Shloka 29
यक्ष उवाच अहं बक: शैवलमत्स्यभक्षो नीता मया प्रेतवशं तवानुजा: । त्वं पज्चमो भविता राजपुत्र नचेत् प्रश्नान् पछतो व्याकरोषि,धर्मपुत्रो महाबाहुर्विललाप सुविस्तरम् । अर्जुन मरे पड़े थे; उनके धनुष-बाण इधर-उधर बिखरे थे। भीमसेन और नकुल-सहदेव भी प्राणरहित हो निश्रेष्ट हो गये थे। इन सबको देखकर युधिष्ठिर गरम-गरम लंबी साँसें खींचने लगे। उनके नेत्रोंसे शोकके आँसू उमड़कर उन्हें भिगो रहे थे। अपने समस्त भ्राताओंको इस प्रकार धराशायी हुए देख महाबाह धर्मपुत्र युधिष्ठिर गहरी चिन्तामें डूब गये और देरतक विलाप करते रहे-- यक्ष बोला--राजकुमार! मैं सेवार और मछली खानेवाला बगुला हूँ। मैंने ही तुम्हारे छोटे भाइयोंको यमलोक भेजा है; अतः मेरे पूछनेपर यदि तुम मेरे प्रश्नोंका उत्तर न दोगे, तो तुम भी यमलोकके पाँचवें अतिथि होओगे
yakṣa uvāca—ahaṃ bakaḥ śaivalamatsyabhakṣo nītā mayā pretavaśaṃ tavānujāḥ | tvaṃ pañcamo bhavitā rājaputra nacet praśnān pṛcchato vyākaroṣi || dharmaputro mahābāhur vilalāpa suvistaram | arjunaḥ mṛtaḥ patitaḥ; tasya dhanuṣ-bāṇāḥ itastataḥ vikīrṇāḥ | bhīmasenaḥ ca nakula-sahadevau ca prāṇarahitāḥ niśceṣṭāḥ abhavan | etān sarvān dṛṣṭvā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ uṣṇa-uṣṇaṃ dīrgha-niḥśvāsān ācakṛṣe | tasya netrebhyaḥ śokāśrūṇi udgamya taṃ siñcanti sma | sarvān bhrātṝn evaṃ dharāśayān dṛṣṭvā mahābāhuḥ dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ gāḍha-cintāyāṃ nimagno dīrghakālaṃ vilalāpa—yakṣaḥ uvāca—rājakumāra! ahaṃ śaivāla-matsya-bhakṣaḥ bakaḥ | mayā eva tava kṣudra-bhrātaraḥ yamalokaṃ nītāḥ; ataḥ mama pṛṣṭe yadi praśnān na vyākaroṣi, tarhi tvam api yamalokasya pañcamaḥ atithiḥ bhaviṣyasi ||
The Yaksha said: “I am a heron, feeding on algae and fish. I have sent your younger brothers into the power of Death. O prince, you will be the fifth—unless you answer the questions I ask.” Seeing Arjuna fallen lifeless, his bow and arrows scattered, and Bhima, Nakula, and Sahadeva lying motionless without breath, Yudhishthira drew long, burning sighs. Tears of grief welled up and drenched him. Beholding all his brothers struck down, the mighty-armed son of Dharma sank into deep anxiety and lamented at length. Then the Yaksha spoke again: “Prince, I am a heron that lives on algae and fish. I myself have taken your younger brothers to Yama’s realm; therefore, if you do not reply to my questions when asked, you too will become the fifth guest in the world of Death.”
वैशग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is tested through restraint and truthful, thoughtful speech: even in intense grief, Yudhishthira must respond with clarity and ethical discernment rather than impulse, showing that wisdom and self-mastery are prerequisites for restoring order and life.
After Yudhishthira finds his brothers dead near the lake, the Yaksha—appearing as a heron—declares that he caused their deaths and threatens Yudhishthira as well unless he answers a series of questions, setting up the famous dialogue of the Yaksha-prashnas.