Shloka 14
Adhyāya 3: Indra’s Invitation and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Refusal to Abandon the Dog
Svargārohaṇa Test
त्यक्त्वा भ्रातृन् दयितां चापि कृष्णां प्राप्तो लोक: कर्मणा स्वेन वीर | श्वानं चैनं न त्यजसे कथं नु त्यागं कृत्स्नं चास्थितो मुहा[से5द्य
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | tyaktvā bhrātṝn dayitāṃ cāpi kṛṣṇāṃ prāpto lokaḥ karmaṇā svena vīra | śvānaṃ cainaṃ na tyajase kathaṃ nu tyāgaṃ kṛtsnaṃ cāsthito mūḍhaḥ ||
ឥន្ទ្រាបានមានព្រះបន្ទូលថា៖ «ឱ វីរបុរស! អ្នកបានបោះបង់បងប្អូន និងស្រីជាទីស្រឡាញ់ ក្រឹෂ្ណា (ដ្រោបទី) ហើយដោយផលបុណ្យនៃកិច្ចការរបស់ខ្លួន បានទៅដល់លោកសួគ៌។ ហេតុអ្វីបានជាអ្នកមិនបោះបង់ឆ្កែនេះទៀត? អ្នកដែលបានកាន់យកការលះបង់ទាំងស្រុងហើយ តើហេតុអ្វីឥឡូវនេះវិលទៅជាប់មោហៈ—ចងចិត្តនឹងឆ្កែ?»
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a moral tension between formal renunciation and compassionate fidelity. It questions whether ‘complete abandonment’ can coexist with attachment to a vulnerable being, setting up the ethical test: true dharma is not mere detachment but steadfast righteousness and protection of the dependent.
At the end of the great journey (mahāprasthāna), Yudhiṣṭhira reaches the threshold of heaven with a dog that has followed him. A divine voice challenges him to enter without the dog, and Yudhiṣṭhira responds by refusing to abandon it. This verse voices the challenge: since he has already left behind brothers and Draupadī, why not leave the dog too?