The Legend of the Virtuous Crane

*    The second most important tale of the Mahabharta, after the Gita 
      is the Legend of the Virtuous Crane:-

  

*    At the end of incognito exile of 12 years, the Pandava princes came

      across a Brahmin who complained that a deer had taken his Arani,  

      the pair of wooden blocks to generate fire, on its antlers and therefore

      he was not able to light fire for performing the Vedic rituals. The

      Pandava princes set out to retrieve the Arani.

  *   While chasing the mysterious deer, Yudhisthir, the eldest became

      exhausted and thirsty. Sahadeva, the youngest, ventured to fetch

      water and found a beautiful lake, devoid of any living creature except 

      a crane. When Sahadeva attempted to take water from the lake, the 

      crane spoke, "O Sahadeva! The water of this lake will turn into poison 

      if you take it without answering my questions. Sahadeva, in arrogance  

      paid no heed and hurriedly took water. After drinking the water which 

      appeared crystal clear,  Sahadeva died instantly of poisoning. The next

      Pandava,  Nakula followed Sahadeva, found the same lake, saw dead

      Sahadeva, and was also warned by the crane. But he too ridiculed the

      crane and died after drinking the water. In the same manner, both

      Arjuna, and Bheema, met the same fate.

 *  When none of the brothers returned with water, a worried Yudhisthir

     went in their search. Following the same path, he came across the lake

     and found all his brothers lying dead. Before looking for the killer, he

     decided to drink water from the lake. But when the crane warned him,

     he harked back and listened intently and realised that the crane holds

     the answer to the turn of events. A virtuous Yudhisthir represented,

     he proceeded to answer the questions put forth by the crane.

*   Before putting questions to Yudhisthir, the crane revealed itself as a

     Yaksha. The Yaksha asked 18 questions with philosophical and

     meta-physical ramifications. Some important parts of the dialogue

     are as follows:-

Q.   What is heavier than earth, higher than heavens, faster than wind 

       and more than straws?

A.   One's mother is heavier than the earth; one's father is higher than 

       the heavens. The mind is faster than wind and our worries are more 

       than straws.

Q.   Who is the friend of a traveller? Who is the friend of one who is

       ill and one who is dying?

A.   The friend of a traveller is his companion. The physician is the

       friend of one who is sick and a dying man's friend is charity.

Q.   What is that which, when renounced, makes one lovable? What

       is that which when renounced makes one happy and wealthy?

A.   Pride, if renounced makes one lovable; by renouncing desire one 

       becomes wealthy; and to renounce avarice is to obtain happiness.

Q.   What enemy is invincible? What constitutes an incurable disease?

       What sort of man is noble and what ignoble?

A.   Anger is the invincible enemy. Covetousness constitutes a disease

       that is incurable. He is noble who desires the well-being of all

       creatures, and ignoble who is without mercy.

Q.   Who is truly happy? What is the greatest wonder? 

A.   He who has no debts is truly happy. Day after day countless people

      die. Yet the wish to live forever is the greatest wonder ? 

*    Satisfied, the Yaksha brought the four Pandavas back to life........