The story that I chose to focus on in this section is Riddles at the Lake. I chose this story because it is a very fun read and it is one of the most popular. I loved looking through the original and reading through all the riddles it provides- I really love riddles and trying to solve them!
Plot/ Reading Notes:
- The Pandavas are entering the end of their twelfth year of exile. However, before they could leave, a strange and dreadful adventure presented itself to them. A stag carried away on its antlers the twigs that were required for the Brahmin to light his holy fire. The Brahmin pleaded to Yudhishthira to pursue the animal, and the Pandavas wanted badly to kill it or cut off its wings. They grew tired of chasing the animal and sat down to rest. They were thirsty and olne of the men climbed a banyan tree to search for signs of water in the wilderness. He spotted a pond and Yudhiishthira sent Nakula to check it out. The man approached to inspect the water when he suddenly hear a voice which declared that he must answer his questions before he can drink the water.
- Nakula's thirst was thirst was bigger than his fear of the voice so he drank the water without solving the riddles and dropped dead.
-Sahadeva followed soon behind curious about his brother. He too drank the water without answering the questions and dropped dead as well.
-Arjuna was the next person to go towards the water. He too heard the voice and demanded it to reveal itself.
- He then drew his bow and the arrow flew through the sky. Assuming he had scared the voice, he drank the water. He too, fell dead. Bhima followed him and drank the water and was struck down like the other three men.
-Yudhishthira then approached the pond and saw his friends had died. Filled with sorrow, he called out to the voice, demanding he reveal himself.
- The voice responded and introduced himself as Yaksha. The voice went on to explain that he had warned the men not to drink without solving his riddle, but they ignored him and drank anyway. The voice told Yudhishthira that if he answers his questions, he will be able to drink from the water without consequences.
- Yudhishthira agreed, saying, "Speak and I shall answer."
- Yaksha asked Yudhishthira a series of riddles, which he answered.
- Once Yudishthira had answered the questions with much wisdom, Yaksha revealed himself in the form of Dharma, the God of wisdom and justice. He was the Celestial sire of Yudhishthira. He granted two wishes to his son, and Yudhishthira asked that his friends' lives be restored, and that they should have the power to remain n unrecognizable to anyone in the three worlds for a year.
writing thoughts:
- I have a couple of ideas for this story to be rewritten. One idea would be to modernize it like many of my other stories. I could put it in a modern setting where the men are camping instead of being in exile, and that this pond would be their first real interaction with the supernatural world.
- My second idea would be to keep the same setting but focus more on the riddles in the story and talk about Yaksha's mindset.
Plot/ Reading Notes:
- The Pandavas are entering the end of their twelfth year of exile. However, before they could leave, a strange and dreadful adventure presented itself to them. A stag carried away on its antlers the twigs that were required for the Brahmin to light his holy fire. The Brahmin pleaded to Yudhishthira to pursue the animal, and the Pandavas wanted badly to kill it or cut off its wings. They grew tired of chasing the animal and sat down to rest. They were thirsty and olne of the men climbed a banyan tree to search for signs of water in the wilderness. He spotted a pond and Yudhiishthira sent Nakula to check it out. The man approached to inspect the water when he suddenly hear a voice which declared that he must answer his questions before he can drink the water.
- Nakula's thirst was thirst was bigger than his fear of the voice so he drank the water without solving the riddles and dropped dead.
-Sahadeva followed soon behind curious about his brother. He too drank the water without answering the questions and dropped dead as well.
-Arjuna was the next person to go towards the water. He too heard the voice and demanded it to reveal itself.
- He then drew his bow and the arrow flew through the sky. Assuming he had scared the voice, he drank the water. He too, fell dead. Bhima followed him and drank the water and was struck down like the other three men.
-Yudhishthira then approached the pond and saw his friends had died. Filled with sorrow, he called out to the voice, demanding he reveal himself.
- The voice responded and introduced himself as Yaksha. The voice went on to explain that he had warned the men not to drink without solving his riddle, but they ignored him and drank anyway. The voice told Yudhishthira that if he answers his questions, he will be able to drink from the water without consequences.
- Yudhishthira agreed, saying, "Speak and I shall answer."
- Yaksha asked Yudhishthira a series of riddles, which he answered.
- Once Yudishthira had answered the questions with much wisdom, Yaksha revealed himself in the form of Dharma, the God of wisdom and justice. He was the Celestial sire of Yudhishthira. He granted two wishes to his son, and Yudhishthira asked that his friends' lives be restored, and that they should have the power to remain n unrecognizable to anyone in the three worlds for a year.
writing thoughts:
- I have a couple of ideas for this story to be rewritten. One idea would be to modernize it like many of my other stories. I could put it in a modern setting where the men are camping instead of being in exile, and that this pond would be their first real interaction with the supernatural world.
- My second idea would be to keep the same setting but focus more on the riddles in the story and talk about Yaksha's mindset.
This photo titled "Pond" comes from Jennifer C. on Flickr
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