1. LET’S TAKE A TRIP TO INDIA…
BUT WAIT, I DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT INDIA
GROUP 5
Brooke Tenison
Lauren Sion
Nic Nee
Picture from: Microsoft Clip Art
Ali Jacobs

2. WELL… LET’S LEARN ABOUT INDIA THEN
I’ve heard some terms from India before…

let’s learn about dharma, and I should do
something else, too.
Let’s read a book from India that

showcases the culture and values of the
region.
 I heard that Hundred Questions is a good
Picture from:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OrPiYD1RcAs/R9IsRqdRNqI/AAAAAAAABfM/d54aMxSpBwM/s320/Mahabharata+Pandavas+and+Dog.jp
one.
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3. SO ABOUT HUNDRED QUESTIONS… AND WHO
ARE THE PANDAVA BROTHERS?
Hundred Questions is from the Mahabharata, which is a Hindu epic.
Hundred Questions is about the Five Pandava Brothers.
The Five Pandava Brothers are a poignant and key element in Indian
literature. The story revolves around the five acknowledged sons
of Pandu: Yudhishtira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. They
were all married to the same woman, Draupadi. Together they
fought in a war against their cousins, the Kauravas, and the
climatic element of the tale was the Battle of Kurukshetra, where
the brothers prevailed. Brotherhood, truthfulness, filial piety, and
the objectification of women are all prevalent themes of this
cultural story depicting the trials and tribulations of five acclaimed
brothers surviving in their fictional world, teaching morals and
lessons to the Indian people.
Picture from:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OrPiYD1RcAs/R9IsRqdRNqI/AAAAAAAABfM/d54aMxSpBwM/s320/Mahabharata+Pandavas+and+Dog.jpg
Information from:
http://www.indianetzone.com/13/pandava.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandavas

4. OKAY SO WHAT’S THE THEME OF THIS STORY?
The theme of Hundred Questions is the difference between

listening and hearing. The first four brothers in the story did not
listen to the yaksha, and died for it. The last brother, Yudhishtira
ignored his thirst, listened to the yaksha, and answered all of the
yaksha’s questions correctly.
Another theme was filial piety. When the yaksha told Yudhishtira

he could chose one brother to revive, he chose the brother from
his father’s second wife. His reasoning behind this was he wanted
both of his mothers to have one son.

5. AND ABOUT THE STORY, WHAT’S UP WITH THE
RIDDLES?
The purpose of the yaksha’s riddles was to

test Yudhishtira’s knowledge, character,
quickness of wit, and endurance

6. SO WHAT’S THE LESSON?
In quot;Hundred Questions,quot; we see the contrast

between respecting gods and defying them. The
first four brothers disregard the voice warning
them not to drink from the pond, and all of them
faced the consequence of death. However, the
humble Yudhistira showed respect for the
yaksha, and was eventually rewarded for this.
quot;Hundred Questionsquot; also involves the concept
of dharma. Yudhistira is a hero, but not based
on the usual characteristics of a hero. He just
properly fulfills his dharma by answering the
questions asked, and great things come to him.

7. DHARMA…. WHAT?
Dharma is a concept that is hard to explain in

English, because there is really no synonym.
Dharma is a way of life. It explains the natural
rules and laws of the universe. Each person has
set duties that make up their dharma. Anything
that helps humans reach god and find
happiness is known as dharma, while that which
prevents humans from reaching god is called
adharma. In the story “Hundred Questions,” the
Pandavas represent dharma while the Kauravas
stand for adharma.

8. Sound clip from: Microsoft Clip Art
Picture from: Microsoft Clip Art