Judgment Days Yudhistira Faced

Check the theme here: Pandava Mahaprasthana

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Yudhistira returned from the nearby ashram earlier than he intended. Most of the rishis had left to conduct a yagna in Videha. They wouldn’t return for two months at least. Only three rishis and their wives stayed back since they would travel in a week to another yagna in Kosala. He would have to find another way to spend his time in their absence. So far, Yudhistira spent his time reading and rereading the stories in Puranas and learning their hidden meanings. For someone who considered himself knowledgeable, it was humbling to realize that sometimes, being right put him on the wrong side.

He reached their little hermitage in a few minutes and found it deserted. Yudhistira expected Draupadi to be home with the dog, but neither was around. With a sigh, he washed his feet, hands, and face with the water kept outside in a pot for this purpose. Entering the hut, he drank a small tumbler full of water and stepped outside again. Draupadi’s banyan tree was inviting, so he went to sit under it with the scrolls he borrowed from the rishis.

However, Yudhistira found his mind wandering into the past. He discussed the concept of judgment with the rishis and couldn’t help but think how his family was judged for everything they did or didn’t do. His actions, too, were under scrutiny, and so was he. In fact, Yudhistira could clearly remember the two tests he passed during their thirteen-year exile to save his brothers from a certain death.

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Yudhistira, with his three brothers, Draupadi, and Ghatotkacha, were in Kubera’s kingdom on Mount Gandhamadana. They reunited with Arjuna after five years, the longest the brothers spent away from each other. Yudhistira felt assured that Arjuna trained under Indra, his birth father, and received several celestial weapons. In the coming war, he hoped it would be an equal fight. Despite what others thought, Yudhistira knew the war would happen. Duryodhana wouldn’t honor the agreement. His greed wouldn’t let him return Indraprastha to the Pandavas.

“Elder brother, don’t worry about the war. The devas trained me to defeat anyone, no matter the size of their army or the weapons they possessed.” Arjuna said when they sat for lunch.

“My arms are enough to crush that evil Duryodhana and his advisors,” Bhima added, flexing his trunk-like muscles.

“Don’t forget, Shakuni is mine.” Sahadeva reminded them.

Nakula wasn’t the one to be silent, so too said. “Let them do what they can. We will take back what’s rightfully ours and fulfill Pitashri’s dream.”

Yudhistira smiled and told them they had to be patient. While he could convince his brothers to settle for something less, he knew the chances of such a proposal being accepted were also zero. However, they would try. He didn’t want the world to call his family greedy, not when he was to blame for losing the empire in a game of dice. How naïve of him to think his ready acceptance would have resulted in peace! The more he bent backward to prevent bloodshed, the messier the situation had become.

Draupadi was yet to forgive him. To be truthful, he didn’t want her to. Yudhistira didn’t know if he could forgive himself for being responsible for her suffering. She had five husbands, five men who promised to treasure her, and in his attempt to follow Kshatriya dharma, he deviated from his svadharma. No matter how much he convinced himself that he did the right thing, it didn’t sit right. The hollow in his heart remained.

“Maharaja, where is Bhima?” Draupadi asked, looking around the ashram. “Hasn’t he returned yet?”

Yudhistira blinked his thoughts away and replied. “I didn’t know he went somewhere.”

The sudden darkening of the sky made them uneasy.

“Nakula! Sahadeva! Arjuna!” He called.

“They went downhill a while ago. Bhima said he wanted to walk in the forest.” Draupadi said, squinting into the surrounding forest to see if she could find him. “I wasn’t feeling well and took a quick nap. He said he’d be back by the time I woke up.”

“How are you now?” Yudhistira asked, noting she looked pale.

“I feel better, Maharaja. But my mind wouldn’t rest until I see Bhima.”

Yudhistira stood. “I’ll find him.”

“But it’s getting dark!”

“I’ll be fine. Who knows what Bhima got into this time? If the others come, don’t let them come for us until moonrise.” Yudhistira said.

Draupadi nodded, still worried.

Yudhistira found Bhima’s trail right away. His brother wasn’t known for his subtlety. He created a straightforward path to follow. However, Yudhistira’s relief turned to worry when the path went deep into the dark forest. Kubera, the yaksha king who ruled these lands, had warned them not to enter the forbidden areas.

“O Bhima! Always itching for a fight, aren’t you?” Yudhistira sighed.

At last, he saw a cave at a distance and heard voices. One of those sounded like Bhima, so he ran to the spot.

A massive boa constrictor was curled around Bhima, ready to gobble him as food.

“Bhima!”

“O Yudhistira! You came!” Bhima turned to the snake and said. “He will answer your questions, and then you can let me go.”

“What’s going on?” He asked, trying to assess the situation.

