After the War - Offering Water to Dead (2)

Janamejaya asked - "Hey Rishi, After Vyaas Jee left what Dhritraashtra, Ydhishthir, and those three survivors (Kripaa, Ashwatthaamaa and Kritvarmaa) did? I have heard of Shaap between Ashawtthaamaa and Krishn, then what happened after?" 

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "After the death of Duryodhan, all remaining troops came to Dhritraashtra. Sanjaya said to him - "All kings who had come from various kingdoms have been killed along with your sons. Now their last rites are to be performed according to due order." Hearing this the king again fell unconscious on the ground. Vidur said - "Why do you lie down like this? Do not grieve like this. Death is the end of all creatures. They were not here before, they were here for some time, and now they are not here again, why do you grieve for such people and things? By grieving so much one cannot go to dead, nor one can die. One can escape the death in a battle field, but when Time comes he cannot escape even death anywhere. Time is all powerful, it swallows everything, it doesn't favor anybody or anything. All creatures are the members of the same caravan with the same destination, so if the Time meets somebody a little earlier and another one a little later, why to grieve for this? Comfort yourself, do not grieve. It is not proper for you to grieve and abandon your work."

Hearing this Dhritraashtra ordered his chariot to be prepared and called all women including Gaandhaaree and Kuntee. All women came there wailing loudly. They were without jewelry and were wearing single white cloth. Who were never seen even by Devtaa were now helpless. Vidur who was more afflicted than those women comforted them. They all climbed up on chariots ready for them and proceeded towards battle ground. All were weeping at that time.

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "They didn't go even two miles that they met those three warriors. As the three saw king coming thy wept and said with choked voice - "Your son along with other warriors has gone to Indra. We are the only three escaped death." Kripaa said to Gaandhaaree - "Your sons fought very bravely. Nobody turned back from the battle field. O queen, as soon as we heard that Duryodhan has been slain by Bheem in an unrighteous way, we killed Paandav army in their camp when they were sleeping. We killed Paanchaal and Draupadee's sons also and ran away from there as we cannot stand against them in battle field. Because as they will hear the slaughtering of their sons they will surely follow us. Please do not grieve, and you king also." They circumambulated the king and proceeded towards Gangaa River.

After going a little further they got separated from each other, Kripaa went to Hastinaapur, Kritvarmaa went to his own kingdom, and Ashwatthaamaa sought the shelter of Vyaas Jee. After this Paandav met Ashwatthaamaa sitting with Vyaas Jee."

Vaishampaayan Jee further said - "After all he army was slaughtered, Yudhishthir heard that Dhritraashtra had come out of the city. Yudhishthir along with his brothers grieved from his sons death, set out to see his uncle who was also grieving for his 100 sons. Krishn, Saatyaki, Yuyutsu, Draupadee along with Paanchaal women also followed him. They met Dhritraashtra near Gangaa River. Kuru women were uttering all kinds of words - agreeable or disagreeable - :Where is that just king who kills his fathers, uncles, Guru, friends, brothers, sons? How could you be at peace after killing your Guru Drone, grandfather Bheeshm and Jayadrath? What kind of kingdom you will rule after killing them and without Abhimanyu and Draupadee's sons?"

Ignoring those women, Yudhishthir and his brothers greeted his uncle calling their names. Dhritraashtra reluctantly embraced Yudhishthir and comforted him. Then the wicked soul Dhritraashtra sought for Bheem. Krishn had guessed his evil intentions so dragging Bheem aside He presented the iron statue of Bheem to the king. Dhritraashtra, endued with the strength of 10,000 elephants, held that statue with his two arms and broke into pieces. He vomited blood and fell down on ground unconscious. Sanjaya got him up and said - "Do not act like this." The king got up, gathered himself and started weeping for Bheem thinking that he had killed Bheem. Krishn said - "Don't grieve, O Dhritraashtra, you have not killed Bheem. That was only an iron statue. I knew that you were very angry with Bheem, I pulled him aside and presented you this statue. There is none equal to you in strength. Who can tolerate the pressure of your arms? Who could save himself in encounter with you, when one could not escape even your embrace? Because of the grief for your son, you have become unrighteous. By killing Bheem your children will not come back. Therefore think of my peace proposal and do not grieve."

