One of the main characters in the Mahabharata is the great king Judhisthira, known as a just and righteous ruler, honored with the title dharma-raja due to his love for justice, a title acknowledged by both friends and foes. King Judhisthira has four other brothers. They are the sons of two mothers. Three are the sons of Queen Kunti: Judhisthira, Arjuna, and Bhima. The other two are the sons of Queen Madri, the twins Nakula and Sahadeva. Together, they form a whole, a system that functions perfectly: five senses, five vital sheaths around the soul. Judhisthira is the eldest, and all his brothers respect him as the epitome of righteousness. One day, the youngest twin felt thirsty and went to a nearby spring. When he didn’t return for a long time, the next brother went to look for him. He didn’t return either. One by one, all the brothers went, but none of them came back. Judhisthira was left alone. He then rose and set off in search of his brothers. The spring was enchanted, and a forest spirit, a yaksha, dwelled in it. Initially appearing as a malevolent force, the spirit was untamed and Unconquerable element of the human soul. When Yudhishthira reaches the springs, he hears a voice from the water telling him that it will pull him under if he does not answer a few questions. Yudhishthira answers all the questions correctly, and the water spirit grants him life. It then proposes a new deal: it will ask him one more question, the final one, and if he answers successfully, it will return one of his brothers to him; the one whom the king himself chooses; if he fails to answer, not only will he not get his brother back, but he will also be trapped. Yudhishthira agrees.
The spirit asks him a question, and the king does not falter, answering it correctly. Now the spirit had no choice but to ask him to name the brother he wishes to save. Yudhishthira ponders deeply. It was the most difficult decision he had to make. He wanted to eliminate all other reasons except the reason of dharma. Yet, dharma is not always clear. Finally, Yudhishthira utters the name of the brother he chose among all the others: Nakula, the younger twin. The spirit is surprised, as it had expected Yudhishthira to Choosing Arjuna, the closest and most capable warrior, or Bhima, the embodiment of strength. “Tell me, why did you choose Nakula?” he asked. “I will tell you,” replied Judhisthira. “If I had chosen Arjuna or Bhima, who are more useful to me in the battle for the crown and kingdom, I would have chosen another brother of the same mother, Queen Kunti. Since I am Kunti’s son and destined to live, it wouldn’t be fair for that saved one to also be Kunti’s son. That’s why I chose my half-brother, the son of my stepmother, Madri, despite her long passing.” Deeply moved, Yaksha asked him this too. “Of the two sons of Queen Madri, why did you choose the younger, Nakula?” Judhisthira smiled: “I chose Nakula because he loves to preen and indulge – to give him the opportunity to overcome that weakness and thus break free from the cycle of karma.” Impressed by the king’s sensitivity, insight, and fairness, Yaksha returned all his brothers to him, because he was no longer a demonic devourer, but a veiled god of justice and moral order, Dharma.” From the book: Vesna Krmpotić, The Shirt of a Happy Man