaths. He questioned the voice and the voice said that he was yaksha. Yaksha tells Yudhishthira that he warned all of them not to drink the water until they answered his questioned but all of them ignored him and so he killed them. Yaksha said that if his question was answered whoever would be allowed to drink from the water without being afraid. Yudhishthira said that he would answer the question and Yaksha gave the following riddle.

“Who maketh the sun to rise? Who keepeth him company? Who maketh the sun to go down? In whom is the sun established?”

Yudhishthira responded to Brahama, Gods, Dharma, and the truth.

Many more riddles were asked and then Yudhishthira answered each with knowledge. The yaksha then revealed that he was Dharma and granted Yudhishthira two boons and he restored the brethren and gave them all the power to go unrecognized for a year.

I focused my notes on the story of Riddles at the Lake because I liked the story behind it. It was different from the other stories I had read so it was fun and entertaining. I think I could make this story into my own with a few twists.

Bibliography: 
Author: Donald A. Mackenzie
Title: Riddles at the Lake
Link: Link to story