Justice and Equity

Justice and Equity
Leena Mehendale
Dt 27.11.09
Published in Harmony APRIL 2010, SEE http://www.iasmah.org/harmony/apr_10.pdf
This is a story from the world's largest epic, Mahabharat.

The Pandavas had lost their self-earned kingdom to Kauravas in a game of gambling, played between Yudhishthir and Shakuni. As per the condition of game they were living in forests, but still retained their nature -- always ready to hlp someone in difficulty.

One day an old man came and complained that a deer had poked inside his hut and carried away the utensils on its horns. All five brothers went on a chase of the deer and were soon lost in deep jungle, and were tired and thirsty. Yudhishthir sent the youngest brother Sahadev to fetch water. Quite some time passed and he did not return. So Nakul was sent, and there after Arjun and there after Bhima. As all failed to return Yudhishthir set out himself to search them.
Soon he came across a big water-body and found all the four brothers lying dead at its banks. As he wondered how this could have happened, one strange voice addressed him. Its owner, who claimed to be a mighty Yaksha whom Yudhishthir could not see, cautioned that Yudhishthir must not attempt to take water before first answering all the questions asked by the Yaksha. The other four brothers who had not heeded to the warning had lost their life by the strength of the Yaksha.

Yudhishthir agreed to attempt answering questions to the best of his ability. The Yaksha proceeded to ask many questions about Nature, Dharma, etc. He asked over 100 questions. Through their answers, the author of Mahabharat has stated many principles of Ethics, Religion and Philosophy. His last two questions were, "what is the Path of Dharma and what is the greatest wonder of life?"

Yudhishthir answered that all the scriptures and the erudite sages had also been unable to state the tenets of Dharma in unequivocal terms so the Path followed by good people of the past was the right Path of Dharma. The greatest wonder was that even when every day and night people see for themselves that every creature born must die, yet men hanker after accumulation of wealth as if they would live for ever.

Yaksha was very pleased with all the answers and allowed Yudhishthir to take water from the pond and quench his thurst. In addition, he agreed for one more boon, he could bring back to life one of the four dead brothers. Yudhishthir had to name which one.

Without any loss of time Yudhishthir promptly asked that Nakul may be brought back to life. This was the most surprising answer for the Yaksha. He had been thoroughly impressed by earlier intelligent answers and considered this as one silly answer, not befitting Yudhishthir's intelligence that had shone through earlier conversation. Why should Yudhishthir, who needed the might of Bhima or the dexterity of Arjun with his bow to even hope to win any war against Kauravas, not ask for their life? Why did he choose that Nakul should live? What good future was Nakul capable of bringing? The Yaksha was incredulous and asked all these questions.

The reply given by Yudhishthir is one of the brightest spots of the whole Mahabharat. He said, "I do not care for gaining back the kingdom from Kauravas. All I care is that I should never lose my sense of Justice and Equity. My father had two queens, Kunti and Madri. I hold both of them in equal respect. Today, me, the son of Kunti is still living. If I can get back the life of only one brother, it has to be Nakul so that one son of Madri also lives. My sense of Justice and Equity tells me that asking for Bhima or Arjun will not be fair. Getting back Nakul is the only fair deal as only then both the queens of my fatther will have a living son each."

The Yaksha was so much overwhelmed by the sense of Justice and Equity shown by Yudhishthir that he instantly agreed to bring back to life all the four brothers who had died by the blow of his will-power. He also disclosed before Yudhishthir that he was, in disguise of Yaksha, the God Yama-Dharma himself, the surrogate father of Yudhishthir who wanted to meet Yudhishthir and test him. Earlier, it was him in the guise of the deer who had lured the pandavas to run upto the pond.
If we retain our sense of Justice and Equity, the good fruit of it comes to us instantly. That is the lesson for all those who are responsible for Good Governance.
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