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When Indra comes to take Yuddhisthira to Swarga, the latter refuses to go without the dog who has been accompanying him all this while:

"Yudhishthira said, ‘O thou of a 1,000 eyes. O thou that art of righteous behavior, it is exceedingly difficult for one that is of righteous behavior to perpetrate an act that is unrighteous. I do not desire that union with prosperity for which I shall have to cast off one that is devoted to me.’

This is when Indra replies:

"Indra said, ‘There is no place in Heaven for persons with dogs. Besides, the Krodhavasas take away all the merits of such persons. Reflecting on this, act, O king Yudhishthira the just. Do thou abandon this dog. There is no cruelty in this.’

My question is - What reason do the Krodhavasas (Asurik sons of Kashyap's wife Krodhavasa) have for disliking dogs or people with dogs? Especially since Yama himself has two dogs that guard his abode?

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  • So far as i know, keeping dog or cat for more than three days is banned by smritis. i vaguely remember the sloka also reading 'shwa suna marjars poshyantah dinatrayam etc.
    – user17294
    Jan 24, 2019 at 12:11
  • 1
    Interesting question!
    – Viraj
    Dec 17, 2019 at 8:50
  • 1
    Yama does not live in Svarga. Oct 31, 2021 at 16:15

2 Answers 2

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I think it is because they dislike dogs.

Ekalavya was also born from Krodhavasa.

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01068.htm

Ekalavya, and Sumitra, Vatadhana, and also Gomukha; the tribe of kings called the Karushakas, and also Khemadhurti; Srutayu, and Udvaha, and also Vrihatsena; Kshema, Ugratirtha, the king of the Kalingas; and Matimat, and he was known as king Iswara; these first of kings were all born of the Asura class called Krodhavasa.

The quality was also in Ekalavya, an avatar of the class of Krodhavasa demons.

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01135.htm

Meanwhile, the dog also, in wandering alone in the woods, came upon the Nishada prince (Ekalavya). And beholding the Nishada of dark hue, of body besmeared with filth, dressed in black and bearing matted locks on head, the dog began to bark aloud.

After the dog barked aloud, he made the dog stop barking.

"Thereupon the Nishada prince, desirous of exhibiting his lightness of hand, sent seven arrows into its mouth (before it could shut it).

I think that Krodhavasa dislike dogs because they bark very loud.

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  • Interesting find. I would love to know the reason for their dislike though if that's mentioned anywhere. Dec 7, 2021 at 17:27
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I think this is because they are of demonic lineage/are pishachas.

Here is the relevant link

Wikipedia says this:

In the Ramayana, Krodhavasha was the wife of the sage Kashyapa,[1] the mother of Surabhi,[2] and the daughter of Daksha.[1] She gave birth to Asuras, or demons, who were also known as Krodhavasas.[3] As she was very short-tempered, the children born to her were ferocious animals, birds, and fish, all monsters species with sharp teeth.[1]

Based on these two,why I think Indra refused the dog entry was because Krodhavasas are demonic/pishachas,and ,they are in the form of animals.

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