Journey of Pandavas after Lord Krishna Death

To Hastinapura came the sad tidings of the death of Vasudeva and the destruction of the Yadavas. When the Pandavas received the news, they lost all remaining attachment to life on earth. They crowned Parikshit, son of Abhimanyu, as emperor and the five brothers left the city with Draupadi. They went out on a pilgrimage, visiting holy places and finally reached the Himalayas. A dog joined them somewhere and kept them company all along. And the seven of them climbed the mountain on their last pilgrimage. As they toiled up the mountain path one by one fell exhausted and died. The youngest succumbed first. Draupadi, Sahadeva and Nakula were released from the burden of the flesh one after another. Then followed Arjuna and then great Bhima too. Yudhishthira saw his dear ones fall and die. Yet, serenely he went on not giving way to grief, for the light of Truth burned bright before him. Yudhishthira knew what was shadow and what was substance. The dog still followed Yudhishthira. The lesson enforced by the poet in this episode of the dog is that dharma is the only constant companion in life's journey. It was dharma who, in the shape of the dog, followed Yudhishthira up the wearisome mountain path, when his brothers and wife had gone leaving him alone. Finally, when he reached a great height, Indra appeared in his chariot. "Your brothers and Draupadi have arrived before you. You have lagged behind, burdened with your body. Ascend my chariot and go with me in the flesh. I have come to take you," said Indra. But when Yudhishthira went up to take his seat in Indra's chariot, the dog also climbed up. "No, no," said Indra. "There is no place for dogs in swarga," and pushed the dog away. "Then there is no room for me either," said Yudhishthira, and refused to enter the heavenly chariot if he had to leave his faithful companion behind. Dharma had come to test Yudhishthira's loyalty and he was pleased with his son's conduct. The dog vanished from sight. Yudhishthira reached swarga. There, he saw Duryodhana. The Kuru prince was seated on a beautiful throne and he shone with the splendor of the sun and around him stood in attendance the goddess of heroism and other angels. He did not see his brothers or anyone else. Yudhishthira was astonished. "Where are my brothers, ye denizens of swarga?" asked Yudhishthira. "This man of greed, of limited vision, is here. I do not care to spend my time in his company. We were driven by this man's envy and spite to kill friends and relatives. We stood tied by dharma to inaction when, before our eyes, innocent Panchali, united to us in sacred wedlock, was dragged to the Hall of the Assembly and insulted under the orders of this wicked man. I cannot bear the sight of this man. Tell me,where are my brothers? I wish to go where they are." Saying this Yudhishthira averted his eyes from where Duryodhana was seated in glory. Then Narada, the heavenly rishi of encyclopedic knowledge, smiled disapprovingly at Yudhishthira and said: "Renowned prince, this is not right. In swarga, we harbor no ill will. Do not speak in this manner about Duryodhana. The brave Duryodhana has attained his present state by force of kshatriya dharma. It is not right to let the things of the flesh stay in the mind and breed ill will. Do follow the law and stay here with king Duryodhana. There is no place in swarga for hatred. You have arrived here with your human body; so it is that you have these inappropriate feelings. Discard them, son!"
Yudhishthira replied:"O sage, Duryodhana, who did not know right from wrong, who was a sinner, who caused suffering to good men, who fed enmity and anger and who brought death to countless men, has attained this swarga of warriors. Where is that region of greater glory, which must be the abode of my brave and good brothers and Draupadi? I am eager to see them and Karna, and also all the friends and princes who gave up their lives in battle for me. I do not see them here. I desire to meet again Virata, Drupada, Dhrishtaketu and Sikhandin, the Panchala prince. I long to see the dear sons of Draupadi and
