What Happened After Mahabharata?

What Happened After Mahabharata?

Long live religion. Whenever we hear this sentence, the image of a great saga emerges in our mind which is as vibrant and relevant even after thousands of years. Mahabharata is the epic poem in which there was a great battle between Dharma and Adharma. The war that not only conquered land but also tested the soul. Today we are going to live that last and most emotional chapter of that epic saga. The Pandavas journey to heaven. Thirty-six years had passed since the great battle of Kurukshetra.

The war that established religion but also destroyed countless families. Which gave victory but also left countless wounds in the hearts of the victors. Thirty-six years, an entire generation had passed. The children who were born during that war were now capable of running the kingdom themselves. But those Pandavas who had lived through that war were now weary, disillusioned, and had risen above the world. And then one after another such incidents happened which gave the signal to the Pandavas that now the time had come to leave. The first and the biggest event is the departure of Lord Shri Krishna himself from this world. When Gandharis curse came true and the Yadu dynasty itself was destroyed. When Dwarka sank into the sea and when Shri Krishna left his divine body, on that day the souls of the Pandavas also lost a part because Krishna was not only their friend. He was not the only one who guided them. They were the threads of his soul. Without him, this world now seemed hollow, lifeless and meaningless to the Pandavas.

This was the moment when a profound awakening took place within Yudhishthira. A sense that cannot be put into words, that can only be experienced. This world is no longer for us. Our work is done. One day the Pandavas gathered in the royal palace of Hastinapur. Maharaj Yudhishthira was sitting in the middle. There was a strange peace in his eyes. The calm that comes after the storm. The peace that comes when all the questions are answered. Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva and Draupadi were all present. Silence filled the room, as if even the air was listening with bated breath. Yudhishthira slowly opened his eyes. There was a smile on his lips. That smile which is on the faces of the monks who have known the world. Dear brothers Draupadi, today I want to say something to all of you. The time has come about which we all had a feeling somewhere in our hearts. The great power called Kaal or Time moves all beings at its own pace. Be it a king or a pauper, a god or a demon, everyone bows before time. We performed our duty. We secured our kingdom. Now we have to rise above the illusion of this mortal world. Now we have to take the path of Mahaprasthan. Yudhishthiras words echoed in the room and a deep wave arose. Bhima who fought countless battles and broke Duryodhanas thigh. Who did not even salute the peaks of the Himalayas. He too became silent for a moment. Arjun, who always had Gandiva in his hand and whose eyes were always fixed on the target, also got lost in some distant memory. Nakula and Sahadeva, both the youngest brothers, listened to their elder brothers words and accepted them in their hearts and Draupadi, the princess of Panchala who was born from fire and had to face the toughest tests of life. He too bowed his head without a single moments delay, without a single word. This acceptance was not in words. This was the consent of the soul. Yudhishthira now turned his attention to his successor. He decided to hand over the throne of Hastinapur to Abhimanyus son Parikshit.

Parikshit who was still young. But he had both the bravery of his father Abhimanyu and the intelligence of his grandfather Arjun. He killed Yuyutsu, the son of Dhritarashtra, who had taken the side of Dharma in Kurukshetra. Appointed guardian of Parikshit. Everything was streamlined. No fuss, no regrets. Just like a businessman hands over his entire shop to someone and walks away with a calm mind. Before the great departure, Yudhishthira offered tarpan and shraddha to all the sages and gods. He performed special pujas for Lord Shri Krishna and his departed loved ones for Karna, his unknown elder brother, for Dronacharya, for Bhishma Pitamah and when he came out of the royal gates, the people of Hastinapur thronged the streets. Children, old people, women, men, all filled with tears. Today their king is the king who protected them for thirty-six years, who was himself the incarnation of Dharma. Today he was leaving them forever. Yudhishthira paused and looked once at his subjects, at the thousands of faces filled with love, sorrow, and reverence. Dear citizens of the city, we have served you to the best of our ability. Now our time has come. Protecting each other, following the path of righteousness. Because religion alone sustains this world. Dharma wins in the end. Parikshit and Yuyutsu are your new kings. To respect them. And pray for us. Tears kept flowing from the eyes of the people. Someone wanted to protest. But seeing the determination on Yudhishthirs face, everyone became silent. Because when a great man makes a decision, even the universe does not block his path. The Pandavas took off their royal clothes. He wore the clothes of forest dwellers. He had a tilak on his forehead. With a kamandalu in hand and only a simple path on the feet going towards the north. And then something unexpected happened. A dog, a simple ordinary dog, followed them. As if he knows where this journey leads. As if someone had sent it. The Pandavas saw him. No attempt was made to drive him away. That dog started walking with them. Silent, loyal and mysterious. The journey of the Pandavas started from the west.

