Yudhisthira statue type

YUDHISTHIRA

(West Java's Sundanese ethnic style, adaptation of Hindu epic Mahabharata)

The righteous leader, unflinching adherence to truth.

Yudhisthira was the eldest son of King Pandu and Queen Kunti. Due to a curse, Pandu was unable to father children. Kunti gave birth to Yudhisthira by invoking the God of Righteousness, Dharma.

Yudhisthira was renowned as ‘One Without Enemies’. His true prowess was shown in his unflinching adherence to truth and righteousness. He once rescued all his four brothers from death by exemplifying not only his immense knowledge of righteousness but also his very own way of understanding the finer implications of it. God Dharma tested him with some questions that he passed it very well:

Q:  What is heavier than earth, higher than mountains, faster than wind and more numerous than straws?

A:   One’s mother is heavier than earth, one’s father is higher than mountains, mind is faster than wind, and our worries are more numerous than straws.

Q:  Who is the friend of a traveller? Who is the friend of one who is ill and one who is dying?

A:   The friend of a traveler is his companion. Physician is the friend of one who is sick, and a dying man’s friend is charity.

Q:  What is that when renounced makes one lovable? What is that when renounced makes happy and wealthy?

A:   Pride, if renounced makes one lovable; by renouncing desire, one becomes wealthy; and to renounce avarice is to obtain happiness.

Q:  What enemy is invincible? What contributes an incurable disease? What sort of man is noble and what sort is ignoble?

A:   Anger is the invincible enemy. Covetousness constitutes a disease that is incurable. He is noble who desires the well-being of all creatures, and he is ignoble who is without mercy.

Q:  Who is truly happy? What is the greatest wonder?

A:   He who has no debts is truly happy. Day after day countless people die. Yet the living wishes to live forever. O Lord, what can be greater wonder?

Yudhisthira’s tribute

When both sides were ready to fight at Kurukshetra, Yudhisthira put off his armour suit, laid his weapon and got off his chariot. Folded his hands in prayer, he walked towards his enemy. Everyone looked on in disbelief. All his brothers followed him wondering, but he kept silent. Only Krishna was aware of what he was doing.

Respectfully and sincerely Yudhisthira fell himself at the feet of Bhishma, his granduncle who he respected so much, and said: “Your humble servant come to honour you, Your Majesty the great and undefeatable. We will fight against Your Majesty in the war. We beg your permission in this respect.  We wish your blessing”.

Bhishma replied: “I am pleased, the Honourable Son. Go fight and win the war. With my blessing, surely defeat will not fall on you”.

After that, Yudhisthira fell himself at his teacher Dronacharya’s feet. 

Upon getting blessing, Yudhisthira returned to his troops, put on his armour suit, got on his chariot and got ready to fight.

Ascent to heaven

After Karna’s death, Kunti informed the Pandavas that she was Karna’s mother and that he was the eldest of the Pandavas. The Pandavas grieved for Karna. Yudhisthira was deeply disappointed on hearing that his mother had kept secret from him and his brothers Karna’s true identity, whom it would have been their duty in life to serve and revere as their eldest, as his four brothers had served and revered him.

Years after winning the war, Yudhisthira and his brothers gave up all their belongings and ties, they made a final journey of pilgrimage in the Himalayas. While climbing the peaks, one by one each Pandavas in reverse order of age fell to their deaths, dragged down by the weight of their real sins. Yudhisthira reached the peak accompanied by a dog.

On the peak, Indra, King of Gods, arrived to take Yudhisthira to heaven in his chariot. As Yudhisthira was about to step into the chariot, Indra told him to leave behind his companion dog, an unholy creature not worthy of heaven. Yudhisthira stepped back, refusing to leave behind the creature who he had taken under his protection. Thus he refused to go to heaven without the dog. At that moment the dog changed into the God Dharma, his father, who was testing him and Yudhisthira had passed with distinction.

Yudhisthira was carried away on Indra’s chariot. On reaching heaven he did not find his virtuous brothers. Instead he saw Duryodhana of the Kauravas and his evil allies. He was told that his brothers were in hell atoning their little sins.

Yudhisthira loyally went to hell to meet his brothers. Horrified by the sights and sounds, he mastered himself and decided to remain, preferring to live in hell with good people than in heaven of evil ones. This was yet another illusion to test him.

Indra and Vishnu appeared before him and told him that his brothers were already in heaven. Vishnu hailed Yudhisthira for his righteousness and bowed to him, symbolizing divinity bowed down to humanity. They brought Yudhisthira to heaven to unite with all his brothers.

Product specification:
    Wood:       Alstonia spp.
    Process:    Hand made.
    Colour:       Full colour.
    Height:       ± 35 cm.
    Weight:      Approx. 2.5 kg (including packaging).