The Yaksha's Quiz
BBC Knowledge|February 2017

One day, a man approached the Pandavas while they were in exile in the forest.

The Yaksha's Quiz

“I need your help, Yudhishthira!” he said, addressing the oldest of the five brothers.

“I had hung some arani from a tree branch next to my ashram,” he continued. “Suddenly, a deer came and started scratching its back on the tree. In the process, it shook the arani, which fell from the branch and got stuck in its horns. Startled, the deer took off at a high speed. I ran behind the deer but couldn’t catch up with it. I can’t start my yagna without the wood. Please, will you help me?”

The Pandavas knew that they could easily get the arani wood back for the man. It was their duty to care for their subjects, so they agreed to help him. The five brothers began to look for the deer. Soon, they saw the animal from a distance and tried to surround it, but it sprinted away. They tried again and again to capture the deer, but it proved too fast for them. Tired, the brothers finally sat down under a tree.

Yudhishthira said to his younger brother Nakula, “Brother, will you fetch some water for all of us?”

Nakula nodded and climbed up a tree so he could locate the nearest water body. He saw one not too far away from them so he got down and told his brother, “There is a pond nearby. I will bring some water for all of you.”

When Nakula reached the pond, he was mesmerised at the fabulous sight in front of him – the crystal-clear water was surrounded by beautiful trees, creepers and flowers. Then he remembered his thirst and stepped into the pond. He wanted to drink a little water before taking it back to his brothers.

Just as he was about to take a sip, there was a loud voice from the skies above. “Don’t drink this water, Nakula.”

Nakula stopped, stood up straight and looked around.

There was nobody in sight.

This story is from the February 2017 edition of BBC Knowledge.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the February 2017 edition of BBC Knowledge.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BBC KNOWLEDGEView All
Are We Close To Making Our Home Away From Earth?
BBC Knowledge

Are We Close To Making Our Home Away From Earth?

Our exploration of the cosmos is hampered by our bodies and minds, which struggle in space. So could we ever overcome our Biology and settle among the stars?

time-read
10 mins  |
August 2017
Snapshots
BBC Knowledge

Snapshots

This blue and white harlequin shrimp was snapped

time-read
2 mins  |
June 2017
Tragedy On The Matterhorn
BBC Knowledge

Tragedy On The Matterhorn

The conquest of the last great Alpine peak in 1865 should have been a triumph, but instead ended in the deaths of four climbers. Peter H Hansen examines its impact on attitudes to mountaineers

time-read
6 mins  |
October 2017
Lake Of Giants
BBC Knowledge

Lake Of Giants

In the Peruvian Amazon, a family of giant otters fends off hundreds of caiman to dominate a lake. Only through teamwork and guile can they beat their reptilian rivals, says PHILIPPA FORRESTER.

time-read
7 mins  |
October 2017
The Transformation Of Indra
BBC Knowledge

The Transformation Of Indra

Indra is within us, writes mythology expert DEVDUTT PATTANAIK, as he traces the changing perceptions of the god, in the first of a series on Indian mythologies history Indian Mythology

time-read
6 mins  |
October 2017
Cockatoos Got Rhythm
BBC Knowledge

Cockatoos Got Rhythm

Birds might generally be better known for their singing, but new research carried out by Prof Rob Heinsohn from the Australian National University (ANU) has proved they can also be a dab hand on the drums.

time-read
1 min  |
October 2017
Computational Origami Takes A Big Leap Forward
BBC Knowledge

Computational Origami Takes A Big Leap Forward

An MIT professor of computer science and an assistant professor in civil engineering at the University of Tokyo have joined forces to come up with a better way of… making paper rabbits.

time-read
1 min  |
October 2017
Questions at theFrontiersof..Probability
BBC Knowledge

Questions at theFrontiersof..Probability

It’s not all about tossing countless coins and rolling dice, says Robert Matthews. Probability researchers are also working on ways to unravel the secrets of the universe

time-read
5 mins  |
August 2016
ARevealing History of Underwear
BBC Knowledge

ARevealing History of Underwear

From riotously colourful corsets and ‘virile’ Y-fronts to punk-rock leggings, underwear has long possessed a rare ability to push creative boundaries and spark moral outrage. Edwina Ehrman, curator of a new Victoria and Albert Museum exhibition, introduces Spencer Mizen to seven of the most influential designs of the past 300 years

time-read
6 mins  |
August 2016
King Of The Mountains
BBC Knowledge

King Of The Mountains

Picture a primate that grazes like a cow, climbs cliffs like a mountain goat and forms groups as big as shoals of fish. Noah Snyder-Mackler introduces Ethiopia’s gelada.

time-read
7 mins  |
December 2016