Shloka 6
Adhyāya 3: Indra’s Invitation and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Refusal to Abandon the Dog
Svargārohaṇa Test
निक्षिप्य मानुषं देहं गतास्ते भरतर्षभ | अनेन त्वं शरीरेण स्वर्गे गन्ता न संशय:,भरतभूषण! वे मानवशरीरका परित्याग करके स्वर्गमें गये हैं; किंतु तुम इसी शरीरसे वहाँ चलोगे, इसमें संशय नहीं है
nikṣipya mānuṣaṃ dehaṃ gatās te bharatarṣabha | anena tvaṃ śarīreṇa svarge gantā na saṃśayaḥ ||
Śakra disse: “Ó touro entre os Bhāratas, eles foram ao céu depois de abandonar o corpo humano. Mas tu, ornamento e glória da linhagem Bhārata, irás ao céu com este mesmo corpo; não há dúvida.”
शक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts ordinary post-mortem ascent (reaching heaven after abandoning the human body) with an exceptional, divinely affirmed reward: the righteous person may be granted bodily ascent, underscoring the extraordinary fruit of steadfast dharma.
Indra (Śakra) addresses Yudhiṣṭhira, explaining that the others have reached heaven after leaving their bodies, while Yudhiṣṭhira is assured entry into heaven in the same body, marking his unique culmination of the great journey.