Yaksha Prashna: Introduction

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YAKSHA PRASHNA

INTRODUCTION

The Sanyasins of Sri Rajarajeshwari Peetham have spent the past seven years teaching our glorious spiritual heritage to Hindu children growing up in America. The needs of our Hindu children in the West are unique - and it is not easy to find teaching tools which are both effective and appealing to our children. Dr. A.V. Srinivasan's "A Hindu Primer: Yaksha Prashna" is an excellent tool for conveying to our children the essence of our rich spiritual heritage.

Children are attracted to the "Yaksha Prashna" - this magical interlude amidst the dynamic action of the Mahabharata. Teen-agers and little ones alike identify with the Pandava brothers, and easily follow them into their learning experiences. The same children who may be bored by a pundit's discourse on Dharma, will be spell-bound by the intriguing questions and mind-expanding answers exchanged between the Yaksha and Yudhishthira.

For those of us whose Blessing it is to teach our Hindu children growing up in the West, Dr. Srinivasan offers a simple yet profound "Commentary" for each question / answer. The commentary serves to stimulate thought-provoking discussions among our little ones, our teens, and within our own minds. Lest the discussion stray from an important point, there is a "Summary" which brings to the forefront the main point of each spiritual lesson.

In addition, Dr. Srinivasan has included the Sanskrit shlokas themselves, which enables advanced students to enjoy the original text - and beckons to beginners to learn Sanskrit. The presence of original Sanskrit text always purifies and strengthens students.

A good teacher will recognize that children learn more quickly and deeply when they are able to participate in a learning experience. I recommend that when using Dr. Srinivasan's "Yaksha Prashna" as a teaching tool, the teacher ask each child to attempt to answer the Yaksha's question before Yudhishthira's answer is given. The children will quickly see the high level of thought from which Yudhishthira responds - and the children themselves will rise to that high level in order to participate in the class.

In addition, ask for the children's own commentary and summary of the lessons to be learned. Just be sure to channel their responses into the right observations - and give the children all the credit for arriving at the right conclusions.

The "Yaksha Prashna" is very much an allegory for what Hindu parents and their children being raised in the West are undergoing at this time. Hindu families in the West are like the Pandavas undergoing "rigorous years of exile" in the forests. The difficulties and tests we experience in our daily lives are like encountering the Yaksha.

And yet, the Yaksha is none other than our Divine Father " . . . testing the strength and character of his son." That Dr. Srinivasan has struck upon such a dynamic allegory for the lives of Hindus in the West is not a "coincidence." I call it a "Karmic Cosmic Non-Coincidence"! For example, let us look at a quote from the final paragraph:

Yama wanted to be sure that his son Yudhishthira still held steadfast to Dharma even after twelve rigorous years of exile in forests. Yama wanted to be sure that Yudhishthira had developed the leadership skills needed to resolve the conflict between the Pandavas and the Kauravas.

The battle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas is within each of us, and we are being tested to see if we hold steadfast to Dharma. Indeed, this world is Kurukshetra - and our children sorely need the wisdom of Yudhishthira.

Our children are the future leaders of Mankind. Let us perform our Dharma by teaching them to accept and live their lives according to Dharma. May our children teach and guide their fellow man with the compassion and wisdom of Yudhishthira!

Thank you, Dr. Srinivasan, for this magnificent gift of "A Hindu Primer" which not only serves to preserve and propagate the highest spiritual values among our precious children - but also serves to uplift Mankind.

H. H. Mahamandaleshwari
Swami Saraswati Devyashram