84 Evolution of Life and Form. 



ings since he left his capital, when that dog remain- 

 ed his sole companion, trusting his master's love 

 faithfully unto death, then comes down a mighty 

 God and stands beside him. " Your time has come 

 mount on my celestial chariot, and ascend in your 

 body unto the heaven where you have won the 

 right to sit and reign." Will he now yield to the 

 invitation of the God ? He said : " This dog is here ; 

 he has trusted to my protection and I cannot leave 

 him alone ; I must take him with me." The God 

 answered : " Dogs have no place in heaven ; dogs 

 are unclean, no place for them is there ; you have 

 left your dead brothers behind, and your wife when 

 she perished ; why should you remain still with this 

 dog?" "They are all dead," he answered " for 

 the dead, the living can do nothing. This creature 

 is still living and has sought my protection ; I will 

 not abandon him." " Nay," the God said, " be not 

 so foolish ; leave the dog there." But Yudhishthira 

 stood firm ; he was strong enough to stand against 

 the God, and to show righteousness and fidelity to 

 the poor brute that had placed his love in him ; 

 unless he might take the dog with him, he would 

 stay on the earth and do his duty. Such lesson had he 

 learnt from his fall ; such is the result of the working 

 of Shri Krishna on his evolution. We can see this 

 same working throughout the whole of that struggle. 



