Vaishampayana said Causing the Heaven and the Earth to be filled by a loud sound, then Shakra came to the son of Pritha on a car and asked him to ascend it.

Seeing the brothers fallen on the Earth, king Yudhishthira the just said to that deily of a thousand eyes these words, 'My brothers have all dropped down here! They must go with me. Without them by me I do not wish to go to the celestial region, O lord of all the celestials.

The delicate princess (Draupadi) deserving of every comfort, O Purandara, should go with us! You should permit this.'

Shakra said You shall behold your brothers in the celestial region. They have reached it before you. Indeed, you shall see all of them there, with Krishna. Do not give way to grief, O chief of the Bharatas!

Having renounced their human bodies they have gone there, O chief of Bharata's race! As for you, it is ordained that you shall go there in this very body of yours.

Yudhishthira said This dog, O lord of the Past and the Present, is highly devoted to me. He should go with me. My heart is full of mercy for him.

Shakra said You have acquired today Immortality and a status equal to mine, O king, prosperity extending in all directions and high success, and all the felicities of heaven. Do you cast off this dog. In this there will be no cruelty.

Yudhishthira said O you of a thousand eyes, O you, who ere of righteous conduct, it is extremely difficult for one that is of righteous conduct to perpetrate an act which is unrighteous. I do not with that union with prosperity for which I shall have to cast off one that is devoted to me.

Indra said There is no place in the celestial region for persons with dogs. Besides the Krodhavashas take away all the merits of such persons. Thinking of this, acts, O king Yudhishthira the just! Do you abandon this dog. There is no cruelty in this.'

Yudhishthira said It has been said that the abandonment of one that is devoted in sinful beyond measure. It is equal to the sin of Brahmanicide. Hence, o great Indra, I shall not cast off this dog today from desire of my happiness.

This is my vow, viz., that I never give up a person that is terrified, not one that is devoted to me, nor one that seeks my help, saying, that he is destitute, nor one that is afflicted, nor one that has come to me, nor one that is weak in protecting oneself, nor one that begs for life. I shall never give up such a one till my own life goes away.

Indra said Whatever gifts, or sacrifices spread out, or libations poured on the sacred fire, are seen by a dog, are taken away by the Krodhavashas. Do you, therefore, renounce this dog. By renouncing this dog you will acquire the region of the celestial.

Having abandoned you brothers brothers and Krishna, you have, o hero, acquired a region of happiness by your own deeds. Why are you so stupefied? You have renounced everything. Why then do you not renounce this dog?

Yudhishthira said This is well known in all the worlds that there is neither friendship nor enmity with the dead. When my brothers and Krishna died, I was unable to revive them. Hence it was that I renounced them, I did not, however, renounce them as long as they were alive.

To frighten one that has sought protection, the killing of a woman, the theft of what belongs to a Brahmana, and injuring a friend, each of these four, O Shakra, is I think equal to the abandonment of one that is devoted.

Hearing these words of king Yudhishthira the just, (the dog became transformed into) the deity of Virtue, who well pleased, said words to him in a sweet voice fraught with praise,

Dharma said You are well born, O king of kings. and endued with the intelligence and the good conduct of Pandu! You have mercy for all creatures, O Bharata, of which this is a bright example!

Formerly, O son, you were once examined by me in the forest of Dvaita, where your brothers of great prowess met with (an appearance of) death,

Disregarding both your brothers Bhima and Arjuna, you did wish for the revival of Nakula from your desire of doing good to your (step) mother.

On the present occasion, thinking the dog to be devoted to you, you have renounced the very car of the celestials instead of renouncing him. Hence, O king, there is not one in Heaven that is equal to you.

Hence, O Bharata, regions of inexhaustible happiness are yours? You have acquired them, O chief of the Bharatas, and yours is a celestial and high end.

Vaishampayana said, Then Dharma and Shakra, and the Maruts, and the Ashvins and other deities and the celestial Rishis, causing Yudhishthira to ascend on a car, went to the celestial region. Those beings crowned with success and capable of going everywhere at will,orode their respective cars.

King Yudhishthira, that perpetuator of Kuru's race, riding on that car, ascended quickly, causing the entire sky to blaze with his effulgence.

Then Narada, that foremost of all speakers, gifted with penances, and conversant with all the worlds, from amidst that concourse of celestials, said these words:-'All those royal sages who are here have their achievements transcended by hose of Yudhishthira.

Covering all the worlds by his fame and splendour and by his wealth of conduct, he has attained to the celestial region in his own (human) body! None else than the son of Pandu has been heard to achieve this.'

O lord, look at these several abodes of the gods living on the earth, you see in the form of stars and constellations in the sky.

Hearing these words of Narada, the righteous-souled king, saluting the celestials and all the royal sages there present, said, ‘Happy or miserable, whatever the region be that is now any brothers, I wish to proceed to. I do not wish to go anywhere else.'

Hearing this speech of the king the chief of the celestials, Purandara, said these words pregnant with noble meaning, 'Do you live in this place, O king of kings, which you have acquired by your meritorious decds! Why do you still cherish human affections?

You have acquired great success, the like of which no other man has ever been able to attain. Your brothers, Odelighter of the Kurus, have succeeded in acquiring happy regions.

Human affections still touch you. This is Heaven. See these celestial Rishis and Siddhas who have attained to the region of the gods.'

Endued with great intelligence, Yudhishthira answered the king of the deities once more, saying, 'O conqueror of Daityas, I venture not to live anywhere, separated from them! I wish to go there where my brothers have gone!

I wish to go there where that foremost of women, Draupadi, of ample proportions and darkish complexion and gifted with great intelligence and righteousness of conduct, has gone!'