Page:Cradle Tales of Hinduism .djvu/361

THE ASCENT OF YUDISTHIRA 337 devotion, nor those who have sought my protection or my mercy, nor any who is too weak to protect himself. Never have I done this. Never shall I stoop to do it. Therefore do I refuse, out of mere desire for my own happiness, to abandon this dog ! "

In the King's voice there was no possibility of reconsideration. Yudisthira had made up his mind. He would not be moved.

Yet still the Deity argued with him. " By the presence of a dog, Heaven itself would be made unholy 1 Thou knowest that his mere glance would take away from the consecrated all its sacredness. Wherefore, O King, art thou then so foolish ? Thou hast renounced thine own brothers and Draupadi 1 Why shouldst thou not renounce this dog ? "

<' It is well known," replied Yudisthira, "that one cannot but renounce the dead I For them there are neither enemies nor friends. I did not abandon my brothers and Draupadi so long as they were alive I I only left them, when I was unable to revive them. Not even the frightening of one who had sought our protection, nor the slaying of a woman, nor stealing from a Brahmin, nor treachery to a friend, would now appear to me a greater sin than to leave this dog 1 " And lo, as he finished speaking, the dog vanished, and in his place was the radiant presence of