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MAHABHARATA FOR

CHILDREN

text by Gilbert Mane

PART EIGHT

THE END OF THE STORY

I bow to Narayana and to Nara

I bow to Saraswati, Goddess of learning

I bow to the holy man, Wyasa


CHAPTER ONE - DHRITARASHTRA VISITS THE BATTLEFIELD

Blind King Dhritarashtra and his wife Queen Gandhari came to visit the battle field.
They were very sad at the death of all the great fighting men. They were especially
sorry at the death of their one hundred sons.

Wyasa said: “O King, this war had to happen. The Gods planned it. Evil has been
defeated. Now embrace Yudhishthira as your son.”

Dhritarashtra did so but he was only pretending. Gandhari however knew the war
had been Duryodhana’s fault. When Bhima approached to be hugged by
Dhritarashtra Krishna pushed him aside. He placed an iron statue in front of
Dhritarashtra. When Dhritarashtra hugged the statue he remembered that
Bhishma had killed all of his sons. He became angry and squeezed the statue so
hard that it burst into a thousand pieces.

Dhritarashtra, his anger gone, was now sorry that he had killed Bhima. Krishna told
him that it was only an iron statue. Through Krishna’s grace his mind found peace.
Gandhari called to Bhima. He approached her trembling because of her anger.
“You killed Duryodhana by cheating! Why did you do that?”

“It was the only way to defeat him. He cheated us out of our kingdom and he
disgraced Draupadi in the assembly. If we had killed him then you would not have
blamed us!”
“You could have left us one son, but you killed them all! Where is Yudhishthira?”
He approached her trembling because of her anger. He fell at her feet.

Gandhari turned her head aside. She knew if she looked at him, even through her
blindfold, he would be burnt to ashes. But she caught a glimpse of his toe under
her blindfold and it was immediately burnt black. Gandhari then controlled her
anger and she blessed the Pandawas. She also blessed Draupadi and comforted
her, for she too had lost all her sons. But she blamed Krishna for the whole battle.

He was the living Wishnu. He could have stopped the fight but he didn’t. “I curse
you”, she said, “Your people, the Yadawas, will be destroyed in just such a fight.”
Krishna smiled and accepted the curse.

The Pandawas then greeted Kunti, their mother. They had not seen each other for
thirteen years. She hugged them all and cried tears of joy to see her sons safe
after the battle.
CHAPTER TWO - YUDHISHTHIRA’S DESPAIR

All the nobles and ladies led by Yudhishthira said prayers for all the dead
warriors as their bodies were placed on large stacks of wood. The stacks
were then set alight and the bodies were burnt. The ashes were sprinkled
into the river and flowed away to the ocean.

Afterwards Kunti told Yudhishthira that Karna was, in fact, his brother. She
asked him to say funeral prayers for him as a brother. Yudhishthira did so
but was shocked at Kunti keeping this a secret. “From now on I curse all
women!” he said, “None shall be able to keep a secret from now on.”

He became sad when he remembered all the noble and brave things that
Karna had done. He became sadder when he thought of how they could
have been loving brothers but were, instead, bitter enemies.

He lost all interest in ruling or enjoying the great wealth of the kingdom. He
wanted to go back to the forest and live a simple life. He stayed for a month
listening to wise men like Wyasa and Narada and slowly his sorrow left him.

They travelled back to Hastinapura and Dhritarashtra crowned Yudhishthira


king. Arjuna became commander of the army. Yudhishthira then sought the
blessings of all the holy men starting with the Lord Shri Krishna.

“Bhishma still lies on his bed of arrows,” said Lord Krishna, “His father,
Shantanu, gave him a gift. He could choose the time of his death. Bhishma
wants to be free. He doesn’t want to be born again and again. He is waiting
for the stars and planets to be in the right place so he can die and be free.
Go to him and seek his advice on how to be a good king.”

Yudhishthira and his brothers and all the great men of his court went to
Bhishma. He still lay on his bed of arrows. His head rested on the pillow of
arrows given by Arjuna and he drank from the spring of water released by
Arjuna’s mighty bow.”
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CHAPTER THREE - BHISHMA TEACHES YUDHISHTHIRA

Krishna said: “On his bed of arrows Bhishma thinks of me, as God. He is a
fire that is about to go out. Go, Yudhishthira, and seek his wisdom.”

The Pandawas accompanied by Krishna and many others went to Bhishma


and greeted him respectfully. Yudhishthira said: “O Grandfather Bhishma,
what can we do for you?”

“Remember,” said Bhishma, “Lord Krishna is the Truth. Wherever there is


Truth there is victory.

