Yudhisthira: Encyclopedia - Yudhisthira

Yudhisthira

In the great Hindu epic Mahabharata, Yudhisthira (Sanskrit: युधिष्ठिर्, yudhishthir) was the eldest son of King Pandu and Queen Kunti, king of Hastinapura and Indraprastha, and World Emperor. He was the principal protagonist of the Kurukshetra War, and for his unblemished piety, known as Dharmaraja (Most pious one).

Yudhisthira - Birth and Upbringing

Pandu, the king of Hastinapura and father of the Pandavas could not sire children as he was cursed to die by a brahmin in deer form whom he had accidently killed, if he engaged in intercourse with his wives.

He was born of a boon given to Queen Kunti, who had been grant the power to invoke the Devas by Rishi Durvasa. Yudhisthira was born when Kunti invoked the Lord of Righteousness Dharma, or Yama. Being Pandu's eldest son, Yudhisthira was the rightful heir to the throne of Hastinapura, held by Pandu's blind brother Dhritarashtra. This claim was contested by the latter's son, Duryodhana.

Yudhisthira's four younger brothers were Bhima (son of Vayu), Arjuna (son of Indra), and the twins Nakula and Sahadeva (sons of the Ashwini Gods). If Karna, the son of Kunti by Lord Surya is counted, Yudhisthira would be the second-eldest of six Pandava brothers.

Yudhisthira was trained in religion, science, administration and military arts by the Kuru preceptors Kripa and Drona. He was a master of the spear weapon, and a maharatha, capable of combating 10,000 opponents all together at a time.

Yudhisthira is also known as Bharata (Descendent of the line of Bharata), Partha and Ajatashatru (One Without Enemies).

Yudhisthira - son of Dharma

Yudhisthira's true prowess was at his unflinching adherence to satya and dharma, which were more precious to him than any royal ambitions, material pursuits and family relations.

Yudhisthira rescues Bhima from Nahusha, and all of his four brothers from death by exemplifying his immense knowledge of dharma and religion to his father Lord Yama, who was testing him.

Due to his piety, Yudhisthira's feet and his chariot do not touch the ground, to symbolize his purity.

Yudhisthira - King of Indraprastha

Yudhisthira and his brothers are favored by the Kuru elders like Bhishma, Vidura Kripa and Drona over the Kauravas due to their devotion to their elders, pious habits and great aptitude in religion and military skills, and all the necessary qualifications for the greatest of the kshatriya order.

Yudhisthira marries the Panchali princess Draupadi, who bears him his son Prativindya.

When the Pandavas come of age, king Dhritarashtra seeks to avoid a conflict of the Pandavas with his sons, the Kauravas by giving Yudhisthira half the Kuru kingdom, albeit the lands which were arid, unprosperous and scantily populated, known as Khandavaprastha.

But with the help of Lord Krishna, a new city of Indraprastha is constructed by the Deva architect Viswakarman. The Asura architect Mayasura constructs the Mayasabha, which is the largest regal assembly hall in the world. Yudhisthira is crowned king of Khandavaprastha and Indraprastha. As he governs with absolute piousness, with a strict adherence to duty and service to this people, his kingdom grows prosperous, and people from all over are attracted to it.

Yudhisthira - Rajasuya

Yudhisthira performs the Rajasuya sacrifice to become the Emperor of the World. His motives are not to obtain power for himself, but to establish dharma and defend religion all over the world by suppressing the enemies of Krishna and sinful, aggressive kings.

Arjuna, Bhima, Nakula and Sahadeva lead armies across the four corners of the world to obtain tributes from all kingdoms for Yudhisthira's sacrifice. At his sacrifice, Yudhisthira honors Krishna as the most famous and greatest personality.

Yudhisthira - Exile of 14 years

Yudhisthira is unable to refuse the challenge of Duryodhana's uncle Shakuni, and gambles away his kingdom, his wealth, his brothers and his wife. The first time all of this is returned by Dhritarashtra owing to the protests of Vidura, Bhishma and Drona, but Yudhisthira loses all of this a second time. After Krishna magically rescues Draupadi from humiliation, the brothers and their wife are obligated to spend fourteen years in exile in the forest before they could relcaim their kingdom.

Yudhisthira is criticized by Draupadi and Bhima for succumbing to temptation and playing dice, an art he is absolutely unskilled at, making the Pandavas prey to Shakuni and Duryodhana's evil designs. Yudhisthira reproaches himself for weakness of mind, but at the time he argued that it was impossible to refuse a challenge of any nature, as he was a kshatriya and obligated to stand by the kshatriya code of honor.

During the fourteen years, he is repeatedly tested for staunch adherence to religious values in face of adversity.

In the last year of exile, the Pandavas must disguise themselves and not be discovered. Yudhisthira assumes the guise of a brahmin courtier and dice player, a skill he is taught by Narada Muni, and lives in the Matsya Rajya of king Virata.

Yudhisthira - The War at Kurukshetra

Yudhisthira makes numerous efforts of diplomatic means to retrieve his kingdom peacefully, but Duryodhana refuses to concede. Dhritarashtra even appeals to Yudhisthira to not start a war that would kill his own relatives, an idea that appalls Yudhisthira. But Krishna reiterates that Yudhisthira's claim was righteous, and the deeds of Duryodhana were evil. If all peace efforts failed, war would be the only, and most righteous course.