They kept moving forward, crossing rivers, passing through forests, crossing plains. Nature was there to welcome them. Birds flew with them, rivers made way for them. Finally they reached the shore of the Salt Sea. That vast, bottomless ocean that was spread on the western edge of the earth. It was here that a wonderful incident occurred. Arjuna had his Gandiva bow in his hand and two Akshaya Tanirs. They were carrying them along. Perhaps out of habit, perhaps because he could not consider the bow separate from his life. Gandiva was not just a weapon. That was Arjuns identity. It was his life. It was a symbol of the countless memories between him and Shri Krishna. Suddenly a divine light arose from the sea water. A burning fragrance spread in the air and Agnidev, the god of fire, appeared before them. His body itself was a flame, but a flame that does not burn but gives light. His eyes were blazing. There was thunder and compassion in his voice. Arjun Mahavir listen to me. That Gandiva bow which you are holding is mine. Varuna Deva gave it to me and I entrusted it to you for burning the Khandava forest and for the accomplishment of your great tasks. Now all your work has been completed. That bow should no longer remain on this earth. Back it. Arjuna became still. For a moment, just for a moment, the touch of Gandiva in his mind, the sound of its string, those moments in Kurukshetra when Shri Krishna was the charioteer on his chariot, everything came together but the very next moment he closed his eyes, when he opened his eyes there were no tears in them but a deep peace, this Gandiva has saved my life it has protected the Dharma, with it I fought the Mahabharata war on the orders of Shri Krishna for the country. Today I return it with the same spirit in which I took it. In the service of religion. Arjuna immersed the Gandiva bow and both the Akshaya arrows in the sea. As soon as he went into the water, the fire god absorbed him and he disappeared with a bright light. This moment was highly symbolic. Arjuna gave up his greatest identity his Gandiva. The person who could not even imagine Arjun without weapons, today he was free from weapons and had set out on a new journey. The Pandavas now turned their backs on the sea and headed north.

Beneath their feet now was religion, not soil. Moving forward he saw the place where Dwarika once stood. The city of Shri Krishna. But now there was only water. The sea had engulfed that city within itself. The Pandavas looked at that water and bowed down in their hearts. The grief that should have been felt after seeing Dwarka submerged in the sea was no longer there. Because they knew that whatever is created will one day be destroyed. This is the law of nature. This is the law of time. The journey north now turned towards the Himalayas. They started climbing up through the foothills of the mountains. Himalayas where the gods reside. Where sages do penance. Where earth and heaven meet. But this climb to the Himalayas was no ordinary journey. This was the path where only those who had paid the price for their deeds could go. And those who did not pay, they stop on the way. The icy mountain winds bit their faces. There was snow under the feet which sometimes sank. The road was steep. Even breathing was becoming difficult. But the six souls Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva and Draupadi along with the mysterious dog all continued moving forward. What happened first was unexpected. Draupadi, the princess of Panchala, born from fire, the wife of the Pandavas, who maintained the dignity of a princess even during her exile. Who endured the insult of disrobing and had faith in religion. Draupadi was the one who witnessed the horrors of the Kurukshetra war. His steps began to slow down. His breathing became heavy. Her body which had gone through so many hardships over the years now started giving up and then that moment came Draupadi stumbled and fell on the snow Bhima whose heart was said to be as hard as stone in the war came running to Draupadi his eyes were moist his voice was heavy Radha wait Draupadi has fallen she who always stood by dharma. Who never favored sin. Who suffered humiliation for us. Why did they fall? This is not justice. No, Yudhishthira stopped. He looked towards Draupadi. His body was on the ice. His eyes were closed. For a moment, a wave of pain also appeared on Yudhishthirs face. But they knew. He knew because he was Dharmaraja. He knew that the consequences of karma do not spare anyone. Bheem, wait, Draupadi was great, there is no doubt about it. His devotion, his strength, his sacrifice were incomparable. But there was a subtle bias in his heart that brought him here. She was the wife of all five of us. But he had a special affection for Arjun. This affection, however natural, was a symbol of a bond that comes in the way of salvation. This knot of attachment stopped him here. Bhimas shoulders bent. He took a long look at Draupadi sitting on the ground. Maybe they wanted to pick them up. Perhaps he wanted this journey to end here. But this was a great departure. No one waits for anyone here. This is the path that moves only at the speed of the soul. Yudhishthira stepped forward. Bhima, Arjun, Nakul, Sahadev all followed him. Draupadi, who was born from fire, rested there in the snow. His soul, now free from those worldly bonds, flew upwards. Born from fire, merging into ice, this was also a wonderful coincidence. The journey continued. But now the winds were getting stronger with every step. The snow was getting deeper. And one by one the legs of the Pandava brothers also started getting tired. The next to fall was Sahadeva. Sahadeva was the son of Madri who was known for his intelligence and knowledge.

