33^ CRADLE TALES OF HINDUISM
Dharmma, the God of Righteousness. ^' Hail, O Yudisthira I " said he, ** thou who hast renounced the very chariot of the celestials on behalf of a dog 1 Verily, in Heaven is none equal unto thee 1 Regions of inexhaustible happiness are thine ! "
Then, surrounded by the chariots of the gods, Yudisthira the Just, the King of Righteousness, seated on the car of glory, ascended into Heaven in his mortal form. And entering, he was met by all the Immortals, eager to welcome him to their midst, eager to praise him as he deserved. But Yudisthira, looking round and seeing nowhere his brothers or Draupadi, said only, '< Happy or unhappy, whatever be the region that is now my brothers', to that, and nowhere else, do I desire to gol" " But why," remonstrated Indra, *' dost thou still cherish human affections ? Thy brothers also are happy, each in his own place. Verily, I see that thou art but mortal. Human love still binds thee. Look, this is Heaven 1 Behold around thee those who have attained to the regions of the godsl"
But Yudisthira answered, " Nay, Conqueror of the Demons 1 I cannot dwell apart from them. Wherever they have gone, thither, and not else- where, will I also go ! *'
At this very moment the King's eyes, sweeping Heaven again, in his first eager search for those he loved, caught sight, first of Duryodhana, then of
