Monday Motivation From Scriptures (MMFS-14): Unselfishness is more gainful – How?

Hi

It is a matter of choices everywhere. It is normal to go for the one that gives the highest benefit to the self. But the challenge arises when it is beneficial to the self but not fair to do so. How did Yudhishthira respond when tested with such a situation? Let us look at this incident from the Mahabharata

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Unselfishness is more gainful – How?

One day, during the period of aranyavasa, Yudhishthira sent his brother Nakula to fetch water from a nearby pond. When Nakula was about to take water from the pond, he heard a voice, “The pool belongs to me. Answer my questions before drinking water from it.” Nakula did not care to respond, drank water from it, and immediately died. Then Sahadeva, Arjuna, and Bhima went one after the other, did not care to respect the words of the voice (yaksha), drank water, and dropped to the ground.

Finally, Yudhishthira went there and the same voice warned him. But, he promptly answered all the questions to which the Yaksha felt happy and told him, “I am impressed with your answers. I will revive 1 out your 4 dead brothers. Whom do you want? He shall come back to life.” Yudhishthira thought for a moment and asked for Nakula to be brought alive. The Yaksha was further pleased at this and asked Yudhishthira, “Why did you choose Nakula instead of Bhima and Arjuna who are more powerful?” Yudhishthira replied, “Kunti and Madri were two wives of my father. As I am son of Kunti, she is not completely bereaved. In order that the scale of justice may be even, I ask that Madri’s son Nakula may revive.”

The Yaksha was so pleased with Yudhishthira’s impartiality that he brought all the 4 brothers back to life.

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Yudhishthira followed dharma and remained fair when tested. It may be tempting to go for undue gains and unfair means of wealth. But in the long run, it is the unselfish fairness that fetches the best and the most. 

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With love and regards,

Siva