忘れられない物語　全文

不思議中の不思議

　パーンドゥ兄弟5人が旅をしている時に、喉が渇き、近くに湖があるのを見て、一番下の弟が水を汲みに行った。湖の近くに一羽の鶴がいて「私の出す問いに答えられなかったら、水に触れてはいけません。もし問いに答えずにそれをしたなら、きっとあなたは死ぬでしょう」と言った。パーンドゥ兄弟の末弟、サハデヴはこの鳥を無視した。しかし湖の水に触れるやいなや、彼は倒れて死んでしまった。サハデヴが戻らないので、兄達は下から二番目の弟、ナクルを水汲みに遣った。彼もまた鶴に声をかけられたが、それを無視し、水に触れたとたん、死んでしまった。続いてアルジュナ、ビーマも同じ運命を辿った。

　弟が4人とも戻らないので、パーンドゥ兄弟の長男、ユディシュティラは、何が起こったのか自分の目で確かめようと、湖の方へ向かった。4人が倒れて死んでいるのと、湖の岸辺からほど遠からぬ所に鶴が立っているのを見つけた。ユディシュティラはその鳥がほかならぬダルマその人であることを直ちに悟った。鶴から4人の弟が死んだ悲しい経緯を聞かされ、また鶴が出す四つの問い全てに答えられたら、弟達は生き返るだろうと言われた。ユディシュティラは同意した。そこで鶴は「この世の不思議中の不思議とは何でしょう」と彼に尋ねた。ユディシュティラは「何千何万という生き物が毎日死んでいくが、まだ生きている者はいつの日か自分もまた死ぬのだとは思いもしないこと。これが不思議中の不思議です」と答えた。同じようにして彼は残りの三つの問いにも答え、4人の弟は命を取り戻した。そして喉の渇きをいやし、また皆で旅を続けた。

Wonder of Wonders

The five Pandavas while on a journey felt thirsty, and seeing a lake nearby the youngest of them went to fetch water. Near the lake he found a crane which said,"You should not touch the water unless you can answer my question. If you do so without answering my questions you would surely die." The youngest Pandava, Sahadev, ignored the bird, but as he touched the water of the lake he immediately fell down dead. The Pandavas finding that Sahadev was not returning sent Nakul, the next youngest brother, to fetch water. He too was accosted by the crane, but he also ignored it and as he touched the water he died. He was followed by Arjuna and then by Bhima and each of them similarly met the same fate.

Finding that none of the four brothers returned, the eldest of the Pandavas, Yudhishtira, himself went towards the lake to see what had happened. He found all his four brothers lying dead and the crane standing not far from the edge of the lake. Yudhishtira at once recognised the bird as no other than Dharma himself. He was told by the crane the sad tale of the death of his brothers and was also told that all of them would be restored to life if Yudhishtira could answer the four questions put to him.Yudhishtira agreed. Thereupon the crane asked him,"What sir, is the wonder of wonders in this world?" Yudhishtira said,"Thousands and thousands of beings are dying every day but those who remain alive never think that they too will have to die one day. This, Sir, is the wonder of wonders." He similarly answered all the other three questions, after which his four brothers came back to life; and after slaking their thirsty they all resumed their journey.

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