The Greatest Wonder
Once, while the Pāṇḍavas were in exile, they became extremely thirsty in the forest. Yudhishthir sent his brothers one by one, saying, "There is a lake ahead. Bring water from there."
Unbeknownst to them, a cursed Yaksh lived hidden in that lake. When each brother went to fetch water, the Yaksh stopped him and, in a disrespectful tone, said, "You may not touch this water unless you first answer my sixty questions."
Due to pride in their physical strength, each brother dismissed the Yaksh, saying, "I do not have time for your questions." In response, the Yaksh pulled each one into the lake and rendered them unconscious.
Finally, Yudhishthir himself came to the lake. The Yaksha posed the same challenge to him. But unlike his brothers, Yudhishthir humbly and calmly replied, "Ask your questions."
The first question the Yaksha asked was -
"Kim āścaryam?"
Meaning, what is the greatest wonder in the world?
Yudhishthir answered -
"Ahanyahani bhūtāni gacchantīha yamālayam। śeṣāḥ sthiratvam icchanti kimāścaryam ataḥ param॥"
"People die every day. Some die right after birth, others after a day, a month, ten years, fifty years, or more. Death has no fixed rule or order - it strikes unpredictably.
In contrast, everything else operates by rules. Even inert matter obeys fixed laws - no scientist can change them. Rain falls in its season, winter arrives on time, and nature follows discipline. But death defies all order.
Everyone witnesses death firsthand - it is not hearsay. People see their loved ones dying before their eyes in their own homes. Yet, those who remain do not reflect on the fact that they, too, could leave at any moment.
Just think - if you were to leave in the next moment, what have you truly achieved? Deep down, you know how much wrong you have done. How much time have you actually spent remembering God and Guru?
Despite knowing all this, people delude themselves into believing, "I will not die yet. I am still young. I am only ten years old, or I am only forty years old," and so on.
There is no greater wonder than this."
The Yaksh was pleased with Yudhishthir's answer. He exclaimed, "Jai ho! You have answered correctly. This question had long troubled my mind.” He then asked more questions, all of which Yudhishthir answered wisely and humbly. Pleased, the Yaksha allowed him to drink the water and revived his brothers.
Every day, someone dies - one died yesterday, another is dying today. While carrying the dead body to the cremation ground, people chant, "Rām nām satya hai" (God alone is the truth). But once they return, they forget this truth and begin thinking, "The world is the truth." They start planning how to become millionaires.
Thus, the greatest wonder is that even after seeing others die, those who remain do not think that they, too, could depart at any moment. Therefore, you must avoid wrongdoing, contemplate Hari and Guru, and stop being careless.
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