Yudhisthira heavily relies on the advice and support of Lord Krishna, whom he recognizes as the Avatara of Vishnu, the Supreme Godhead, Brahman. There are many passages in the Mahabharata in which his will to fight a bloody war for the sake of a kingdom falters, but Krishna justifies the war as moral and as the unavoidable duty of all moral warriors.

Yudhisthira - Drona's death

In the war, Yudhisthira is targeted by Kuru commander Drona to be captured, but the latter fails to accomplish this. The Kuru commander and preceptor is however killing hundreds of thousands of Pandava warriors and thus advancing Duryodhana's cause.

Krishna asks Yudhisthira to proclaim that Drona's son Ashwathama has died, so that the invincible and destructive Kuru commander would give up his arms and thus could be killed. Bhima proceeds to kill an elephant named Ashwathama, and loudly proclaims that Ashwathama is dead.

Drona knows that only Yudhisthira, with his firm adherence to the truth, could tell him for sure if his son had died. When Drona approaches Yudhisthira to seek to confirm this, Yudhisthira tells him that Ashwathama is dead..., then in a low tone, ..the elephant.

Yudhisthira cannot make himself tell an entire lie, despite the fact that if Drona continued to fight, the Pandavas and the cause of dharma itself would lose. When he speaks his half-lie, Yudhisthira's feet and chariot descend to the ground momentarily. Drona is disheartened, and lays down his weapons. He is then killed by Dhristadyumna.

Yudhisthira himself kills Shalya, the king of Madras and the last Kuru commander.

Yudhisthira - Emperor of the World

At the end of the war, Yudhisthira and the Pandava army emerge victorious, but the sons of Draupadi and many Pandava heroes like Dhristadyumna, Abhimanyu, Virata, Drupada and many others are dead. Millions of warriors on both sides have been killed.

Yudhisthira performs tarpana for the souls of the departed. Upon his return to Hastinapura, he is crowned king of both Indraprastha and Hastinapura.

Out of his piousness, Yudhisthira retains Dhristarashtra as the king of the city of Hastinapura, and offers him complete respect and deference as an elder, despite his misdeeds and the evil of his dead sons.

Yudhisthira - Ashwamedha

Yudhisthira performs the Ashwamedha yagna to re-establish the rule of dharma all over the world. His brother Arjuna leads the Pandava army and all the world's kings attend his glorious sacrifice. He is once again established as the undisputed emperor of the World.

Yudhisthira - Retirement and Ascent to Heaven

Upon the onset of the Kali yuga and the death of Krishna, Yudhisthira and his brothers retire, leaving the throne to the son of Abhimanyu, Parikshita. Giving up all their belongings and ties, the Pandavas begin their final journey of pilgrimage in the Himalayas.

While climbing the peaks, one by one Draupadi and each Pandava in descending order fall to their deaths, each by the weight of their guilt of few, but real sins. But Yudhisthira reaches the mountain peak, because he is unblemished by sin or un-truth. Here he meets a lone dog.

The true character of Yuddhisthira is revealed at the end of the Mahabharata. Indra, King of Gods arrives to take Yudhisthira to heaven in his Golden Chariot. As Yudhisthira is about to step into the Chariot, the Deva tells him to leave behind his companion dog. Such an unholy creature is not worthy of heaven. Yudhisthira steps back. He refuses to leave behind the creature who he has taken into his shelter. Indra wonders at him - "You can leave your brothers behind, not arranging proper creamtions for them...and you refuse to leave behind a stray dog!"

Yudhisthira says, "Draupadi and my Brothers have left me, not me." And he refuses to go to heaven without his companion. At that moment the dog changes into the God Dharma, his father, who was testing him...and Yudhisthira has passed with distinction.But the test is yet not over.

Yudhisthira is carried away on Indra's chariot, but in Heaven he doesnot find his virtuous Brothers or his wife Draupadi. Instaed he sees Duryodhana and his evil allies. He is surprised. The Gods tell him that his Brothers are in Hell atoning their little sins, while Duryodhana is in heaven since he died at the blessed place of Kurukshetra.

Yudhisthira goes to Naraka to meet his brothers, but the sights and sounds of gore and blood horrify him. He sees tortued souls crying for help. He canot stand the pain and asks his Devdoot charoteer to turn back, but then he hears the voice of his dear brothers and beloved Draupadi. He cringes in horror. He is shocked at how virtuous men are condemned to hell, and orders the Devdoot to go back, staying there himself.

At that moment the scene changes. This was yet another illusion to test him in one hand and on other hand atone his sin of using deceit to kill Drona. Indra and Lord Krishna appears before him and says that his brothers are already in Heaven and so are his enemies.

Earthly virtues and vices dont hold true in heavenly realms and all the principal characters of the Mahabharata unify with their divine counterparts. Lord Krishna yet again hails Yudhisthira for his dharma, and bows to him.

See also

• • Hindu mythology, Hinduism, Wars of Hindu Mythology

Categories: Articles containing Indic text | Mahabharata epic

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Yudhisthira", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki