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STORIES · THE MAHĀBHĀRATA · Mahāprasthānika
Yudhishthira, the dog and Dharma again
Classical
Dharma tests Yudhishthira at the start of the forest exile and again at the gates of heaven.
Climbing toward heaven, Yudhishthira refuses Indra's chariot unless the dog that followed him may enter. The dog is Dharma in disguise, recalling the lake test when he chose Nakula. Draupadi falls first for partiality to Arjuna, then Sahadeva (pride in wisdom), Nakula (vanity), Arjuna (pride in skill) and Bhima (gluttony and pride).
Who: Yudhishthira, Dharma, Indra
Bound to
The Yaksha's questions at the lake mirror
Yudhiṣṭhira's Visit to Hell origin
Places: Mount Meru
Where this comes from
- vulgate (Ganguli) · Ganguli translation of the Mahabharata (read via MahabharataOnline) Ganguli, Mahaprasthanika Parva (Section number not shown on the page read.)
- commentary · Wikipedia: Mahaprasthanika Parva