What is higher than the heavens?’ What is fleeter than the wind?  And what is more numerous than grass?’ Yudhishthira answered, ’The mother is weightier than the earth; the father is higher than the heaven; the mind is fleeter than the wind; and our thoughts are more numerous than grass.’  The Yaksha asked, ’What is that which doth not close its eyes while asleep; What is that which doth not move after birth?  What is that which is without heart?  And what is that which swells with its own impetus?’ Yudhishthira answered, ’A fish doth not close its eyes while asleep:  an egg doth not move after birth:  a stone is without heart:  and a river swelleth with its own impetus.’  The Yaksha asked, ’Who is the friend of the exile?  Who is the friend of the householder?  Who is the friend of him that ails?  And who is the friend of one about to die?’ Yudhishthira answered, ’The friend of the exile in a distant land is his companion, the friend of the householder is the wife; the friend of him that ails is the physician:  and the friend of him about to die is charity.  The Yaksha asked,—­’Who is the guest of all creatures?  What is the eternal duty?  What, O foremost of kings, is Amrita?  And what is this entire Universe?’ Yudhishthira answered,—­Agni is the guest of all creatures:  the milk of kine is amrita:  Homa (therewith) is the eternal duty:  and this Universe consists of air alone.’[114] The Yaksha asked,—­’What is that which sojourneth alone?  What is that which is re-born after its birth?  What is the remedy against cold?  And what is the largest field?’ Yudhishthira answered,—­’The sun sojourneth alone; the moon takes birth anew:  fire is the remedy against cold:  and the Earth is the largest field.’  The Yaksha asked,—­’What is the highest refuge of virtue?  What of fame?  What of heaven?  And what, of happiness?’ Yudhishthira answered,—­’Liberality is the highest refuge of virtue:  gift, of fame:  truth, of heaven:  and good behaviour, of happiness.’  The Yaksha asked,—­’What is the soul of man?  Who is that friend bestowed on man by the gods?  What is man’s chief support?  And what also is his chief refuge?’ Yudhishthira answered,—­’The son is a man’s soul:  the wife is the friend bestowed on man by the gods; the clouds are his chief support; and gift is his chief refuge.’  The Yaksha asked,—­’What is the best of all laudable things?  What is the most valuable of all his possessions?  What is the best of all gains?  And what is the best of all kinds of happiness?’ Yudhishthira answered,—­“The best of all laudable things is skill; the best of all possessions is knowledge:  the best of all gains is health:  and contentment is the best of all kinds of happiness.’  The Yaksha asked,—­’What is the highest duty in the world?  What is that virtue which always beareth fruit?  What is that which if controlled, leadeth not to regret?  And who are they with whom an alliance cannot break?’ Yudhishthira answered,—­’The highest of duties is to refrain from injury:  the rites