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THE ASCENT OF YUDISTHIRA 335 with its trained sense of human conduct, rose knowledge of its cause, with each disaster that befell.

Even he himself, it is said, could not altogether escape the common lot of imperfection, and as he felt the very pang of death shoot through one foot where it touched the earth, he remembered a shadow that had fallen once, upon his own unstained truth.

But with him there could be no rebellion against the right. He shed no tear, and uttered no sigh. Rather did his own purpose shine clearer and stronger before him, at each defeat of his little party. And thus Yudisthira, not even looking back, proceeded alone, followed by the dog.

Suddenly there was a deafening peal of thunder, BO overwhelming that the two stood still on the mountain-side. Then came towards them, as it were, a cloud of light, and when this had become clear, the hero beheld in the midst of it Indra, the God of Heaven, standing in his chariot.

" It is ordained, thou chief of the race of Bharata, that thou shalt enter the realm of Heaven, in this thy human form. Wherefore do thou herewith ascend this chariot," said the god.

"Nay, Lord of a thousand Deities 1" answered the King, ** my brothers have all fallen dead, and without them at my side, I have no desire to enter