After the War - Offering Water to Dead (1)

Om, After bowing down to Nar and Naaraayan and Saraswatee, Jaya must be uttered.

Janamejaya asked - "Hey Rishi, Now tell me what did Dhritraashtra, Yudhishthir, Ashwatthaamaa, Kripaa and Kritvarmaa do? What did Sanjaya say to Dhritraashtra?" Vaishampaayan Jee said - "After Dhritraashtra lost all his sons, he became extremely grieved. He lost his power of speech. Sanjaya consoled him - "Why do you grieve so much. Eighteen Akshauhinee army has been killed in this war. Now their last rites should be performed in due order." Dhritraashtra said - "My all sons are dead. What is the use of my life now? I did not listen to anybody - Parashuraam, Naarad. Krishn told me just to give five villages to Paandav, that also I ignored. I am a great sinner." Sanjaya said - "Dispel your grief, you have heard the conclusions of Ved and other scriptures. Whatever had to happened, has happened, now you should do what is in favor of your benefit. Duryodhan had some wicked counselors - Dushaasan, Shakuni, Karn, Shalya, Chitrasen. He did not listen to anybody He was always in favor of battle. Now you have to repent for him. You are intelligent, gather your strength now." 

Vidur said - "Why do you grieve so much? This is the end of every living creature. In the beginning they were not there, they appeared for some time, then they will not be there in the end. All of them were well-versed with Ved, all of them observed vows, all of them have died in battle field. They were not here before their birth, they came here from an unknown region, and now they are not there. All these things affect only ignorant people, not to wise people. Time doesn't favor anybody, not does it hate anybody. Time causes to grow everything, Time destroys everything. When all are asleep, Time is awake. Time is irresistible. Grief fells somebody from the three objectives of his life - religion, profit and pleasure. One should kill mental grief by wisdom. Only wisdom has this power. Actions of previous lives follow a man, inasmuch as that when he sleeps they sleep with him, when he walks they walk with him, when he runs they run with him. Good actions give you happiness and bad actions cause you sorrow. Intelligent people like you never grieve so much."

Dhritraashtra said - "I am able to gather myself, tell me more about how can an intelligent person dispel his grievances and sorrows?" Vidur said - "He gets tranquility by treating both sorrow and joy alike. All men are mortal. The wise say say that these bodies are like houses. In time they are destroyed. There is only one being that is immortal, He changes this body like we change our clothes. Whether able or unable all mortals have to carry the burden of their actions. As on potter's wheel some pots are broken while on the wheel itself, some while only partially shaped, some as they get a shape, some after removal from the wheel, some while being used, and some after a good use, some while wet, some while drying; in the same this human life is. Considering this as normal course of the world, why do you grief so much?"

Dhritraashtra said - "Tell me how can a man know about the wilderness of this world?" Vidur said - "I describe you all the acts of creatures form their conception. In the beginning it lives in the mixture of blood and vital fluid, and in it grows. After the fifth month it starts taking shape. It becomes a fetus with limbs completed lives in a very impure place. Through the action of the wind its limbs are turned towards upward and its head comes downward. When it is in this position, it suffers in many ways. Then the uterus starts contracting and the creature comes out of it along with all its previous deeds. He then faces many difficulties outside. He starts bearing the fruits according to his previous actions. And at last, when the time is up, he leaves the world enjoying or suffering for his good or bad deeds respectively. One always attributes faults to others but never punishes himself for his faults. Since the wise and the ignorant, the rich and the poor, the highborn and the lowborn, the honored and the dishonored, all go to the place of the dead and sleep there on bare ground free from anxiety, then why people deceive one another? He who practices virtue in this mortal world attains the higher world. Who sticks to Truth succeeds in passing over all other paths."

Dhritraashtra asked - "Then tell me about the intelligence by which one can perform his duties in this wilderness?" Vidur said - "Taking the name of Bhagvaan I tell you about the wilderness of life. Once a Braahman found himself in a large forest full of wild beasts. He got very frightened. He looked around and started running around away from those creatures, but he could not escape, rather he found that forest was encircled by a net and a woman was standing there  with her arms outstretched. That forest was surrounded by five-headed snakes also that were very tall. While he was running around, he fell in an invisible pit. Since the pit was covered by creepers and plants, he hung there while falling down in it. He hung there feet upward and head downward. There was huge snake in the bottom of the pit. There was a tree outside the pit and there were some bees which were drinking honey from it so some honey trickled down also. The man drank that honey continually. Though he was drinking that honey continually but his thirst was not quenched, rather it was on increase. There was a six-mouthed and 12-feet elephant coming towards the tree. There was always a fear of wild beasts and other dangers but still he was not losing hope of life."

