Mahaprasthanika Parva — Section 2 of 2 in this original, condensed prose retelling of the eighteen-parva Mahabharata.
At the threshold of heaven, Yudhishthira refuses to abandon the loyal dog who has traveled with him. The animal is revealed as part of a divine test of his righteousness. The scene places fidelity and compassion above the desire for heavenly reward.
Read this episode in sequence with the other parvas to understand the full storyline, including its moral ambiguity and tragic consequences.