Shloka 21
Adhyāya 3: Indra’s Invitation and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Refusal to Abandon the Dog
Svargārohaṇa Test
उस समय तुमने कुन्ती और माद्री दोनों माताओंमें समानताकी इच्छा रखकर अपने सगे भाई भीम और अर्जुनको छोड़ केवल नकुलको जीवित करना चाहा था ।। अयं श्वा भक्त इत्येवं त्यक्तो देवरथस्त्वया । तस्मात् स्वर्गे न ते तुल्य: कश्चिदस्ति नराधिप:
dharma-rāja uvāca | us samaya tumne kuntī aur mādrī donoṃ mātāoṃ meṃ samānatā kī icchā rakhkar apne sage bhāī bhīma aur arjun ko choṛ ke kevala nakul ko jīvita karnā cāhā thā || ayaṃ śvā bhakta ity evaṃ tyakto devarathas tvayā | tasmāt svarge na te tulyaḥ kaścid asti narādhipaḥ ||
Dharmarāja said: “At that time, wishing to show equal regard to both mothers—Kuntī and Mādrī—you chose to spare only Nakula, even at the cost of leaving your own full brothers Bhīma and Arjuna. And when you were told, ‘This is a devoted dog,’ you did not abandon him. Therefore, O king, in heaven there is no one equal to you.”
धर्मरज उवाच
Educational Q&A
True dharma is shown through impartial justice and steadfast compassion: Yudhiṣṭhira’s earlier choice to honor both mothers equally, and his refusal to abandon a faithful dog, exemplify integrity that does not bend for personal gain—even when heaven itself is at stake.
Dharmarāja recalls two decisive moments: (1) a prior test where Yudhiṣṭhira chose Nakula to live to maintain fairness between Kuntī and Mādrī, despite Bhīma and Arjuna being his full brothers; and (2) the climactic ‘dog episode,’ where Yudhiṣṭhira refuses to enter heaven if it requires abandoning the devoted dog. These acts establish his unmatched merit in heaven.