'[71] The Yaksha asked, 'What person, enjoying all the objects
of the senses, endued with intelligence, regarded by the world and liked
by all beings, though breathing, doth not offer anything to these five,
viz., gods, guests, servants, _Pitris_, and himself, though endued with
breath, is not yet alive.' The Yaksha asked, 'What is weightier than the
earth itself? What is higher than the heavens? What is fleeter than the
wind? And what is more numerous than grass?' Yudhishthira answered, 'The
mother is weightier than the earth; the father is higher than the
heaven; the mind is fleeter than the wind; and our thoughts are more
numerous than grass.' The Yaksha asked, 'What is that which doth not
close its eyes while asleep; What is that which doth not move after
birth? What is that which is without heart? And what is that which
swells with its own impetus?' Yudhishthira answered, 'A fish doth not
close its eyes while asleep; an egg doth not move after birth; a stone
is without heart; and a river swelleth with its own impetus.' The Yaksha
asked, 'Who is the friend of the exile? Who is the friend of the
householder? Who is the friend of him that ails? And who is the friend
of one about to die?' Yudhishthira answered, 'The friend of the exile in
a distant land is his companion; the friend of the householder is the
wife; the friend of him that ails is the physician; and the friend of
him about to die is charity.' The Yaksha asked,--'Who is the guest of
all creatures? What is the eternal duty? What, O foremost of kings, is
_Amrita_? And what is this entire Universe?' Yudhishthira
answered,--'_Agni_ is the guest of all creatures; the milk of kine is
_amrita; Homa_ (therewith) is the eternal duty; and this Universe
consists of air alone.
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