Shloka 43
युधिछिर उवाच न चाहं कामये यक्ष तव पूर्वपरिग्रहम् । काम॑ नैतत् प्रशंसन्ति सन््तो हि पुरुषा: सदा,युधिष्ठिरने कहा--यक्ष! मैं तुम्हारे अधिकारकी वस्तुको नहीं ले जाना चाहता। मैं स्वयं ही अपनी बड़ाई करूँ; इस बातकी सत्पुरुष कभी प्रशंसा नहीं करते। मैं अपनी बुद्धिके अनुसार तुम्हारे प्रश्नोंका उत्तर दूँगा, तुम मुझसे प्रश्न करो
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | na cāhaṁ kāmaye yakṣa tava pūrva-parigraham | kāmaṁ naitat praśaṁsanti santaḥ hi puruṣāḥ sadā | yathā-buddhi tava praśnān uttarāṇi dadāmi te | pṛccha māṁ tvaṁ mahā-bāho ||
Yudhiṣṭhira disse: “Ó Yakṣa, não desejo tomar o que já está sob tua reivindicação anterior. Os bons não louvam a autopromoção nem a vanglória; os homens nobres sempre a evitam. Responderei às tuas perguntas conforme o meu entendimento—pergunta-me o que quiseres.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse upholds ethical restraint: do not seize what is under another’s rightful prior claim, and avoid self-praise. True nobility is shown through humility and measured speech, answering responsibly within one’s understanding.
In the Yakṣa-prashna episode, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses the Yakṣa who controls the situation at the lake. He refuses to take what belongs to the Yakṣa and agrees to answer the Yakṣa’s questions thoughtfully, inviting the interrogation to proceed.