“Listen, O my son Yudhishthira, to rule wisely you must be guided by Truth


only. Be kind to the weak. Be a friend to the strong. Punish the wrongdoer
but without anger. Reward the virtuous. The priests, women, children and
cows are to be protected.

“Slay desire. It is every man’s enemy. Desire is death, it is pain, it is


suffering. Desire is the friend of the evil man. Then it turns into his enemy
and slays him.

“If you would slay desire, obey the scriptures. If you obey the scriptures -
desire turns to virtue. If you would slay desire you must have patience. If
you have patience desire turns into Truth. If you try to slay desire through
reading many books, desire laughs and catches you in his net.”

Sahadewa looked towards the sky. “The Sun is turning and beginning to
move northwards.”

Krishna, Yudhishthira and the others gathered around Bhishma. Death


Himself also came and stood respectfully besides Bhishma on his bed of
arrows.

Bhishma looked at Krishna: “You are the Protector of the Universe. You hold
the Universe in your hands. You hold it with Love.”
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As Bhishma fell silent. His life force left his body. The bed of arrows
disappeared. The battlefield disappeared. Bhishma’s wounds disappeared.
He glowed with divine light. Lord Shri Krishna showed Himself as Lord
Wishnu and welcomed Bhishma into Himself.

They put Bhishma’s body on a funeral pyre. When they poured the ashes
into the Ganga the Goddess of the river, Bhishma’s mother arose with tears
and embraced him.
CHAPTER FOUR - KRISHNA AND UTTANKARA

Lord Shri Krishna travelled home to Dwaraka. On the way he met Uttankara, a holy
man who lived in the desert. “I bow to you, Lord Krishna,” said Uttankara, “How
are you, and how are your cousins, the Pandawas and the Kaurawas. Do they live
happily together?”

Krishna was amazed. Uttankara lived in the desert and hadn’t heard of the great
battle at Krurkshetra. Krishna sadly told him the whole story.

Uttankara became angry. “You are the King of the Universe. You could have
stopped this terrible fight! I will curse you.”

Just as Uttankara was about to hurl his curse, Krishna revealed his divine form. “I
am the Lord of the Universe. All that happened is part of my divine will. Be happy
Uttankara and know that this battle was part of my mysterious play! Accept from
me a gift. Ask what you like”

Uttankara said, “I have seen your divine form. What more could I ask?”

But Krishna insisted. “I live in the desert and I am often thirsty. Please, O Lord,
grant me water whenever I ask for it.”

“So be it!” said the Lord, and he went on his way.

Some time later Uttankara was meditating in the desert when he began to be
troubled by thirst. He prayed for water and, suddenly, a dirty, low-born hunter with
five hunting dogs and an old leather water bag walked up to him.

“Have drink!” he cried, offering the leather bag. Uttankara was horrified. Such a
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person should not approach or speak to a holy man!

“Go away’” he said. The hunter tried again, but Uttankara became angry. The
hunter disappeared suddenly and Uttankara thought: “Surely this was a God and I
have failed a test!”

The Lord Shri Krishna appeared: “O Uttankara, what have you done? You asked for
water and I asked Lord Indra, King of the Gods to give you Amrita, the nectar of
immortality instead. Indra insisted on testing you to see if you were worthy. You
would have lived forever if you had taken a drink from the hunter’s leather bag.
From now on you must work to see no difference between a stone and gold,
between pleasure and pain, and between a rough hunter and a holy man.”

Uttankara bowed low and accepted this task given to him by the Lord Shri Krishna.
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CHAPTER FIVE - THE GOLDEN MONGOOSE

Yudhishthira ordered a great sacrifice to be made to the Gods. When the sacrifice
was over some flour was left on the ground. A mongoose ran to the flour and rolled
in it. The mongoose’s head and one side of his body was gold. After he rolled in
the flour he looked at the other half of his body and saw that it was normal.

The mongoose laughed, “Yudhishthira thinks he has made a great sacrifice! But it
is nothing compared to the sacrifice of the farmer and his family!”

Yudhishthira and the Pandawas were amazed. “Tell us, O mongoose, of this great
farmer and his family. Tell us of their sacrifice.”

The mongoose said: “Many years ago a farmer, his wife, his son and his daughter-
in-law lived at Kurukshetra. They lived by collected wheat from the fields after the
other farmers had collected their grain. Each day they ground the grain into flour
and ate one poor meal.

“One day the rains failed. The farmer and his family began to starve. They went
out looking for grain and found only a handful. They thanked the Lord for the
handful of grain and sat to eat their poor meal. Suddenly a man appeared at their
door.

“The farmer and his family were overjoyed that a guest had come and welcomed
him like a god. The farmer offered the man his part of the flour. The guest ate
hungrily and licked his fingers. The farmer was sad because his guest was still
hungry.

