The Aftermath of Kurukshetra: Grief, Wrath, and the Weight of Karma

The Pandavs along with Vasudev, Draupadi, Yuyutsu and Satyaki pay a visit to the grieving father on the banks of river Ganga who had lost all his sons and son in law not to mention the extended family in the battle at Kurukshetra. Dhritrashtra embraced his nephews reluctantly. The angry blind King’s eyes searched for Bhim who had killed Duryodhan and his other sons.

Krishna sensed the Kuru’s ill intentions. He pushed the Pandav aside and presented an iron one. The enraged father crushed the iron statue with his arms, his chest mangled and blood flowing from his mouth.

Vasudev reprimanded Dhritrashtra. “Look at your own transgressions and those of your evil sons!” The Pandavas were superior in valour and skill. But they were abandoned by the father’s brother. Dhritrashtra had connived with Duryodhan.

Pandavs face Gandhari’s wrath !

Gandhari was aggrieved that her son Duryodhan, who was more skilful than Bhim had been killed in an unfair fight. He was struck below the navel and immobilized.

Bhim accepted Gandhari’s accusations. But the mother was well aware of her son’s wicked ways. Panchali was molested at Duryodhan’s behest. Duryodhan had exposed his left thigh to Draupadi meant for wives.

She agreed with Bhim’s narrative but was traumatised that the Pandava drank her other son Dushasana’s blood, unlikely of an Arya.

Bhim objected. His hands were merely smeared with Dushasana’s blood for he had seized his wife by her hair and dragged her forcibly to the Assembly Hall. This was the Dharma of a kshatriya and he had abided by it.

“You should not believe that this was a crime and censure me. In earlier times, when your sons injured us, you did not restrain them,” he retorted.

Gandhari curses Vasudev !

Gandhari was overwhelmed.

In grief she could not but help blame her brother Shakuni for bringing about the destruction of her sons. With his evil intelligence he had managed to bring about dissension among the cousins.

She was aggrieved at Vasudev for not preventing the destruction of the Kurus in favour of Pandavas, whereas he could have !

Bereft of her senses, she cursed Vasudev with a similar fate when the Yadava men would kill each other and their wives would be as tormented as the Kuru women.

Vasudev smiled and affirmed her prophecy. The Yadavas would not be killed by any one outside but by themselves. It was predestined.

But as a parent she was responsible for ignoring Duryodhan’s vicious deeds.

In retrospect, Gandhari was well aware of the destruction that lay ahead when Duryodhan refused to give even five villages to the Pandavas as against the earlier agreement of returning their kingdom after exile. Evil would be avenged.

Laying blame for their own follies on others, Gandhari and Dhritarashtra had no one else but themselves to pay for the sins committed.

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