The Yaksha fired questions at Yudhishthir in sets of four. Sometimes the questions revolved around one subject. Sometimes the questions were similar in structure. The next sets of question are of the second type.
Renunciation
The Yaksha asked:
What is that which, if renounced, makes one agreeable?
What is that which, if renounced, leads to no regret?
What is that which, if renounced, makes one wealthy?
And what is that which if renounced, makes one happy?
Yudhishthir’s answers were straightforward. Pride prevents people from mixing with their peers. If people renounce pride they will be accepted by others. People act rashly when they are angry and when things have cooled down they regret what they did. Therefore, if wrath is renounced then people will no longer have occasions to regret their deeds. To fulfill ones desires people squander away their wealth. Hence by renouncing their desires people will be able to preserve their wealth for better uses. Avarice always leads to lack of fulfillment and therefore unhappiness. Hence the path to happiness is the renunciation of avarice.
Giving
The Yaksha asked:
For what does one give away to Brahmins?
For what to mimes and dancers?
For what to servants?
And for what to the king?
The replies were simpler than before. Donations are made to Brahmins to earn religious merits and to improve ones karma. It must be noted that at the time of the Mahabharata the Brahmins did not charge for their services but depended on voluntary donations from their clients. The donations made to performers were the equivalent of today’s sponsorships and brought fame to the donor. Gifts to the servants were support for services rendered. The servants too depended on ex gratia payments rather than fixed wages. Payments made to the king were taxes paid for protection. This was like the taxes paid to the governments today for providing law and order.
Dead
The Yaksha asked:
For what may one be considered as dead?
For what may a kingdom be considered as dead?
For what may a shraadh be considered as dead?
And for what, a sacrifice?
Yudhishthir’s reply to the first question was that for want of wealth a man may be regarded as dead. Here wealth is used as economic sustenance and not wealth beyond ones needs. A kingdom is dead if it has no king, for then it is a soft target for invaders. A shraadh is a special ritual performed to appease the souls of ones ancestors. If a priest who is not versed in the required rituals conducts the shraadh then the rituals will bear no fruit because they would have been conducted incorrectly. A compulsory practice in any sacrifice was to give gifts to the Brahmins who conducted the sacrifice. If the Brahmins were not rewarded adequately then the client who had organized the sacrifice would not receive the fruits of the sacrifice.
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