Reading Notes: Indian Fables and Folklore, Part A

Yudhishtir's Dog

• Yudhishtir was the eldest Pandu brother of the 5 of them. 
• Him and his brothers won a battle against the Kuru family with the help of Krishna, who is the equivalent of the Indian Hercules.
• However,  Yudhishtir refused the throne, and his brother and his wife set out a journey to Mount Sumeru (Indian version of Olympus).
• He had his faithful dog accompany them.
• Unfortunately, he and the dog were the only ones to make to Mount Sumeru.
• King of the Gods, Indra, wouldn't let Yudhishtir enter to heaven with his dog.
• Yudhishtir refused to come in if his dog wasn't allowed to come with him.
• Yama, the God of Death and Justice, agreed to let Yudhishtir come to heaven with his dog because how faithful and true their relationship was to one another. 
• I liked this story because it was just a simple story of how a dog stayed loyal to his owner.
• I could change this story and make it more modern. 

Yudhishtir and his dog trying to get into heaven.
(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

The Magic Food-Bowl of the Sun

• Yudhishtir had the weakness of gambling and always fell into the temptation.
• He lost everything including his kingdom.
• He and his brothers went to the woods to seek shelter.
• Yudhishtir prayed to the Sun to relieve some of their burden and help them.
• The Sun felt bad and gave him a magic food bowl, which filled up with any food they asked for.
• This helped the Pandavas greatly during their exile in the woods.

Bibliography: Indian Fables and Folklore, Part A by Shovona Devi.