Analogies/Stories
“There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says “Morning, boys. How’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes “What the hell is water?” ”- David Foster Wallace
This analogy showcases how we have blind spots operating in a particular context. That we can become so used to what’s around us (or our condition) that we fail to notice/register them. It’s hard to understand a system that we are part of because we have blind spots, where we can’t see what we aren’t looking for, and don’t notice what we don’t notice. This analogy can be effectively used in essays of following themes:
1) Changes in administrative/bureaucratic system – such as why lateral entry is important.
2) How learning requires us to get out of our comfort zone or change our context.
3) Themes of travelling, meeting new people, gaining new experiences etc
4) How education can be structured to focus on experiential learning where students are encouraged to think critically – making education a vehicle of change.
The Yaksha Prashna, also known as the “Questions of the Yaksha,” is a captivating episode from the Mahabharata that appears in the Vana Parva (Book of the Forest) of the epic. It involves a series of philosophical and moral questions posed by a Yaksha, a supernatural being, to Yudhishthira, the eldest of the Pandava brothers. The episode is rich with ethical dilemmas and showcases Yudhishthira’s wisdom and virtuous character.
Context: During their period of exile, the Pandavas, along with their wife Draupadi, are residing in the forests. In search of water, Yudhishthira sends his brothers one by one to fetch water from a nearby lake, but they all mysteriously disappear. Yudhishthira, worried about their safety, goes in search of them and reaches the lake, where he finds his brothers lying lifeless. Undeterred, Yudhishthira drinks water from the lake, and his brothers are revived.
The Yaksha, pleased with Yudhishthira’s selflessness, reveals himself and offers to grant a boon to the eldest Pandava. Yudhishthira requests that his brothers be brought back to life. The Yaksha agrees, but before doing so, he poses a series of profound questions to test Yudhishthira’s wisdom and virtues.
The Questions and Yudhishthira’s Answers:
The Yaksha’s questions cover a wide range of topics, from the nature of dharma (righteousness) and duty to the complexities of human behavior. Yudhishthira’s answers reflect his deep understanding of moral principles and his virtuous character:
❓What is more powerful than the Earth?
✅Yudhishthira answers: “One’s mother.”
❓What is faster than the Wind?
✅Yudhishthira answers: “The Mind.”
❓What is the biggest thing in the universe?
✅Yudhishthira answers: “Desire.”
❓What is the greatest journey?
✅Yudhishthira answers: “Journey to Self-Realization.”
❓What is the most important duty for a person?
✅Yudhishthira answers: “Dharma.”
❓Who is a true friend?
✅Yudhishthira answers: “One who offers help in times of distress.”
❓What is the main duty of a person during their lifetime?
✅Yudhishthira answers: “To be of service to others.”
❓What is more difficult to control than the Wind?
✅Yudhishthira answers: “The Mind.”
Yaksha Prashna reinforces the idea that life’s challenges are often metaphysical and philosophical. By posing questions that defy simple answers, the Yaksha highlights the complexity of ethical and moral dilemmas that humans face.
This story can be used to in diverse range of essay themes :
1.Duty/Dharma – especially important in essays related to the context of administration, leadership, wielding power.
2. Control over Mind/Mental State or attitude – UPSC has repeatedly given such essays – eg – An entire sea of water can’t sink a ship unless it gets inside the ship.
3. Self realisation/discovery/building character/cultivating values/ pursuing philosophical understanding – again favourite theme with the UPSC. Eg – an unexamined life is not worth living.
4. Compassion/to be Service to others/giving to others in life – again important theme with the UPSC especially since this quality is what differentiates an administration/leader from the rest, ideally.
How to use it in your essay?
It can be used as an intro/conclusion.
☑️Summarise the story in one paragraph and you can just pick the question relevant to the theme of the essay.