He had knowledge of the past, future and present. He knew what would happen but did not tell because this was his destiny. When Sahadeva fell, Bhima became worried again. Yudhishthiras brother Sahadeva also fell. He was polite. He was knowledgeable. His religious devotion was unwavering. Why are they? Yudhishthira replied and his words were not painful but truthful. Sahadev had a subtle pride. He was proud of his knowledge. He believed that he had no equal in intelligence or that ego, no matter how subtle, becomes a burden on the soul. That same burden stopped him here. The Pandavas moved forward and after some time it was Nakulas turn. Nakul was the second son of Madri whose beauty was talked about in all the three worlds and who was always clean, neat and attractive. Whose external beauty was their introduction. When Nakula fell, Yudhishthira replied. Nakul was proud of his looks. They knew they were beautiful. This beauty, pride, this attachment to the body became an obstacle in the path to salvation. The body is mortal. But one who considers the body as his identity cannot be free from it. And then came the moment that was most heartbreaking. Arjun is the same Arjun who was the first listener of Geeta. The same Arjun to whom Shri Krishna had said, Be only an instrument, the same Arjun who had shot the arrow at Grandfather Bhishma. Who defeated Karna. Who was the greatest hero of the Mahabharata war. They gradually slowed down. His steps trembled and eventually he too fell. No Arjun, this cannot happen. He was a great man. Krishnas beloved Gandi Vadhari How Yudhishthir stopped for a while There was a deep pain on his face But his eyes were steady Arjun had immense bravery He had devotion to Krishna He had understanding of religion But he also had an ego of his invincibility He had vowed that he would kill all the enemies in a single day That vow could not be fulfilled And the burden of that incomplete vow was on his soul. Pride in his prowess was his only weakness and that became the reason for his downfall. Yudhishthira did not look back. They knew there was no turning back on this path. Arjuna who had already immersed his Gandiva in the sea. Now he handed over his body to the Himalayas. Now only two brothers were left. Yudhishthira and Bhima. Bhima is the son of Vayu. Whose one fist could shake mountains. Those who tried to lift the tail of Hanuman ji but could not. Who killed Keechaka, broke Duryodhanas thigh, killed demons like Hidimba. They were also starting to slow down. He was out of breath. Signs of fatigue were visible on his huge body. And when Bhima fell, there was sarcasm in his voice for the first time. Brother, I cant walk anymore. But why? I always protected Draupadi of your brothers. I had no selfish motive. My strength has always been useful for the sake of religion. Then why me? Yudhishthira stopped. He looked at his favorite brother, the strongest, the boldest, the most innocent brother. There was compassion in his eyes. Bhima, your strength was extraordinary. Your love was pure but there were flaws within you. Excessive craving for food and pride in ones strength. You often looked down on others. He was proud of his power. This pride, however justified it may seem, hinders the liberation of the soul. Bhimas eyes closed. There was a calmness on his face. Maybe he understood. Yudhishthira looked at Bhimas huge hand for a moment. The hand that had protected him so much, the hand that had been his childhood companion, that hand was now in the snow and Yudhishthira stepped forward. Now he was alone. Yudhishthira, the eldest of the Pandavas, was moving alone towards the peak of the Himalayas.

