Shloka 29
Adhyāya 3: Indra’s Invitation and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Refusal to Abandon the Dog
Svargārohaṇa Test
“अपने यश, तेज और सदाचाररूप सम्पत्तिसे तीनों लोकोंको आवृत करके अपने भौतिक शरीरसे स्वर्गलोकमें आनेका सौभाग्य पाण्डुनन्दन युधिष्ठिरकके सिवा और किसी राजाको प्राप्त हुआ हो, ऐसा हमने कभी नहीं सुना है ।।
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: apane yaśa, teja aura sadācāra-rūpa sampatti se trīṇi lokāni āvṛtya sva-bhautika-śarīreṇa svargaloke āgantuṁ saubhāgyaṁ Pāṇḍu-nandana Yudhiṣṭhiraṁ vinā anyasya kasyacid rājñaḥ prāptaṁ syāt—iti vayaṁ kadācana na śuśruma. tejāṁsi yāni dṛṣṭāni bhūmi-sthena tvayā vibho, veśmāni bhuvi devānāṁ paśya amūni sahasraśaḥ.
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「般度の子ユディシュティラを除いて、名声と威光と正しき行いの富によって三界を覆い、しかもこの肉身のまま天界に至るという稀有の幸運を授かった王を、われらはかつて聞いたことがない。おお力ある者よ、今ここに、数知れぬほどの光輝を見よ。地上にあって汝が見たその光は、この道に連なる神々の天宮の住まいである。」
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates dharmic kingship: enduring fame and true splendor arise from sadācāra (righteous conduct). Such ethical excellence is portrayed as so potent that it culminates in the extraordinary reward of attaining heaven with the physical body—an emblem of unmatched merit and integrity.
As Yudhiṣṭhira proceeds on the final journey, the narrator (Vaiśampāyana) highlights the uniqueness of his ascent: no other king is known to have reached heaven bodily through the power of fame, tejas, and virtue. Yudhiṣṭhira is then directed to behold the countless luminous celestial dwellings of the gods appearing along the way.