The ennobling aspect of human life is Dharma or righteous living and scriptures and sacred texts emphasise this truth relentlessly through episodes and characters that serve to inspire and instil this trait. Yudhishtira is characterised as the embodiment of Dharma and the Yaksha Prasna episode in the Mahabharata brings out his single-minded focus on it, said Srimati Prema Pandurang in a discourse. Like a lamp that does not get put out even in the presence of strong winds,Yudhistira remains unruffled and does not slip from Dharma even under situations that are full of gravity.
It so happened that a Brahmin had approached the Pandavas with the complaint that the wooden sticks with which he used to rub vigorously to create fire were taken away by a deer. Immediately the brothers went in search of the deer following its footprints to help the Brahmin. It seemed to be an endless chase that made them tired and thirsty.
Spotting a lake nearby, Sahadeva offered to bring water to them. But a crane warned him of the dire consequence of death, if he partook of the water. Ignoring the warning, Sahadeva drank and fell dead. The others, Nakula, Arjuna and Bheema followed him to the lake, reacted in the same manner and fell dead.
At last Yudhishtira too came to the spot and found his brothers in this state. He too was warned by the crane. In addition, the crane wished him to answer questions. In full humility, he agreed to do so.
The crane reveals its identity as a Yaksha and puts forth questions based on a variety of topics related to human existence, spanning the practical and the philosophical. Every answer is sharp and reveals the clarity of his mind and the purity of his heart. The Yaksha is pleased and offers to bring to life one of his brothers. Yudhishtira chooses Nakula. The Yaksha is surprised and wants to know why he did not choose Arjuna or Bheema. It was because, even as Kunti had him alive, so too Madri would have Nakula alive. Finally all the brothers were brought back to life. The Yaksha Prasna is a fund of knowledge, common sense and reveals practical Dharma.