Behind him were the memories of his five brothers, memories of Draupadi, the streets of Hastinapur, the battlefield of Kurukshetra, memories of exile. But his feet did not stop because there was no ego within Yudhishthira. There was no attachment within him. There was just a thing inside him. Religion and one who follows religion never gets tired. That dog was still with him. The silent faithful hadnt retreated a single step. I never strayed even once. As if someone else had sent it. From a very high level and then something happened which would have rarely happened in the world. A wonderful light spread across the sky. As if one thousand suns have shone together. A divine golden chariot descended, tearing through the clouds. On that chariot was Indra, the king of gods, the king of heaven, at whose one signal the clouds thunder. On whose one order it rains. His divine form was shining. The gems in his crown were shining. He had a thunderbolt in his hand. He came down and stood in front of Yudhishthira. Yudhishthira, Dharmaraja, virtuous soul, I have come to welcome you. The life you have lived on this earth is lived once in ages. Your religion, your truthfulness and your sacrifice made even heaven wait for you. Come and sit on this divine chariot. Heaven is the chariot waiting for you. Yudhishthira bowed to Indra but his reply came and it had a condition. Thank you Devraj. But my brother and Draupadi fell during this journey. I will not go to heaven alone. Either everyone will go or I will not go. Indra smiled. Yudhishthir, you dont worry. Your brothers and Draupadi have already reached heaven. He has given up his human body and assumed a divine form. They are waiting for you. You are the only person who is worthy of going to heaven in this human body on earth. This is a rare opportunity. Come. Yudhishthira was satisfied. He stepped towards the chariot and then stopped. His gaze went down. On the dog that was still with them. The same dog that had accompanied him from Hastinapur. Who felt neither hunger, nor thirst, nor fatigue. Yudhishthira looked towards Indra. Devraj, he accompanied me throughout the journey. He has come to my shelter. I cant leave it here. Take this one to heaven too. Indras face became serious. Yudhishthir, you are a great religious person. You deserve immortality and the bliss of heaven. But a dog is not appropriate in a pride heaven. Its presence would disrupt the sanctity of heaven. Leave him here and get on the chariot. Yudhishthira thought for a moment. But his answer was clear. Devraj, I cannot abandon anyone who has come to me for shelter. This is the core of my religion. The religion of one who does not protect those who seek refuge is hollow. If it is not possible to take this dog with me to heaven then I do not want heaven. Indra made another attempt. But you left your brothers and Draupadi on the way. Was your relationship with them any less than with this dog? Yudhishthira said in a calm voice, Devaraj, this comparison is not appropriate. I did not spare my brothers and Draupadi. His time came and he went. It is a great sin to abandon someone who is alive, who is with me, who depends on me. One who abandons the one who seeks refuge in fear, sorrow or greed, abandons the religion itself. I will not commit this sin for the happiness of heaven. And then the miracle happened. That ordinary looking dog started turning into a divine light. His body started shining with a golden aura and Dharmaraj Yamraj, the god of justice, the son of the same Yamraj who was Yudhishthir himself appeared before him. The father was testing his son. Yudhishthir, my child, I am blessed today. I tested you and you passed. You did not spare a single refugee in the greed of heaven. This is the highest form of religion. There is no one in heaven who can match you. You are the true Dharmaraja. Yudhishthira bowed to his father. There were tears in his eyes. But they were tears of gratitude, not sadness. Indra, Yamaraj and Yudhishthira all three boarded that divine chariot and the chariot flew towards the sky. A paradise where even the sunlight fades. Where there is nectar in the air itself. Where time stops and joy is eternal. When Yudhishthira first looked at heaven, he was left speechless. So much beauty, so much splendor but his mind was somewhere else. Then his eyes fell on a scene which ignited a fire in his mind. Duryodhana was sitting on a golden throne. The same Duryodhana who had Draupadi disrobed. The same Duryodhana who had conspired to poison the Pandavas. The same Duryodhan due to whom the great war of Kurukshetra took place and lakhs of people were killed was here among the gods with respect the fire within Yudhishthira erupted what is this Duryodhan here he who tried to destroy the religion due to whom our sons our friends our gurus all were killed he is sitting here in the row of gods and where are my brothers where is Draupadi who suffered for the sake of religion all her life. The gods replied in a calm voice. All enmity ends in heaven. Duryodhana fought like a Kshatriya. Died a heroic death on the battlefield. This is the highest form of Kshatriya Dharma. As a result of this action, he got a place here. But this answer could not satisfy Yudhishthira. If this is heaven, I dont need it. Take me to where my brothers are. Wherever Draupadi is, even if it is hell. Devg was stunned to hear this sentence. A man who himself deserves to go to heaven is expressing his desire to go to hell. For your brothers. This was love. This was religion. This was Yudhishthira. Yudhishthira was taken with a Daiya messenger in the direction from where the sounds of the karana were coming.

