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February 2024

धर्मो रक्षति रक्षित:

By C. N. Vaze, Chartered Accountant
Reading Time 4 mins

The literal meaning of this proverbial line is ‘If you protect / preserve / guard / watch / tend / observe Dharma, then Dharma, in turn, protects you.’

In the Mahabharata, while the Pandavas were in exile, there was a well-known episode of a Yaksha (demi-god) asking Yudhishthira philosophical questions. Actually, all four brothers of Yudhishthira had disregarded the warning of the yaksha that if they did not answer his questions, they would be dead as soon as they drank the water of the pool he was protecting. Accordingly, all four brothers were dead. Yudhishthira answers all his questions satisfactorily. Pleased by his replies, Yaksha offers to revive any one of his brothers.

Readers may be aware that Yudhishithira, Bhima, and Arjuna were the sons of Kunti; whereas Nakula and Sahdeva were the sons of Madri (his stepmother, the second wife of Pandu). Yudhishthira requests Yaksha to revive Nakula, his stepbrother, so that at least one son of both mothers could survive. As the eldest brother, it was his duty (dharma). Yaksha was very pleased with this answer and revives all four brothers. Yudhishthira therefore performed his dharma diligently and this behaviour eventually pro

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