Vaishampaayan Jee says - "Krishn again said - "You know Ved, you know scriptures, you know the duties of a king, then why are you so angry at this when it is all because of your own fault. Bheeshm, Drone, Sanjaya, Vidur and myself told you before the war but you didn't listen to us knowing fully well that Paandav were stronger than you. You were under the control of Duryodhan. It was all because of your fault, then why do you want to kill Bheem? Paandav are completely innocent still you and your sons ill-treated them." Dhritraashtra said - "You are perfectly right. It was my love to my son which made me unrighteous. By good luck Bheem, protected by you, did not come in my embrace. But now I am not angry so let me embrace Bheem. When all kings are dead, my sons are also dead, then I depend on Paandu's sons only." Then he embraced all Paandav, one by one and blessed them.

Vaishampaayan Jee says - "Then with the order of Dhritraashtra, Paandav proceeded towards Gaandhaaree. She wished to curse them, but understanding her evil intentions, the then Vyaas Jee came there and said to her - "Do not curse them now, but forgive them. Be at peace and control yourself for what you wanted to say to them. When your son was praying for all the 18 days for the victory over his enemies, you said - "Victory is where the righteousness is." Your words have never gone false. you have always forgiven, then why shouldn't you forgive now? You always speak good, so you should speak good now also." Gaandhaaree said - "O Krishn, neither I have any ill-feelings for Paandav nor do I wish that they should perish. It was only because of the grief, but I know that I should protect Paandav as much as Kuntee does, and Dhritraashtra should also do as I do. Whatever has happened ha happened because of Duryodhan and Shakuni with the bad counseling of Karn and Dushaasan. Paandav are not to be blamed for this. My anger with Bheem is only because he killed him in unrighteous way - below his navel."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Hearing Gaandhaaree, Bheem said fearing - "I did this only to save myself, therefore please forgive me for that. Your son was so mighty that he could not be killed in a fair war, that is why I had to kill him unfairly. Duryodhan himself defeated Yudhishthir unfairly. He always behaved unfairly with us, that is why I had to kill him unfairly. You know everything what he did and said to Paanchaalee in the assembly, that is why he was killed by me like this. He was the only one remaining alive on his side. After killing him we have ended our sorrows." Gaandhaaree said - "Although you are praising my son's bravery but still he did not deserve such a death. He did whatever you said. You drank blood of Dushaasan, this act is not good for good people." Bheem said - "I know, it is not good to drink blood even of strangers then what of one's brother? A brother is like one's own self, there is no difference between them. His blood did not pass my lips and teeth, Karn knew this very well, it was only my hands that were smeared by his blood. Being a Kshatriya, I have only fulfilled my vows. Instead you should have restrained your son, we are innocent."

Gaandhaaree said - "You have killed all the 100 sons of this old man, why didn't you spare at least one whose crime was the lightest as the crutch of this old couple?" She again filled with grief and said - "Where is the king?" Yudhishthir fearing walked forward and said - "Here I am, the cruel killer of our sons. I deserve your curse because I am the cause of this whole destruction. You may curse me. I do not want any kingdom. I am a proved fool." Gaandhaaree couldn't say anything just looked at the toe of his feet from behind her strip of cloth. Seeing this Yudhishthir was about to fall on her feet. King's all nails were very beautiful till now, but now had a sore nail on his toe. Seeing this Arjun moved behind Krishn and his other brothers also moved from their places. Then Gaandhaaree comforted Paandav like a mother.

Paandav, then proceeded to their mother with her permission. Kuntee wept seeing her children after long time. Kuntee wept with Draupadee who had lost all her sons. Draupadee said - "Where are your all grandsons? Why haven't they come to greet you? After losing my children, I do not need this kingdom." Seeing her in grief, Gaandhaaree also comforted her saying - "Do not grieve, see, I am also in grief. I think this has been brought by Time's course. So do not grieve which was inevitable especially after it has occurred. If you will grieve in this way then who will comfort us? Because of me this whole race has been destroyed."