Abhimanyu. I do not see them here.Where are they, who threw their bodies into the blazing fire of battle for my sake, like ghee in the sacrifice? I do not see any of them here. Where are they all? My place must be among them. At the close of the battle, my mother Kunti wanted me to offer libations for Karna also. When I think of it, even now, grief overwhelms me. In ignorance of his being my own blood brother, I caused Karna to be slain. I am eager to see him. Bhima, dearer to me than life, Arjuna, who was like Indra him self, the twins Nakula and Sahadeva and our dear Panchali, steadfast in dharma, I long to see and be with them all. I do not wish to be in heaven, for what good is it for me to be here, away from my brothers? Wherever they may be, that me is swarga; not this place!" The angels, who heard this, replied: "O Yudhishthira, if you indeed desire to be with them, by all means, you may go at once. There is no need to delay," and they ordered an attendant to take Yudhishthira. So, the messenger proceeded in front and Yudhishthira followed him. As they went along, it soon became dark and in the gathering gloom could be dimly seen things weird and revolting.He waded through slippery slime of blood and offal. The path was strewn with carrion and bones and dead men's hair. Worms were wriggling everywhere and there was an insufferable stench in the air. He saw mutilated human bodies everywhere.
Yudhishthira was horrified and confused. A thousand thoughts tortured his mind as he proceeded. "How far have we to go yet on this road? Where indeed are my brothers? Tell me, my friend," he enquired of the messenger in deep anguish. The messenger quietly replied: "If you so desire, we may turn back." The foul odors of the place were so sickening that for a moment Yudhishthira was minded to go back. But just then, as if divining his intention, vaguely familiar voices rose all around in loud lamentation. "O Dharmaputra, do not go back! Stay here for a few minutes at least. Your presence has given us momentary relief from torture. As you came, you have brought with you a whiff of air so sweet and pure that we have found a little relief in our agony. Son of Kunti, the very sight of you gives us comfort and mitigates our suffering. O stay, be it for ever so short a time. Do not go back. While you are here, we enjoy a respite in our torture." Thus the voices pleaded. Hearing the loud lamentations that thus came from all around him, Yudhishthira stood in painful bewilderment. Overwhelmed with pity at the poignant anguish in faintly remembered voices, he exclaimed:"Alas wretched souls! Who are ye that lament like this? Why are you here?" "Lord, I am Karna," said a voice. "I am Bhima," said another. "I am Arjuna," cried a third voice. "Draupadi," cried another voice in piteous tone. "I am Nakula," "I am Sahadeva," "We are Draupadi's sons," and so on, came mournful voices from all around, till the accumulated pain was more that Yudhishthira could bear. "What sin indeed have these been guilty of?" cried he. "Dhritarashtra's son Duryodhana, what good deeds did he do to sit like Mahendra in heaven, while these are in hell? Am I dreaming or am I awake? Is my mind deranged? Have I gone crazy?" Overwhelmed by anger, Yudhishthira cursed the gods and denounced dharma. He turned to the angel attendant and said sharply: "Go back to your masters. I shall stay here where my dear brothers, for no other sin than devotion to me, are consigned to the tortures of hell. Let me be with them." The messenger went back and conveyed to Indra what Yudhishthira had said.Thus passed the thirteenth part of a day. Then Indra and Yama appeared before Yudhishthira where he stood in anguish.When they came, the darkness rolled away and the horrid sights disappeared.The sinners and their suffering were no more to be seen. A fragrant breeze blew as Yama, the god of dharma, smiled on his son Yudhishthira."Wisest of men, this is the third time I have tested you. You chose to remain in hell for the sake of your brothers. It is inevitable that kings and rulers must go through hell if only for a while. So it was that for the thirtieth part of a day you too were doomed to suffer the pangs of hell. Neither the illustrious Savyasachi(Arjuna) nor your beloved brother Bhima is really in hell. Nor Karna the just, nor anyone else who you thought had been consigned to suffering. It was an illusion designed to test you. This is not hell, but swarga. Do you not see there Narada whose travels cover the three worlds? Cease grieving." Thus said Yama to Dharmaputra, who,thereupon, was transfigured. The mortal frame was gone and he was a god. With the disappearance of the human body, also disappeared all trace of anger and hatred.Then Yudhishthira saw their Karna and all his brothers and the sons of Dhritarashtra also, serene and free from anger, all having attained the state of the gods. In this reunion, Yudhishthira at last found peace and real happiness.

