A Comprehensive Collection - Swami Vivekananda

"But""""You"""522 THE MAHABHARATA.were showered upon him by the gods. And thendescended the chariot of the gods and he saw several"divine formes and they asked him : Ascend this chariot rgreatest of mortals, thou that art alone grven to enterheaven without changingthe mortal body. And Yudisthiralooks ahead and* says to his dog."Get intb thechariot, child." The gods stand aghast: "What! dogjthe denied dog ! the dog goes to heaven ! Great kingrwhat is this ? Are you mad ? You are the most virt JLOUSof the human race ; you go to heaven in your body ! "he has been my companion throughsnow and"ice. When all my brothers were dead, my queen dead,he alone was left me. How can I leave him ? Youhave to. Who ever heard of such a nonsense dfe-s^ogto heaven ! He has to be left behind." "I do notgoing"go," says the "without king, the "Then" dog." saysthe god, on one condition the dog goes to heaven."Name that."have been the most virtuous ofmortals, and he has been a dog killing animals ;he is asinful dog, hunting and takingother lives. You can"exchange for him and go to hell yourself." Acceptedsays the "letking; the dog go to heaven." And atonce the scene changed. The dog was no other thanYama. Behold, oh king, man never was so unselfishas thee, willing to exchange heaven with a little dog rresigning all his virtues, and willing to goadog."to hell for