THE NEVER FADING ROLE MODEL!

During their exile period, King Yudhisthira on a day sent his brothers one after the other to a nearby pond to fetch some water as the earlier sent brother had not returned. Lord Yama in the guise of Yaksha stopped and asked them each to answer His Questions first before touching the water which they didn't care to reply. Thus they fell off collapsed near the pond..

Finally, King Yudhisthira went there in search of his brothers and faced Lord Yama. With all due respect, he instantly replied all the Questions put to him. Lord Yama pleased, gave a single boon to the King that one of his brothers would be brought back to life..

King Yudhisthira replied,

• “Reverend Sir, I am the eldest to my mother and I am alive. My other mother had 2 sons and both of them are not alive now. I pray, You please bring back her one of the twin sons, Prince Nakul to life. That way both of my mothers will have their one son each living here afterwards!”

Lord Yama pleased with the Dharma followed by the Great King, brought back all the brothers to life!

Subsequent to that, Lord Yama asked Him to seek a boon of wealth, strength and power and his 4 brothers too asked him to seek the boon. Yudhisthira said,

• "Reverend Sir! You, my father asked me to seek a boon for me. My brothers too asked me to seek a boon for me. The 2 boons are boons of sacrifice of others and if I seek boon for me it sure becomes a sin. I need no boon!'

In the fag end of their lives, as Pandavas lead their Final Pilgrimage to Himalayas, they one by one fell off but Yudhisthira along with a dog followed alone could go up. When He was told that He would be allowed into Heaven only if He leaves the dog followed, Yudhisthira says,

• "I do not want Heaven if the life followed me all along is left out!"

Pleased with that, as He was allowed to enter Heavenly Abode untainted by any sin, he saw his brothers in hell taking punishments for the sins they committed.. Seeing that, the King said,

• "I'd love to be in hell along with my brothers till they complete their term and we together seek heavenly bliss!"

Such acts of Yudhsthira as depicted in the Great Epic Mahabharata in upholding Justice and Dharma ever make Him the Role Model Who refuses fade from my memory!

The Post is written in line with this week's IndiSpire Prompt A character - from a novel or movie or drama, whatever - that refuses to fade from your memory. #UnforgettableCharacter

Keywords: ROLE, MODEL