The atmosphere changed as they moved forward. The light started dimming. A foul smell filled the air and voices came from far away. Sounds of pain. Yudhishthiras heart began to feel heavy. They kept moving forward and then they heard familiar voices, Bhimas voice, Arjuns voice, Nakuls voice, Sahadevs voice and Draupadis voice. They were all here in this dark, smelly place. Yudhishthir Bhaiya, we are getting peace with your arrival. Do not go here, go back. Yudhishthira stopped. His legs were not lifting to go back. His heart was screaming that as long as his brother is here, he will also stay here. He said to the messenger, I will not go from here. As long as my brothers and Draupadi are in this pain, I will also stay here. If my presence brings them even a little peace, I will stay here. And at that very moment everything changed. The darkness dissipated. The smell went away. The sounds of karna stopped and Indra, Yamraj and all the gods appeared in front. There were smiles on their faces. Yudhishthir, all this was an illusion, a test. The final test of your soul. A person who is ready to leave heaven and live in hell is truly beyond any greed. This was the test of religion and you passed. Your brothers, Draupadi, everything is here. Everything is fine. What you heard was an illusion. The purpose was to burn the last ashes of your deeds. Indra continued, Listen Yudhishthira, he who suffers the most in life, finds the greatest happiness in the end. This is the law of time. You had told Dronacharya about the death of Ashwatthama in an incomplete manner. You had to suffer the consequences of that one sin in the form of a temporary vision of hell. Now you are completely pure. Now another thing occurred to Yudhishthira. Indra made him take bath in the divine Ganga, Mandakini of heaven. As soon as Yudhishthira took a dip in that divine water, his human body melted away. All their human suffering, all their fatigue, all their pain, all dissolved in that water. And when he came out of the water he was not Yudhishthira. He was Dharmaraj, an immortal soul enveloped in a divinely radiant golden aura and then came the moment for which Yudhishthiras heart was yearning. Reunited Bhima, Arjun, Nakul, Sahadeva and Draupadi were all in divine form. There was a peace on their faces which is not found in this world and Karna was with them. Today in heaven all distinctions were erased. Karnas soul was in complete peace and Bhishma Pitamah Dronacharya, Abhimanyu, Arjuns brave son was also here. He had the same bravery in his soul that his father had. Yudhishthira looked at each one. They bowed to each one and then Devarshi Narada, the divine messenger who roamed in all the worlds, appeared and said, listen inhabitants of heaven, today an event has happened which has never happened before. Yudhishthira, son of Pandu, has come to heaven today in this human body. This is a rare opportunity. The name of such a king who never abandoned religion will be written in golden letters in history. Not for the kingdom, not for heaven, not for his brothers, not for a weak creature, there was a shout of victory in heaven, the gods bowed down, the nymphs started dancing There was a shower of divine flowers, Yudhishthira smiled for the first time, perhaps for the first time in a long time, there was no burden on his mind, he was free, this journey of the Pandavas to heaven is not just a mythological tale. It is a mirror of the truths that unfold in all of our lives every day. The downfall of Draupadi teaches us that there should be equality in love also. When we love one more than the other, this partiality binds the soul. The downfall of Sahadeva teaches us. Never be proud of your knowledge. The more knowledge you have, the more humility you should have. The downfall of Nakul teaches us. The beauty of the body is fleeting. That which depends on its external form is mortal along with it. The fall of Arjuna teaches us. Dont be arrogant about your skills. No matter how skilled you are, modesty and simplicity are greater than bravery. The fall of Bhima teaches us. Use the power. Dont be proud of your power. And take only as much as you need. Excessive lust weighs down the soul. And the successful descent of Yudhishthira teaches us. Religion is never a business. We do not follow religion because we expect to get some reward in return. We follow religion because it is right. The person who does not deviate from religion even for the sake of heaven is the true religious person. And that dog was Dharma himself. To see whether Yudhishthira will not abandon a weakling even at the gates of heaven? And Yudhishthira did not leave. In todays fast-paced world, we often wonder what is the benefit of helping someone? What will you gain by telling the truth? What is the benefit of honesty? The life of Yudhishthira is the answer to all these questions. The fruits of religion are not obtained immediately. Sometimes while following the path of religion, one has to go into exile, face humiliation, and face war. But ultimately religion wins. Yudhishthira proved this, he gave up the kingdom for the sake of truth. He lost his brothers for the sake of religion and even rejected heaven to protect the one who sought refuge. That is why he is Dharmaraja. That is why his name is immortal. Yato Dharma Tatojaya Where there is Dharma there is victory. If you enjoyed this video, please like, share and subscribe. Comment What did you learn from this story?