In the Mahabharata, the dog accompanying Yudhishthira on his final journey is revealed to be Dharma.
Near the end of the epic, Yudhishthira and his brothers begin a journey toward the Himalayas. One by one, the other Pandavas and Draupadi fall, while Yudhishthira continues onward with a dog that has followed him.
When Indra arrives to take Yudhishthira to heaven, he refuses to enter without the loyal animal. Yudhishthira will not abandon a creature that sought his protection, even when told that the dog cannot accompany him. The dog then reveals its true identity as Dharma, Yudhishthira’s divine father and the embodiment of righteousness.
The episode tests Yudhishthira’s commitment to compassion and duty. It is distinct from the earlier question of Yudhishthira’s parentage: Dharma is the deity, while the dog is Dharma in disguise.