Shloka 5
Svargārohaṇa-parva Adhyāya 2 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Inquiry for His Kin and the Vision of a Punitive Realm
देवताओ! यदि वे सम्पूर्ण महारथी इन लोकोंमें आये हैं तो आप समझ लें कि मैं उन महात्माओंके साथ रहूँगा ।। कच्चिन्न तैरवाप्तो<5यं नृपैलोको$क्षय: शुभ: । न तैरहं विना रंस्ये भ्रातृभिज्ञातिभिस्तथा,परंतु यदि उन नरेशोंने यह शुभ एवं अक्षयलोक नहीं प्राप्त किया है तो मैं उन जाति- भाइयोंके बिना यहाँ नहीं रहूँगा
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: devatāḥ! yadi te sampūrṇā mahārathā ime lokeṣu āgatāḥ, tad yuṣmābhiḥ jñeyam—ahaṃ taiḥ mahātmabhiḥ sārdhaṃ sthāsyāmi. kaccin na tair avāpto 'yaṃ nṛpair loko 'kṣayaḥ śubhaḥ? na tair ahaṃ vinā raṃsye bhrātṛbhiḥ jñātibhiḥ tathā; parantu yadi tair nareśaiḥ eṣaḥ śubho 'kṣayo loko na prāptaḥ, tarhi ahaṃ taiḥ jāti-bhrātṛbhiḥ vinā iha na sthāsyāmi.
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “O gods! If those complete great chariot-warriors have come to these worlds, then know this— I will remain in the company of those noble souls. But if those kings have not attained this auspicious, imperishable realm, then I will not take delight here without them—without my brothers and my kinsmen. If they have not reached this blessed, undecaying world, I will not stay here apart from those who are my own.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
True dharma is not merely attaining a personal reward (even an imperishable heaven) but remaining faithful to one’s moral bonds—especially loyalty and responsibility toward brothers and kin. Yudhiṣṭhira values shared righteousness and solidarity over solitary bliss.
At the threshold of the heavenly realm, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses the gods and asks whether the great warriors—especially the kings, his brothers, and his relatives—have attained that auspicious, imperishable world. He declares that he will not rejoice in heaven, nor remain there, if they are not present with him.