Namaskar Oct 2012

Mythology in a Minute
Pleased with all of Yudhishthir’s answers, the Yaksha revealed
himself to be none other than Yudhishthir’s father, Dharmaraja,
Yama, the Lord of Death. Yama restored the four brothers to life.
He then granted three boons to Yudhishthir. The brahmin’s
implements were returned. The five Pandavas princes were granted
the boon of a safe year in exile when no one would be able to
recognize them. And finally, Yudhishtir was granted his wish of
victory over greed, anger and delusion and
constant abidance in generosity, austerity and
truth.
This story comes from Veda Vyasa’s
Mahabharata.
Tia, a yoga teacher, writes from India.
Poetry of Yoga
Flying At Night
Krishna Das
Questions from a Crane
Tia Sinha
Yudhishtir, the just king, was thirsty. He and his four Pandava
brothers had been chasing, in vain, a deer that had run away with
implements stuck on its antlers. The brahmin ascetic to whom
those implements belonged had appealed to the Pandava brothers
to retrieve them.
The youngest brother, Nakula, spotted some cranes from the top
of a tree in the forest and went towards them in search of water.
Upon reaching a beautiful lake adorned with lotus blossoms,
Nakula ventured close to quench his own thirst and fetch some
water for his brothers. Suddenly, a voice rang out, asking him to
stop and answer some questions before drinking from the lake.
There were only cranes in the lake. Overcome with thirst, Nakula
disobeyed the command and promptly died. Soon after, one by
one, Yudhishtir sent his three other brothers to investigate the
delay and to fetch water. The same fate befell each of the brothers.
When Yudhishthir himself reached the lake, he was distraught to
find his four valiant brothers lying dead on the shore. Realizing
that this was the handiwork of no ordinary creature, Yudhishthir
pleaded that the murderer reveal himself. Then, a crane asked
Yudhishthir to answer some questions. The crane then revealed
itself to be a gigantic and frightening Yaksha whose questions
Yudhishthir was prepared to answer before quenching his thirst.
The Yaksha asked dozens of philosophical questions. When he
asked what was surprising, Yudhishthir replied that everyday
people die, but everyone believes they will live forever. In short, no
one is prepared to die. No one is prepared for death.
From up here, I can see clearly.
Faint flickering lights hint at the path of a winding road
That stretches out across the land.
Dice thrown on the table of the night.
The light of a town glares in the distance,
A burning ember held in the black palm of the night.
People are drawn to this cold fire
to live near others of their kind.
I can see their lives from here.
Another faint spark flickers
in the dark distance.
An outpost at the edge of what men know...
Let me live there,
on that edge that swallows men
and their electricity.
Embracing all in silent wonder.
Fearless.
Gigantic.
Invisible.
From Poetry of Yoga, A Contemporary Anthology,
Volume 1 Edited by HawaH, 2011
Reproduced with permission
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