Story: The Pandavas Depart
 |
| Yudhishthira and the dog |
Yudhishthira divided the kingdom. Then the Pandavas and Draupadi cast off their royal garment and their jewels. Yudhishthira departed first of all, and his brethren walked behind him one by one, and Draupadi went last of all, followed by a hound. They all walked towards the rising sun, and by the long circuitous path which leads to Mount Meru, through forests and over streams and across the burning plains, never again to return.
When Yudhishthira meet Indra he said, "Let my brethren who have fallen by the way come with me also. I cannot enter heaven without them, O king of the gods. Let the fair and gentle princess come too; Draupadi hath been a faithful wife and is worthy of bliss. Hear my prayer, O Indra, and have mercy."
Indra said, "Thou didst leave behind thy brethren and Draupadi. Why, therefore, canst thou not abandon thine hound?"
Said Yudhishthira, "I have no power to bring back to life those who have fallen by the way: there can be no abandonment of the dead."
As he spoke, the hound was transformed, and behold Dharma, god of justice, stood by the rajah's side.
Dharma said, "O Yudhishthira, thou art indeed mine own son. Thou wouldst not abandon me, thy hound, because that I was faithful unto thee. Thine equal cannot be found in heaven."
Said Indra, "Thy brethren and Draupadi have gone before thee."
However, Indra did not want to admit his hound into heaven. Yudhishthira refused to go forth and abandon his hound.
Said Yudhishthira, "I have no power to bring back to life those who have fallen by the way: there can be no abandonment of the dead."
As he spoke, the hound was transformed, and behold Dharma, god of justice, stood by the rajah's side.
Dharma said, "O Yudhishthira, thou art indeed mine own son. Thou wouldst not abandon me, thy hound, because that I was faithful unto thee. Thine equal cannot be found in heaven."
Comments
Post a Comment