Shloka 36
Adhyāya 3: Indra’s Invitation and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Refusal to Abandon the Dog
Svargārohaṇa Test
युधिष्ठिरस्तु देवेन्द्रमेवंवादिनमी श्वरम् । पुनरेवाब्रवीद् धीमानिदं वचनमर्थवत्,ऐसी बात कहते हुए ऐश्वर्यशाली देवराजसे बुद्धिमान् युधिष्ठिरने पुनः यह अर्थयुक्त वचन कहा--
yudhiṣṭhiras tu devendram evaṃ-vādinam īśvaram | punar evābravīd dhīmān idaṃ vacanam arthavat ||
Vaiśampāyana said: As Indra, the lord of the gods, spoke in this manner, the wise Yudhiṣṭhira once again addressed him with words of clear purpose—signaling that even before divine authority, he would rest his course on reasoned dharma and meaningful speech rather than mere acquiescence.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Meaningful speech grounded in discernment is integral to dharma: Yudhiṣṭhira does not abandon ethical reasoning even when addressing a divine sovereign, showing that righteousness involves thoughtful, purposeful articulation.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that after Indra has spoken, Yudhiṣṭhira responds again, preparing to state a significant point—continuing the moral dialogue central to the Mahāprasthānika episode.