Yudhistira’s Dharma and the Dog

Check the theme here: Pandava Mahaprasthana

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It was a strange feeling to float above one’s own body. The weightlessness of her presence was exhilarating despite the sense of confusion and disorientation Draupadi experienced in the first few seconds after her death. Her aatma rose from her mortal form, the body she inhabited for decades. Draupadi thought her experience of death differed from that of her birth. She rose from the flames as a teenager and died on the snowy mountain slope as a frail old woman. From fire to ice, her journey as a human had been wild at its best; a melody of dharma, artha, and kama.

Draupadi hovered, watching her husbands cry as they clung to her lifeless body. It made her sad, though she could no longer shed tears. This brought her relief. She saw Arjuna remove the peacock feather she tucked in her saree at the waist. He kissed it and bent to kiss her cheek one last time before standing and moving to the side.

Though she wanted to follow her husbands, the tug on her center was getting stronger. Draupadi was being pulled towards the summit. She wondered what would happen if she resisted, but it felt like too much effort. So, she gave in and let the invisible cord pull her up. If she still had her body, the wind would have torn her apart, given the speed at which she reached the top. Becoming a shapeless and weightless form had its advantages!

“Krishnaa, welcome.” She turned to a dazzling form and almost shielded her eyes before realizing the glare wasn’t hurting.

He gave her a knowing smile. Draupadi took in his gigantic form, the golden crown encased in thick lustrous hair, the sparkle of his eyes, the thick neck, and broad shoulders with a sculpted body that seemed to be made of rock. He was tall, taller than Bhima, Draupadi guessed, since she was floating midair.

“Devendra! Pranam!” She replied to his greeting and bowed. She was curious to know why Indra had arrived to take her to swarga. It was rare for him to do so. He usually sent his charioteer, Matali, to carry esteemed guests to his abode. The rest of the folk made their way inside on their own.

He studied her expression and explained. “Your human birth’s essence is still strong. You should cleanse yourself of it before you enter swarga.”

Draupadi nodded and bowed again. “Tell me what to do, Deva.”

“I have two options for you—go straight to naraka to cleanse your aatma or see your husbands’ progress and then go. Removing your human essence will change you.”

“I’d like to watch my husbands,” Draupadi replied.

Indra nodded, as if he expected her answer. “You can watch until Yudhistira steps into my chariot.”

“Thank you, Devendra.”

He gave her a regal nod and vanished. Draupadi floated down the slope back to where her husbands stopped for the day to mourn her death. Watching them look so lost made her wonder if her decision was right. Maybe she should have moved on to naraka. Draupadi wasn’t worried about Indra’s talk of cleansing her aatma. She knew she had made her share of mistakes and didn’t regret any. She was under no illusion of wanting to be spotless, nor did she ever want a stain-free aatma.

According to her, human birth was a blend of good, bad, and ugly. While it was essential to follow dharma, it didn’t mean she would bend backward to appease others. That wasn’t dharma. With a sigh, Draupadi trailed her husbands. She noticed how everything around her looked brighter, sharper, and cleaner. Divine plants dotted the slope at random. These had been invisible when she was a human. The ethereal glow around the plants hinted at their potency. These were likely used by the Ashwins and Dhanvantri to treat the celestial beings. Only a selected few humans like Maharishis would have the sight to see the plants, and that too only when they needed them.

Draupadi also saw other celestial forms dancing and twirling, making merry in the mountains. Soft and melodious music played by the gandharvas was her constant companion. Before her death, all she could hear were the calls of the wind and other normal sounds. The presence of so many otherworldly beings comforted her. She felt a tug when a group of five young gandharvas came toward her.

They stopped at a distance, as if expecting her to recognize them. Draupadi thought about it. While the gandharvas felt familiar, she knew she had never met them. They weren’t the ones who dumped a bound Duryodhana at Yudhistira’s feet in the forest. It was yet another arrogant scheme of Duryodhana that backfired and made him a prisoner.

“Do I…” Draupadi asked, but the gandharvas waved and left. She stared at their forms and shrugged. If they didn’t want to tell her, then fine.

A sudden cry caught her attention. Draupadi floated close to her husbands and saw Sahadeva delirious and blabbering. She knew his time was up. His aatma was already rising out of his body. It was mesmerizing. A bright light shot out of Sahadeva’s body, and his aatma emerged from it.

The cries of anguish below swallowed her cry of happiness. A part of her knew she should be sad about his death, but she got to meet one of her husbands again. However, Draupadi stayed back to let Sahadeva get used to his new form. When he looked in her direction, she smiled. He grinned and rushed to her. If she were alive, the force would have knocked her to the ground. They couldn’t hug. It was like two smoky shapes blending into one another and separating. Yet, it was enough.

“Draupadi! You are still here!” He gasped in delight.

“Of course! Indra gave me a chance to stay with you until Yudhistira’s ascent to swarga.” She replied.

His form lit up. “Can I stay too?”

Before Draupadi could reply, Sahadeva was pulled towards the summit. She followed him with assurances.

“Welcome, Sahadeva!” Indra said. “Go with him.” He gestured to a guard standing to the side.

“But Draupadi got to stay!” Sahadeva protested. He remembered his manners and bowed to the ruler of swarga. “I apologize, Shakra. My pranam to you.”

Indra nodded. “Accepted. I cannot give you or the others the same choice as Draupadi. Now, please go with him to cleanse your aatma. We’ll meet in swarga soon.”

Sahadeva looked dejected, but he smiled at Draupadi. “They’ll come soon.” He waved her goodbye. The trio disappeared, leaving her alone once again.

With a huff, Draupadi returned to hover over her remaining husbands.