Dhritraashtra said - "Oh, That man was in such a miserable condition and still he was not losing hope? What happened to him then? How was he rescued?" Vidur said - "Those who know religion use this story as a simile to the wilderness of this world. This life is an inaccessible forest. Those wild beasts are diseases and sorrows. That woman is like an old age which destroys all beauty and complexion. The net is the time limit of life. The pit is this body. Creepers etc are the desires through which a man always longs for life. The huge snake living in the pit is Time which destroys everything irrespective of anything. The elephant is like a year, his six mouths are six seasons, and 12 feet are 12 months. The rats and snakes who were cutting the rots of the tree are days and nights which shortens the life every moment. Honey is the pleasure in one's life. Through this knowledge they are able to break the bond to life and death."

Dhritraashtra said - "This parable was good, now you tell me more." Vidur said - "I will explain you more how the wise free themselves from the bond of life and death. Who are on a long trip, they naturally have to halt at several places during their journey, but who are of little intelligence that have to halt more frequently (take more births). Who know the scriptures say that life is a long way and along with its difficulties it is like forest. All creatures, mobile or immobile have to return to world. Only wise people can escape. If a person escapes from diseases, the destroyer of beauty overwhelms him. He deeply gets involved in enjoying pleasures with nobody to rescue him. Days, nights, months, seasons and years pass, destroy his beauty and lessens his allotted time. These are all the messengers of Death.

Wise men consider all creatures governed by Karm (actions). They say that the body is a chariot, the living principles are its driver, senses are its horses, and our acts and understanding are the paths on which those horses run. He who follows those running horses has to come back on this earth repeatedly. He who has controlled himself by understanding gets peace. he who has control on his horses, only he gets peace. This body is the chariot of Yam Raaj. The fruit that one obtains by not hurting any creature cannot be obtained by 1,000 sacrifices."

Vaishampaayan Jee says - "After hearing Vidur Dhritraashtra again fell down from the sorrow of his sons. All people around, including Vyaas, Vidur and Sanjaya brought him in senses. After gaining his senses the king again wept for some time, then said - "Oh, Great is the grief which evolves from the death of one's sons, or friends or relatives or loss of wealth. It is better to die instead of living like that." 

Vyaas Jee said - "Listen to what I say to you. You are very intelligent, know all Dharm and duties, know that all things are destructible here and still you grieve? The destruction of Kuru was inevitable. Vidur knew everything before. He tried his best for peace, but I think this was the Destiny which could not be controlled by us. I also knew this before and I tell you it now so that you can get some peace of mind. Once I went to the court of Indra. All Devtaa were present there. many heavenly Rishi along with Naarad were there, even Prithvi in her physical form was also there. Prithvi said - "Whatever you told me in Brahmaa's court, make it true." At this Vishnu said - "Dhritraashtra's eldest son Duryodhan will grant your wish. Because of him all the kings will gather in Kurukshetra and will be killed by one another. So just wait for the time." 

Thus you can understand that your son Duryodhan was a part of Kali (Kali Yug) born to slaughter so many people. Through the influence of Destiny his brothers also liked him. As the king is, so do his subjects become. Your sons are destroyed only because of their own Karm , so do not grieve for them. Paandav are not to blame for all this. When Yudhishthir was doing Raajsooya Yagya, Naarad had already told him that Paandav and Kaurav were going to indulge in battle, so he could do whatever he could. Hearing this Yudhidhthir got very worried. I told you this secret of Devtaa. I told this to Yudhishthir also at the time of Raajsooya Yagya. If Yudhishthir will come to know that you are burning with grief he will die. He is very compassionate and intelligent. He is kind even to lower creatures. So please continue to bear your life, use your wisdom and be at peace."

Hearing this Dhritraashtra said - "I am unable to bear this grief but as you have explained to me, at least I will not think of to die and try to act without grief." And Vyaas Jee disappeared then and there.