Series Overview: The Yaksha Prashna Series (Mahabharatha – Aranya Parva – Chapters 311 to 313 -A dialogue between Yudhishthira and a Yaksha, who is actually Lord Yama in disguise) translates 33 ancient riddles into a practical, diagnostic framework for modern professionals and leaders. Across nine papers, classical dialogue is paired with contemporary psychological and management insights to offer a timeless guide for daily life.
Paper 1: The Sunrise of Purpose
The Question: The Core of a Person
Imagine standing by a perfectly still, silent pool deep in an ancient forest. You are exhausted, terrified, and your four brothers are lying dead on the ground because they drank the water. Suddenly, a booming voice echoes from the shadows. It does not ask for your weapons. It asks for your mind.
This was the exact trap Yudhisthira walked into. The unseen Yaksha fired four rapid questions to test his baseline clarity:
- What makes the sun rise every morning?
- Who moves around him?
- What causes the sun to set?
- And what keeps him firmly established?
If you look at this with a literal mind, it sounds like an ancient science quiz. But the Yaksha was asking something much deeper. He was asking about human energy, daily rhythms, and what keeps a person grounded when their whole world is collapsing.
Yudhisthira took a slow breath and answered beautifully:
- The Divine Power makes the sun rise.
- The Gods move around him.
- Dharma causes him to set.
- And Truth keeps him firmly established.
Let us unpack this together. This is a simple, practical checklist to see if you are running your days on pure panic or clear purpose.
The Morning Sunrise: Your Daily Fuel
Yudhisthira says divine power makes the sun rise.
Think about your own morning. What makes you get out of bed? For many of us, it is the loud, frantic alarm on our phones. It is the sudden panic of checking emails, looking at market drops, or worrying about a morning meeting. We let external stress drag us into the day. Our daily sunrise is fuelled by toxic adrenaline.
But our ancient sages taught that your morning energy should come from a higher, cleaner source. It should come from a sense of wonder, gratitude, and a quiet connection to the life force inside you.
In his globally acclaimed business book Start With Why, leadership expert Simon Sinek argues that the most inspiring leaders do not drive people with fear or pressure. They inspire them by starting with a clear, deep purpose. This modern corporate insight perfectly matches our ancient wisdom. When your morning is fuelled by a clear “why” rather than a frantic “what,” you do not just wake up. You come alive.
The Midday Orbit: Choosing Your Company
The riddle states that the gods move around the sun during the day.
In ancient texts, gods represent positive, bright, and constructive forces. Look at your typical afternoon at the office. Who is orbiting around you? Are you surrounded by chronic complainers, toxic office politicians, and people who drain your mental battery? Or are you surrounding yourself with mentors, builders, and colleagues who push you to grow?
You become the average of the thoughts and people you allow into your daily space. If you let chaos orbit your desk, your energy will crash by mid-afternoon. Choose your circle with absolute care.
The Evening Sunset: Leaving with Grace
Yudhisthira notes that Dharma, which means righteousness and duty, causes the sun to set.
Think about how you close your day. Do you slam your laptop shut with an exhausted sigh, feeling resentful about everything you did not finish? Do you carry the stress of the boardroom straight to your dinner table, snapping at your family?
A beautiful evening sunset is about closure. It is about looking back at your day and knowing you did your absolute best, fulfilled your duties honestly, and can now let go. Dharma is the boundaries you set. It is the conscious decision to drop the professional armour at the door so you can rest with a clean conscience.
Firmly Established: The Ground of Truth
The final riddle asks what keeps the sun steady. Yudhisthira answers with a single word: Truth.
We live in a world that shifts constantly. Stock markets fluctuate, corporate structures change overnight, and friendships can grow cold. If you anchor your happiness to these external things, you will always feel shaky. Truth is your internal compass. It is your core values, your integrity, and your authentic self. When you know exactly who you are and what you stand for, no storm can knock you off your feet.
Connecting the Lessons to Your Daily Life
How do we use this tomorrow morning?
When your alarm rings, do not reach for your phone immediately. Give yourself five quiet minutes. Do not let the digital noise dictate your sunrise. Remind yourself of your core purpose.
As you move through your afternoon meetings, notice the quality of your conversations. If the talk turns to idle gossip or toxic complaining, politely step away. Protect your midday orbit.
Finally, when you finish your work evening, create a small shutdown ritual. Close your laptop, take a deep breath, and intentionally leave the corporate worries behind. Let your day set with grace so you can show up fully for the people who matter most.
Author Biography: – R Srinivasa Murthy, the author, is a corporate leader, an independent writer, and a student of Hindu Philosophy. He Identifies as a Demystic, committed to removing unnecessary mysticism from traditions to offer practical systems for the next generation. His upcoming book, Logic of And: Sanatana Dharma as a Toolkit for the Contemporary Seeker, aims to bridge ancient wisdom with modern life to foster an inclusive, living civilisation.
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