The snake introduced himself as Nahusha, their ancestor. He was Yayati’s father, who once ruled swarga but got cursed by the rishis to become a snake for his arrogance. “I can eat only one every six days, that too, the first prey I catch. However, if you answer my questions and clear the test, I will release Bhima. It will also break my curse.”

Yudhistira calmed his racing heart and agreed to the conditions. He could do that. All the time he spent learning would come to his aid.

“I’m ready, great ancestor! Please ask.” He replied.

The questions hit him one after another. No sooner than he replied to one, the snake asked another. Yudhistira lost track of time. His focus was only on the questions. Nahusha asked about morality, ethics, justice, the human body, senses, and many other tricky topics. Sometimes, there was no right answer—only the right answer in the context.

When he thought it wouldn’t end, Nahusha decided the test was done. “You have passed the test, my worthy descendant. You freed me from my curse and allowed me to return to swarga in my celestial form. I can shed his snake’s body forever.”

The boa constrictor disappeared, and in its place stood a shimmering and handsome king with broad shoulders and long legs.

“Yudhistira and Bhima, you, your brothers, and wife have my blessings. May you always be on the side of dharma and bring glory to Bharatavarsha.”

He vanished as Yudhistira and Bhima bowed in respect.

“Let’s go back. Draupadi is worried.” Yudhistira said.

Bhima winced. “Maharani will not be happy. I was supposed to be there when she woke up.”

“Why did you come here?”

“I thought I could find something to cheer her up.”

Yudhistira shook his head in resignation. “We’ll find something tomorrow.”

A few years later, in the last six months of their exile, Yudhistira had to face judgment day again. They were worried about where to spend the crucial thirteenth year in incognito. The twelve years in the forests were easier compared to what was to come. If anyone identified them before the year ended, they would have to repeat the exile.

One day, a Brahmin came to them with tears, asking for help. A deer had stolen his yagna kindle. Yudhistira and his brothers promised to retrieve the bundle and searched for the deer that was nowhere to be found. Soon, they were in an unfamiliar part of the forest.

“Let’s rest for a while. Sahadeva, do you see any water body nearby to quench our thirst?” Yudhistira asked his younger brother, who was fond of climbing trees.

“Yes. There’s one to our left. It looks large too.” Sahadeva replied from the branches above.

“I’ll bring us water,” Nakula said.

However, he didn’t return for a long time. One by one, the others went. Yudhistira guessed something had gone wrong and rushed to the lake. He saw his four brothers lying unconscious on the ground. He stepped into the water when a voice called from a distance.

“Stop, human! This is my lake. Your brothers died because they refused to take my permission and answer my questions. You will face the same fate if you disobey.”

Yudhistira searched and found a deformed form swinging from a dead tree branch on the other side of the lake. He couldn’t take the risk and disobey that creature.

“O deva, whoever you are! I request your permission to use your lake to quench my thirst and revive my brothers.” He said with folded hands.

“Human, I’m a yaksha! First, answer my questions, and then you get to drink the water. I will decide later about your brothers.”

Yudhistira agreed. The alternative wasn’t worth it. Once again, he faced a barrage of questions about types of dharma, science, rishis, law and administration, ruling a kingdom, and more. He answered with care and concentration until he felt the world swim. He was exhausted and on the verge of losing consciousness.

The creepy yaksha seemed satisfied at last. “You did good, human! Now, have a handful of water.”

Yudhistira stepped into the cool lake and drank the water to soothe his parched throat. He felt his senses come alive.

“You can revive only one brother, warrior. Who will you choose?”

Yudhistira was heartbroken but knew whom he wanted to save. “Nakula.”

The yaksha looked surprised. “Why him when Bhima or Arjuna could be a better choice?”

Yudhistira shook his head. “Nakula is Maa Madri’s child. If only two of us five brothers can live, it has to be one son of each mother.”

“I’m impressed, Raja.” The yaksha transformed into a deva.

Yudhistira gasped as he saw his birth father Dharma.

“You’ve done well, my son, and passed the test. The Pandavas shall always be five brothers.” He smiled and waved his arm. Arjuna, Bhima, Nakula, and Sahadeva stirred. “Ask me for a boon.”

“Please bless us to complete our agnathavas, the year of incognito without being identified by anyone,” Yudhistira replied, bowing to touch his father’s feet.

“Granted! No one will see who you are even when you are in the open. You will complete the exile as per the terms.” Dharma declared and disappeared.

Yudhistira and his brothers discussed the events as they returned to the hut where Draupadi was worried for them.

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“Elder Brother! When have you returned?” Sahadeva asked, sinking to the ground beside him and leaning against the tree.

“A while ago,” He replied with a smile. His youngest brother smelled of cattle and grass as always.

Yudhistira hoped there would be no more tests and judgments. They had been through enough and wished to complete the Mahaprasthana without tests.

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