Before long, she saw Nakula’s aatma rise from his body. He greeted her with the same enthusiasm. She prepared him for what was to come.

“I don’t want to leave you, but it seems I don’t have a choice.” He mumbled.

“You can try to meet Sahadeva in naraka.” She pointed out.

“Yes, maybe Dharma Deva would allow me to see my twin.”

“O, did I tell you know much I loved the snow sculpture you made?” She said, making him smile.

Nakula’s form brightened. “I knew you would love it!”

Draupadi accompanied him to the top of Kailasa and returned to her job.

Watching Arjuna die with her name on his lips stirred something in her. She welcomed his aatma with open arms, or rather by wrapping her shapeless form around him. There was no confusion or hesitation. His aatma clung to hers until the pull from Indra was impossible to resist.

Indra gave them an assuring smile and said. “He is a part of me, and you have parts of Sachi and Sri. It’s no surprise that mine and Sachi’s essence recognize each other.”

Draupadi grinned as they vanished. Well, that explained it then. Sachi was Indra’s consort, his Indrani; the other half of his everything.

When it was Bhima’s turn to leave the earth, Draupadi went as close as she could without disturbing him and Yudhistira. She noticed how her husbands turned their deaths into a game.

“Elder brother…” Bhima rasped. “Why do you think I fell before we could reach the top?”

“Bhima…” Yudhistira moaned, tracing his hands on Bhima’s arms and face.

“You have to say!”

Yudhistira took a deep breath to steady himself. “Because you are a glutton who loves food more than you should.”

Bhima’s weak chuckle would have broken her heart if she still had one.

“I heard swarga has unlimited food.” He replied.

Yudhistira’s laugh turned into cries as Bhima took his last breath. The dog sat beside them with a forlorn expression.

By now, Draupadi knew what to do, so she waited until Bhima’s aatma rose from his body and went to greet him. Then, she was back to follow Yudhistira and the dog as they climbed up Mount Kailasa.

She wondered what would happen to the dog when they reached the top. Yudhistira wouldn’t abandon it, no matter what. Would Indra allow the dog inside swarga? Animals would have a place naraka or swarga, she reasoned. The aatma had no distinction. However, the dog was very much alive. She didn’t like the thought it having to die to enter swarga.

Curious, Draupadi waited as Yudhistira finally reached the summit of Shiva’s favorite mountain. He looked around, uncertain about what to do next when Indra arrived.

“Shakra! Pranam, Deva!” Yudhistira said and bent to touch his head to Indra’s feet.

“Son of Pandu! Your father is waiting to meet you in swarga. Shall we leave?”

Yudhistira stood and bowed. “Yes, Deva. I request your permission to allow this dog to come with me.”

Indra glanced at the dog and waved his arm. “Nah! That’s not possible. You can come. This one can’t.”

“But, Shakra! What will happen to it without me?”

Draupadi detected the hint of panic in Yudhistira’s voice.

Indra shrugged, as if he didn’t care. “I can send it back down… somewhere.”

Yudhistira looked horrified. “No! Deva, the dog was with us throughout our Mahaprasthana. I cannot abandon it now.”

“You abandoned your wife and brothers.”

“No, Deva. I moved on when they left their mortal bodies. I would never abandon them if they were alive.”

“But the dog is not your family.”

“It is, Shakra.” Yudhistira insisted.

“Will you lose your chance to enter swarga if I don’t allow that creature inside?”

“My dharma prevents me from abandoning the dog. I made mistakes before. I don’t want to repeat them now.”

Indra seemed to think about it. Draupadi watched in fascination. She was sure this was some test. The devas showed no partiality between humans and animals. She knew Yudhistira would clear it.

“So, answer this question, son of Dharma,” Indra demanded. “When you explained the reasons for the deaths of your wife and brothers, did you mean what you said? Do you think you were right?”

Draupadi leaned closer. She wanted to know, too.

“No, and yes.”

Indra raised a brow.

Yudhistira tried to explain. “I think I am right, Shakra. The Vedas say so. However, I don’t mean what I said. Draupadi loved Arjuna more, but she didn’t love any of us less. She gave us her everything. Her connection with Arjuna goes beyond the human realm. It’s not her fault that she loved him more.”

He took a deep breath to control his emotions and continued. “If Sahadeva hadn’t flaunted his knowledge, hundreds of young ones wouldn’t have benefited from it. Nakula knew he was handsome, but he never used beauty as a yardstick to measure others. Arjuna couldn’t wipe out the entire army in one day because he didn’t want so many deaths on his conscience. Bhima’s love for food pales when we see his love for Draupadi and his brothers.”

Draupadi wanted to hug Yudhistira but refrained. She guessed Indra wouldn’t like her ruining his test. She was astonished as the dog transformed into another deva. He was as majestic and powerful as Indra.

“Bravo, my son!” He said, placing a hand on Yudhistira’s shoulder.

“Dharma Deva!” Draupadi gasped. Despite becoming an aatma, she couldn’t see him inside the dog.

“You proved your worth. Enter swarga in your mortal body. However, you will discard it soon.” Dharma said.

“Thank you for being with us and guiding us, Deva.” Yudhistira bowed.

Indra clapped. A thunderbolt struck out of nowhere. Draupadi felt her form tremble as a rumbling sound echoed around them.

Matali arrived, driving Indra’s golden chariot pulled by a thousand white horses. The chariot was bigger than what she imagined from Arjuna’s description. Arjuna had ridden it thrice—once to travel to swarga, once to fight the nivatakavachas, and the last time to return to earth.

The moment Yudhistira stepped into the chariot, Draupadi felt herself tugged into a void. It was time for her quick trip to naraka.

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