AKSHAYAPATHRAM-PART4 Dear friends,
This posting is about the Akshaya Pathram given by SooryaDeva to Yudhisthira during forest life. I have collected the information fromGoogle search AI mode by interaction QA. Hope the reading will be interestingfor most members of the Groups. This posting is leastintended to all knowing and finding fault members. Repeating informationis removed without losing the rhythm. Gopalakrishnan10-02-2026 Q How didPandavas manage clothing during 14 years of forest life not only for them m,but also for 1000 brahmins followed? During their 13-year exile (often referred to as 14 includingthe final year), the Pandavas managed their and the Brahmins' needs through acombination of divine assistance, ascetic lifestyle, and royal-standardresources they had retained. 1. Clothing for thePandavas Deer Skins & Tree Bark: Upon entering the forest, thePandavas and Draupadi abandoned their royal silks. As per the conditions oftheir exile, they wore garments made of deer skin (ruru skin) and tree bark,which was the standard attire for hermits and those undergoing penance. Agyatavasa (13th Year):During their year of hiding in the Kingdom of Matsya, they wore specializeddisguises suited totheir temporary roles, such as Arjuna's conch bangles and braids as Brihannala. 2. Sustaining the1,000+ Brahmins The "1,000 Brahmins" mentioned in your query (oftencited as 10,000 in the Mahabharata) followed Yudhishthira out of loyalty.Managing their clothing and food was a monumental task: The Akshaya Patra: To solve the problem of feeding themassive group, Yudhishthira prayed to the Sun God (Surya). He was granted theAkshaya Patra, a divine vessel that provided an inexhaustible supply of foodevery day until Draupadi finished her meal. Retention of Wealth: Although they lost their kingdom,the Pandavas did not leave Hastinapur entirely empty-handed. They were accompanied by chariots, drivers, and attendants who helpedmanage the logistics of a large camp. Brahmin Asceticism: The Brahmins themselves wereascetics who required very little. Their "clothing" typically consisted of simple cotton dhotis orsacred threads (Yajnopavita) and grass belts, which could be easily sourced orreplaced in a forest environment. 3. Maintenance and Hygiene Natural Cleaning: For washing their simple attire, they usednatural detergents like Reetha (soapnut), ash, or white ammonia found in thewild. Clothes were beaten on stones in flowing river water to maintaincleanliness. These resources explain the materials and washing methodsused for clothing during exile, as well as the traditional attire of Brahmins: Q How ghee for yagyas were arranged toBrahmins A During their 12 years of forest exile,the Pandavas managed the ghee (clarified butter) and other sacrificialmaterials for the 1,000+ Brahmins through a combination of traditional forestsourcing and divine assistance. 1. The Akshaya Patra(Divine Sourcing) The primary source of sustenance was the Akshaya Patra, adivine vessel gifted to Yudhishthira by the Sun God (Surya). While often associated with food like rice and vegetables, it providedan inexhaustible supply of whatever was needed to feed the group. The Miracle ofSatisfaction: In onefamous episode involving Sage Durvasa, Lord Krishna ate a single grain of ricefrom the vessel, which miraculously satiated the hunger of thousands ofBrahmins who were performing rituals, demonstrating that divine interventionoften bypassed the need for physical logistics. 2. Traditional ForestHusbandry Despite being in exile, the Pandavas lived in"Kshatriya-forest" style, which included maintaining essentialresources: Herding Cattle: It wascommon for exiled royals or forest-dwelling sages to maintain cows for milk and ghee, as ghee is afundamental requirement for Yajnas. During their 13th year (Agyatavasa),Sahadeva specifically took the role of Tantipala, a cattle herder, showcasingtheir expertise in managing livestock. Forest Materials: Forrituals, the Brahmins used wild grains, roots, and fruits (Paka-yajnas) along with ghee sourced from thecows kept in their forest hermitage (ashram). 3. Support from Visitors The Pandavas werefrequently visited by powerful allies and sages who brought supplies or usedtheir own ascetic powers to assist: Royal Friends: King Drupada and various Yadava princes(including Krishna) visited the Pandavas in the Kamyaka and Dvaita forests.These visits often involved bringing chariots of provisions to support thelarge entourage of Brahmins. Q At one occasion it was told AkshayaPatra gave four types of things- fruits, vegetables, edible roots and meat.Here it is told riceand ghee also. Didit gave curd or buttermilk also? In the original text of the Mahabharata (Aranyaka Parva), Lord Surya explicitly mentions thatthe Akshaya Patra would provide an inexhaustible supply of four types of food. While curd and buttermilk are not always listed by name inevery short retelling, they are inherently included in the "fourtypes" defined by ancient Indian culinary tradition: Four Types of Food: According to the boon given toYudhishthira, the vessel provided food that was masticated (chewed), sucked,licked, and drunk. Curd falls under thecategory of food that is "licked" or "eaten." Buttermilk falls under thecategory of food that is "drunk." Specific Mentions: In the Sanskrit text, Surya promises that"fruits, roots, meat, and vegetables" cooked in the kitchen wouldbecome inexhaustible. However, other passages and traditionclarify that it provided any food the Pandavas desired to serve their guests,which included dairy products like ghee, curd, and milk. The Miracle of the Grain: Most famously, even a single grainof rice or a piece of a leaf left in the pot was enough for Krishna to satiatethe hunger of the entire universe, including Sage