The Yaksha asked,–‘What is the best of all laudable things? What is the most valuable of all his possessions? What is the best of all gains? And what is the best of all kinds of happiness?’ Yudhishthira answered,–“The best of all laudable things is skill; the best of all possessions is knowledge: the best of all gains is health: and contentment is the best of all kinds of happiness.’ The Yaksha asked,–‘What is the highest duty in the world? What is that virtue which always beareth fruit? What is that which if controlled, leadeth not to regret? And who are they with whom an alliance cannot break?’ Yudhishthira answered,–‘The highest of duties is to refrain from injury: the rites ordained in the Three (Vedas) always bear fruit: the mind, if controlled, leadeth to no regret: and an alliance with the good never breaketh.’ The Yaksha asked,–‘What is that which, if renounced, maketh one agreeable? What is that which, if renounced, leadeth to no regret? What is that which, if renounced, maketh one wealthy? And what is that which if renounced, maketh one happy?’ Yudhishthira answered,–‘Pride, if renounced, maketh one agreeable; wrath, if renounced leadeth to no regret: desire, if renounced, maketh one wealthy: and avarice, if renounced, maketh one happy.’
The Yaksha asked,–‘For what doth one give away to Brahmanas? For what to mimes and dancers? For what to servants? And for what to king?’ Yudhishthira answered,–‘It is for religious merit that one giveth away to Brahmanas: it is for fame that one giveth away to mimes and dancers: it is for supporting them that one giveth away to servants: and it is for obtaining relief from fear that one giveth to kings.’ The Yaksha asked,–‘With what is the world enveloped? What is that owing to which a thing cannot discover itself? For what are friends forsaken? And for what doth one fail to go to heaven?’ Yudhishthira answered,–‘The world is enveloped with darkness. Darkness doth not permit a thing to show itself. It is from avarice that friends are forsaken. And it is connection with the world for which one faileth to go to heaven.’ The Yaksha asked,–‘For what may one be considered as dead? For what may a kingdom be considered as dead? For what may a Sraddha be considered as dead? And for what, a sacrifice?’ Yudhishthira answered,–‘For want of wealth may a man be regarded as dead.
A kingdom for want of a king may be regarded as dead. A Sraddha that is performed with the aid of a priest that hath no learning may be regarded as dead. And a sacrifice in which there are no gifts to Brahmanas is dead.’ The Yaksha asked,–‘What constitutes the way? What, hath been spoken of as water? What, as food? And what, as poison? Tell us also what is the proper time of a Sraddha, and then drink and take away as much as thou likest!’ Yudhishthira answered,–‘They that are good constitute the way.[115] Space hath been spoken of as water.[116] The cow is food.[117] A request is poison. And a Brahmana is regarded as the proper time of a Sraddha.[118] I do not know what thou mayst think of all this, O Yaksha?’ The Yaksha asked,–‘What hath been said to be the sign of asceticism? And what is true restraint? What constitutes forgiveness. And what is shame?’ Yudhishthira answered,–‘Staying in one’s own religion is asceticism: the restraint of the mind is of all restraints the true one: forgiveness consists in enduring enmity; and shame, in withdrawing from all unworthy acts.’
The Yaksha asked,–‘What, O king is said to be knowledge? What, tranquillity? What constitutes mercy? And what hath been called simplicity?’ Yudhishthira answered,–‘True knowledge is that of Divinity. True tranquillity is that of the heart. Mercy consists in wishing happiness to all. And simplicity is equanimity of heart.’ The Yaksha asked,–‘What enemy is invincible? What constitutes an incurable disease for man? What sort of a man is called honest and what dishonest?’ Yudhishthira answered,–‘Anger is an invincible enemy. Covetousness constitutes an incurable disease. He is honest that desires the weal of all creatures, and he is dishonest who is unmerciful.’ The Yaksha asked,–‘What, O king, is ignorance? And what is pride? What also is to be understood by idleness? And what hath been spoken of as grief?’ Yudhishthira answered,–‘True ignorance consists in not knowing one’s duties. Pride is a consciousness of one’s being himself an actor or sufferer in life. Idleness consists in not discharging one’s duties, and ignorance in grief.’
The Yaksha asked,–‘What hath steadiness been said by the Rishis to be? And what, patience? What also is a real ablution? And what is charity?’ Yudhishthira answered,–‘Steadiness consists in one’s staying in one’s own religion, and true patience consists in the subjugation of the senses. A true bath consists in washing the mind clean of all impurities, and charity consists in protecting all creatures.’ The Yaksha asked,–‘What man should be regarded as learned, and who should be called an atheist? Who also is to be called ignorant? What is called desire and what are the sources of desire? And what is envy?’ Yudhishthira answered,–‘He is to be called learned who knoweth his duties. An atheist is he who is ignorant and so also he is ignorant who is an atheist. Desire is due to objects of possession, and envy is nothing else than grief of heart.’ The Yaksha asked,–‘What is pride, and what is hypocrisy? What is the grace of the gods, and what is wickedness?’ Yudhishthira answered,–‘Stolid ignorance is pride. The setting up of a religious standard is hypocrisy. The grace of the gods is the fruit of our gifts, and wickedness consists in speaking ill of others.’ The Yaksha asked,–‘Virtue, profit, and desire are opposed to one another.