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KRISHNA AVATARAM SAMAPTHAM- STORY OF LORD KRISHNA's Death

HARE RAMA HARE KRISHNA

Lord Krishna received the curse of Duryodhana`s mother, Gandhari for not rescuing his son. She was an ardent worshipper of Lord Vishnu and recognised Krishna as his incarnation. She equally believed and revered Lord Krishna, but on seeing his son die in front of the Primal Male, he could not find any justification as to why Lord Krishna allowed such things to befall. 
 
KRISHNA ruled at Dwaraka for thirty-six years after the Kurukshetra battle was over. The Vrishnis, the Bhopas and other branches of the Yadavas belonging to Krishna's tribe spent their days in unrestrained self-indulgence and luxury. They lost all sense of discipline and humility. Once, some rishis came to Dwaraka. The arrogant and irreverent Yadavas mocked these rishis with a practical joke. They dressed up one of their young men like a woman and, presenting him to the revered guests, said: "O ye learned men, tell us whether this lady will have a boy or a girl." The rishis saw through the irreverent joke and said in anger: "This person will give birth to a mace, not a boy or a girl and that mace will prove to be Yama to your tribe and destroy you all." The rishis departed after pronouncing this curse.

The foolish Yadavas were rather perturbed at this unpleasant ending of what they had thought was a good joke. Next day, they were in consternation to see that Samba, the man who had been dressed up in female clothes, developed labor pains and lo and behold, gave birth to a mace! This filled them with terror because they felt that their end was near as the rishis had cursed.They deliberated long and finally ground the mace to fine powder, which they scattered in the sea, and thought they, had thus disposed of the danger.

Nothing happened for some time. Seasons passed. The rains came and on the beach, near where they had strewn the fine dust of the awful club, there sprang up a dense, crop of rushes.When the Yadavas saw this, they were curious and amused, for they had forgotten all about the curse of the revered guests.One day, long after, the Yadavas went to the beach for a picnic and spent the whole day in dance and drink and revelry. The liquor began to work. At first merry, then pugnacious, they began to talk without restrain, raking up old offences and quarrelling, on slight cause with one another. Among the Yadavas, Kritavarma had fought on the side of the Kauravas and Satyaki on that of the Pandavas. "Would any Kshatriya attack and kill sleeping soldiers, O Kritavarma? You have brought a great and lasting disgrace on our tribe," said Satyaki, taunting Kritavarma, and a number of drunken Yadavas applauded the attack. Kritavarma could not bear the insult. "Like a butcher, you slaughtered the great Bhurisravas when seated in yoga after his right hand was cut off and you, coward, dare to taunt me," he exclaimed and a number of the revelers joined him and began to scoff at Satyaki for his barbarous deed. Soon, all the Yadavas were in the quarrel on one side or the other and presently from words they came to blows, which swiftly developed into a free fight. Satyaki, with his sword drawn, sprang upon Kritavarma and cut his head off, exclaiming: "Here is the end of the coward who killed sleeping soldiers! " Others immediately fell upon Satyaki with their drinking bowls and pots and anything they could lay hands upon.

Pradyumna, Krishna's son, joined the fray to rescue Satyaki and there was a desperate melee in which both Satyaki and Pradyumna were killed. Krishna knew that the destined hour was come, and plucking the tall rushes, which fringed the beach, laid about him with them indiscriminately.

This led to every one of the Yadavas doing the same and there was great indiscriminate slaughter. The rishis' curse had begun to work. The rushes that had grown out of the mace became each one of them a mace as it was plucked by the doomed men in their unreasonable fury. They used them on one another with deadly effect and soon all of them were destroyed in this drunken brawl. Balarama, who was seeing all this, was overwhelmed with shame and disgust and sank to the ground. He gave up his life as he lay in a yoga trance. Balarama passed away into the ocean in a stream of light, which issued from his forehead like a silver serpent. Thus ended the avatar of Narayana in Balarama.

 

Krishna saw all his people thus destroy themselves as predestined. When he saw the passing of Balarama, he roamed about in deep meditation in the wilderness, pondering on the completion of his avatar. "The time has come for me to go," he said to himself and, lying on the ground fell asleep. In that wooded beach, a hunter, prowling for game, saw Vasudeva lying on the ground among the shrubs. From a distance, the hunter mistook Krishna for a wild animal resting on the ground. He bent his bow and shot an arrow at the prostrate figure which, piercing his foot in the insteep, went full through his body. 

Lord Krishna opened his eyes and comforted the hunter. He informed the hunter about his previous life of Valee (Bali) who was killed by Lord Rama. He then ascended towards the heaven, thus filling the whole sky with glory. After passing through Lord Indra`s paradise, he reached his place at even higher strata. Krishna wives; including Rukmini became Sati and were burnt on pyre. The rest of the women of Dwaraka became ascetics and nuns. After each and every living being of Dwaraka moved away to other places, the ocean came about and engulfed the city, thus leaving no trace of the land of Lord Krishna.

Story of Pandavas after Krishna Death Can be found here  http://hindumythologybynarin.blogspot.sg/2012/07/journey-of-pandavas-after-lord-krishna.html

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