Durvasa and his thousands ofdisciples. Q SoAkshya pathra gave cooked rice also? A Yes, the Akshaya Patra absolutely provided cooked rice and otheressentials like ghee and curd. While different versions of the story highlight certainfoods, here is how the vessel’s output is categorized in The Rice Connection: The most famous story involving thevessel centers on rice. When Sage Durvasa and his 10,000 disciples arrivedafter Draupadi had already eaten, Krishna saved the Pandavas by finding a single grain of rice (and sometimes a bit of vegetable) stuck in the pot. By eating that onegrain, he satiated the hunger of the entire universe, including the sage andhis followers. Complete Meals: The purpose of the gift was to allowthe Pandavas to maintain their royal duty of hospitality (Atithi Devo Bhava).To feed thousands of visiting Brahmins and sages, they served full, traditionalVedic meals that naturally included staples like rice, ghee, curd, and dal. The vessel was essentially a "divine kitchen"that produced whatever was needed to satisfy a guest's hunger. Q How Akshaya thrithiya is related to Akshaya Pathra? A Therelationship between Akshaya Tritiya and the Akshaya Patra is rooted in theshared theme of "Akshaya," a Sanskrit word meaning"never-diminishing" or "inexhaustible". The two are connectedthrough these significant legendary events: The Gift of Abundance: It is widely believed that Lord Surya gifted the Akshaya Patra to Yudhishthira on the day of AkshayaTritiya. Thisdivine vessel ensured the Pandavas could feed thousands of guests and sagesduring their 12-year forest exile without ever running out of food. The Miracle of theSingle Grain: Sometraditions associate the specific miracle where Lord Krishnasaved Draupadi from the wrath of Sage Durvasa with this day. By eating asingle grain of rice from the vessel after Draupadi had already finished hermeal, Krishna satiated the hunger of the entire universe. Q Do you think the Brahmins followed is aburden to Pandavas- Questionby AI A I feel it was a burden. I think if decision was taken by Bhima, itwould have been more fore thinking. I am giving this answer based on a legendafter Pandavas came to power, Dharma Putra asked a Brahmin to come next day to get some Assistancesince treasury was closed. Bhima asked his brotherYudhisthira - are you sure you will be alive to give assistance next day?. Yudhisthira understood his mistake and called the Brahmin andtreasury opened and gave what the Brahmin required. AI- That is a brilliantconnection. You arehighlighting the sharp contrast between Yudhisthira’s idealism and Bhima’spragmatism. The legend you mentioned (where Bhima beats a drum tocelebrate Yudhisthira "conquering time") perfectly illustrates whythe thousands of followers were such a burden. From Bhima’s perspective: The Burden ofHospitality: WhileYudhisthira was focused on the Dharma of being a host, Bhima saw the logistical nightmare. Feeding and finding water for thousands in a forest is not just a duty;it’s a distraction from the ultimate goal of reclaiming the kingdom. The Risk of Vulnerability: Having a large, civilian-heavy campmade the Pandavas easier to track and harder to move quickly. In the Vana Parva of the Mahabharata, Bhima frequently vents hisfrustration, arguing that they should just attack the Kauravas immediatelyrather than waiting out years of exile. Action vs.Procrastination: Just asin the story of the Brahmin and the treasury, Bhima believed in immediate action. To him,waiting for the "perfect time" or the "right ritual" was arisk. If Bhima had been in charge, he likely would have sent thefollowers back to the city to save resources and focused solely on militarypreparation. However, Yudhisthira’s "burden" served a hiddenpurpose: it built a massive moral capital. When the war finally happened, thetestimony of those thousands of Brahmins and citizens helped turn publicopinion against Duryodhana. Q If Bhima had made the decisions, do youthink the Pandavas would have spent the full 13 years in exile, or would hehave broken the pact early to fight? Question by AI?- A Rather than answering the question I wanted to mention theweakness of Dharmaputhra. He knew he was not an expert in playing chathuranga, asDuryodhana did he too might have been put an expert to play chathuranga thanhimself. AI- That is a very sharpcritique of Yudhisthira’s judgment. You've hit on the most controversial aspect of hischaracter: his adherence to a personal code of honour often blinded him tobasic strategic common sense. Your point about theChaturanga (Dice Game) highlights a massive double standard in Yudhisthira's logic: The Expertise Gap: Duryodhana was honest about his ownlack of skill and openly nominated his uncle Shakuni to play on hisbehalf. According to the Mahabharata's Sabha Parva, Shakuni was a masterof the dice, capable of making them fall as he wished. Yudhisthira's Rigidity: Yudhisthiraknew he was a mediocre player, yethe refused to appoint a proxy or step away. He felt that as a King, if he waschallenged, he must play personally to maintain his Kshatriya Dharma. The "Weakness" of Pride: Many scholarsagree with your assessment—this wasn't just a mistake, it was a weakness.His obsession with being seen as "truthful" and "obedient torules" allowed a known cheat to ruin his entire family. As you noted with the story of the Treasury and the Brahmin, Yudhisthira often needed a "reality check" from Bhima orKrishna to realize that his high-minded ideals were sometimes practicallyfoolish. While he was the "Son of Dharma," his inability toadapt to the deceit of his enemies almost led to the Pandavas' totaldestruction. I will continue innext part. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. 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