My friend just lost her husband. It was shocking! My friend called out to him to come for dinner...He answered: "coming" She called again and he did not reply...She went looking for him and he had already passed on!
He was not ill. All of us, her friends are in shock.

You are about to read a story.


The Pandavas had been traveling for quite a long time and had just managed to return to Dwaitavana, their starting point. Thirsty, the Pandavas sat down near some moss-covered logs and looked around for water.


To their right lay a large lake. The first of the Pandavas, Nakula, walked alone towards the lake to quench his thirst. As he did this, a booming voice echoed from the lake, “Stop! This is my lake, and you may not drink from it without answering my questions." Nakula ignored the lake, only interested in a sip of cool water to drink. He proceeded to cup his hands full of water and brought it to his lips. Cool water filled his mouth, he swallowed, and as he did this he instantly fell dead.
One by one all the other Pandava brothers died as they did not heed the what the Yaksha threatened to do.


Yudhishthira sat alone on the log, and naturally went looking for his brothers. As he walked through the forest he began to worry. Ahead of him there was no noise, only silence filled his ears. He approached the lake and screamed with agony when he saw his brothers. He quickly examined them for wounds, but he did not see any penetrating marks or any signs of illness.

Then the booming voice returned, “do not make the mistake of your brothers. Please answer my questions and you may drink from my lake.”

Yudhishthira agreed to answer his questions but requested to know his identity. “I am a Yaksha, and I guard this lake. I warned all four of your brothers not to drink from me without my permission.”

Yudhishthira responded, “Then I will answer your questions.” Before he could finish his response, the Yaksha began his riddles. “Who is heavier than the Earth?”

Yudhishthira responded, “Mother.”


...and Yudhishtira answered all 100 questions correctly.

You will wonder what connection does this story have with my friend's husband's death?
One of the questions that Yaksha asked was what is the 'strangest thing in the world?
Yudhishtira replied that everyone knows that they are supposed to die yet everyone thinks that they will live forever...

We do not need to be morbid, but we need to close each day remembering that there is a possibility that you may die or your close one will...

Then maybe, there will be shock and pain but maybe no regrets.
I love my friend and I pray that God grant her and her family strength and also peace to the departed soul!

To continue with the story, Yaksha said:
“You have answered all of my questions perfectly. As your reward all of your brothers will rise.” Just like the Yaksha said, each and every brother rose from the ground untouched. At this time the Yaksha materialized in front of the brothers. It was none other than Yudhishthira’s father, Yama. Yama is the lord of death, and the god of Justice...
Parts of what I have written are excerpts from 'Yudhishtira and Yama' by Nich Huber