Yudhishthir in Heaven

After bowing to Naaraayan and Devee Saraswatee and uttering "Jaya" to them [I write this].

Janamejaya asked - "After attaining the Heaven what regions were attained by my great grandfathers?" Vaishampaayan Jee said - "After reaching Heaven, Yudhishthir saw Duryodhan endued with prosperity and seated on an excellent seat. He was glowing like Sun. Many Devtaa were there with him. Yudhishthir got very angry seeing this so he turned back his face.

He loudly addressed his companions - "I do not want to share regions with Duryodhan who has no foresight. It was only because of him that we killed so many people. It was because of him that innocent Draupadee was dragged in the assembly hall before our elders. O Devtaa, I don't even want to see his face, I just want to go there where my brothers are." Naarad Jee said smiling - "All enmity is over in Heaven. Do not say such words for Duryodhan. Here king Duryodhan is worshipped by all Devtaa and other people who are now here in Heaven. By dying in battlefield he has attained the region for heroes. You were the Devtaa on Earth and were always harassed by him, still following his Kshatriya practices he has attained this region. He was never afraid of anything. Forget about the events of dice game and Draupadee incident. Here you should meet him with politeness. There is no enmity in Heaven."

Still Yudhishthir enquired for his brothers and said - "If these regions are reserved for heroes, let them be for Duryodhan because of whom so much devastation took place. I want to see those regions which have been assigned to my brothers who are heroes - Karn, Dhrishtdyumn, Saatyaki, sons of Dhrishtdyumn, and others who died practicing Kshatriya Dharm. I don't see them here. I desire to see Viraat, Drupad, Shikhandee, sons of Draupadee, Abhimanyu etc. I don't see Karn, and Yudhaamnyu and Uttamaujaa, and others who died for me. Where are those people? I would like to live with them. When I was performing last rites, I heard my mother say, "Offer water to your elder brother also", since then I am burning with grief, that when I marked the similarity between the feet of mother and his, I could not place myself in place. I wish to see him. I am so sorry that because of the ignorance of our relationship I allowed Arjun to kill him. I don't want to stay here. This is not Heaven." Devtaa said - "If you want to go there, then go there immediately. We are ready to do whatever you like by the order of Indra."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "At this Devtaa said to their messengers, "Take him and show him his friends and kinsmen." The messengers took Yudhishthir to the place where he wanted to go. The messengers were leading him. The path was difficult and trodden by sinners. Stinging bees, crows, vultures all having beaks of iron were flying all around. Rotting corpses laid there overspread by hair and nails and bones etc. Then he saw a river of boiling water therefore difficult to cross, dense forest of trees whose leaves were as sharp as razors, many jars full of boiling oil, plains full of white hot sand, and rocks and stones made of iron. Then he saw sinful people getting tortured.

Seeing all this Yudhishthir asked - "How far we have to go like this? Tell me where my brothers are? And which region of Devtaa is this?" Hearing this messenger stopped and said - "Thus far is your way. Chief has ordered me to bring you up to here only. If you are tired, you can return with me." Yudhishthir was not feeling good because of foul odor, so he started turning back. Just at that moment he heard some piteous sounds all around - "O son of Dharm, O righteous king, O royal sage, please stay for a moment more to comfort us. As you have come here a cool breeze bearing your sweet smell has started flowing. Stay for a while, as long as you are here we do not feel our torments."

Yudhishthir exclaimed - "Oh, How painful." and stood still. Those sounds were of Paandu's sons although he heard them before but he could not recognize them. He said - "Who are you? And why are you here?" They all answered from all around, "Iam Karn, I am Bheem, I am Arjun, I am Draupadee, we are sons of Draupadee." Yudhishthir said to himself - "What kind of destiny is this? What sins were committed by those high-soul beings and Draupadee, so that this place has been assigned to them? And what are the Punya of Duryodhan because of which he is sitting on that excellent seat; and what is the act because of which these people have fallen into Hell? Am I sleeping or awake? Am I conscious or unconscious? Or is it mental delusion because of disorders of the brain. He stood there for some time.

Thinking thus he became very angry and said to messenger - "Go to your master and tell him that I am not going anywhere. I am going to stay here only because by my staying here, my brothers are comforted." Messenger returned to Indra and told everything Yudhishthir said to him."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Yudhishthir was not there even for a moment that Indra came there along with other Devtaa. As they came the darkness spread all over got disappeared. All that scene was also not in sight. The Vaitaranee, the iron jars, the boulders of rock also disappeared from sight. Whatever Yudhishthir saw on his way was gone immediately. The cool fragrant breeze started flowing there. Marut, Indra, Vasu, Ashwinee Kumaar, Rudra, Aaditya and many others came there.

Indra said - "O Yudhishthir, O chief of Men, Come, all illusions are gone. You have got success. Eternal regions are now yours. Don't be angry. Now you listen to me. Hell should be seen by every king. Both good and bad are in abundance. Who has seen Heaven must see Hell in the end. On the other hand if one has seen the Hell first, he must enjoy Heaven later. He whose sins are many, enjoys Heaven first, that is why I sent you to see Hell first. You deceived Drone regarding his son. For that deception you are brought here in Hell. In the same way all your brothers and Draupadee etc were brought here in Hell by an act of deception. Come now, You all have cleansed their sins. All the kings who fought for you, all have attained the Heaven. Come and see them."

See Karn, He is at his own place. Don't be grieved. See, whoever has fought for you all have attained their respective places. Now you enjoy those regions which are yours by virtue of Raajsooya Yagya you did. Whoever have been employed by you in your Raajsooya Yagya, their felicities have also been increased. Let them also enjoy the fruits of your Yagya. Let Devtaa, Apsaraa and Gandharv wait upon you. Your regions are above of the regions of those kings'. They are equal to those of Harishchandra, Maandhaataa, Bharat. After taking bath in this stream your human nature will disappear and you will be free from enmities."

While Indra was saying this to Yudhishthir, Dharm Raaj (father of Yudhishthir) said to him - "O son, I am very pleased with your devotion to me - by your truthful speech, forgiveness and self-control. This was the third test to which I put you. You cannot be removed from your nature or path of reason. Before I tested you with my questions in Dwait Van when you came to that lake to recover a few fire sticks. I tested you once more assuming the form of a dog when your brothers with Draupadee had fallen down. And this was my third test. You wanted to stay in Hell because of your brothers. You have become clean, be blessed, be happy. Your brothers were not such people that they deserved Hell. This was only an illusion created by Indra. All kings must see Hell at least once, this is sure, that is why you were put to such an affliction for a short time. None of your brothers was ever fully truthful in speech, so they could be in Hell for longer time. Draupadee also did not deserve the Hell. Come and see Gangaa who has made Tri-Lok holy."