“The wife offered her flour and the guest ate it in one go. She was sad because his
guest was still hungry. The son offered his flour and the guest ate it in one go. He
was sad because his guest was still hungry. The daughter-in-law offered her flour
and the guest ate it in one go.

“The guest stood and said: ‘You have shown yourselves to be the greatest
devotees of God. Happily risking death by starvation to fulfill your duty to a guest.
At your door stands a chariot ready to take you to heaven. Get in and go in peace
and bliss!’

“The farmer an his family got into the chariot and they and the mysterious guest
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disappeared.

“I was looking in at the window. The smell of the flour turned my head golden. I
rolled in the flour left on the floor and it turned half my body gold. But their wasn’t
enough for my whole body. Since then I have searched the earth looking for a
sacrifice as great as that of the farmer and his family. It seems my search will have
to continue.”

With those words the mongoose disappeared.


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CHAPTER SIX - NARADA AND THE JAR OF OIL

One day when Yudhishthira was sitting on his throne Wyasa came to his court.
“Humility is the greatest thing a king can have,” said Wyasa, “ I will tell you a story
of how Narada learnt humility. Once Narada was in heaven singing the praises of
Lord Wishnu. He thought to himself: ‘I sit here singing Wishnu’s praises all day.
Surely I am Lord Wishnu’s greatest devotee!’

“Narada went to Lord Wishnu to check. ‘O Lord, I sing your praises all day. Surely I
am your greatest devotee.’

“Lord Wishnu replied: ‘O Narada, your are certainly one of my greatest devotees,
but there is one greater than you. Come with me and we will visit him.’

“Lord Wishnu and Narada went in disguise down to earth to a small farm. The
farmer greeted them. He offered them food and praised the Lord. The farmer sang
a few songs of praise to the Lord while he milked the cows. After the day’s work
the Lord and Narada said goodbye to the farmer.

“‘O Lord, said Narada, ‘This fellow seems a good man. He does his duty to his
family and farm. But he only remembers you every now and again. How is he a
better devotee than me?’

“‘Perhaps you are right, Narada,’ said the Lord, ‘Would you do something for me?’

“‘Anything!’ Said Narada eagerly. He wanted to show the Lord that he was a great
devotee. The Lord created a large jar of oil. The oil came right up to the top.

“‘Take this jar of oil and put it on your head. You see that hill? I want you to walk
around that hill with the jar on you head. Don’t spill a drop of oil!’

“Narada, with the jar balanced on his head, walked slowly and carefully around the
hill. He watched for sticks and rocks that might trip him. Finally he returned to
Lord Wishnu and placed the unspilt jar of oil at His feet. Narada was very proud of
himself.

“‘Well done, Narada,’ said Lord Wishnu, ‘As you walked around the hill how many
times did you remember me and sing my praises?’
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“‘I didn’t at all,’ said Narada, ‘I was too busy making sure the oil didn’t spill.’

“‘This farmer has a family to feed and animals to attend to and other important
things to think about and yet he remembers me and sings my praises many times a
day. This is why he is my greatest devotee.’”
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CHAPTER SEVEN - DHRITARASHTRA & GANDHARI RENOUNCE THE
WORLD

Yudhishthira ruled wisely and well. All his people loved him and he cared for
them like a father. Dhritarashtra and Gandhari were sad because all their
sons were dead. Yudhishthira looked after them too. He asked
Dhristarashtra’s advice as if he were king too.

He made sure that Dhritarashtra and Gandhari were comfortable and had
good food and that everyone showed them respect.

But sometimes Bhima would say hurtful things like: “Duryodhana was evil
and caused the war.” Or he would be impatient with blind Dhritarashtra.

After fifteen years Dhritarashtra and Gandhari went to Yudhishthira and


asked his permission to leave the palace and go to live in the forest. They
wanted to live a holy life and to die peacefully remembering God.

Yudhishthira was sad and didn’t want them to go. He loved them as if they
were his mother and father. They finally talked him into it. Dhritarashtra
and Gandhari changed their fine clothes for simple clothes and began to
walk to the forest. Widura went with them.

Kunti, the mother of the Pandawas said to Yudhishthira: “My time has come
as well. I will go with Dhritarashtra and Gandhari to the forest.” All of her
sons tried to stop her but she was firm. She guided them because
Dhritarashtra was blind and Gandhari was blindfolded.

Dhritarashtra, Gandhari and Kunti lived a simple life in the forest for many
years. They lived on one meal a day and spent their time thinking of God,
telling stories of his lives on earth and singing songs of praise. Widura
fasted and died peacefully remembering God.

One day, when the time had come for Dhritarashtra, Gandhari and Kunti to
be one with God, a great fire started in the forest and they sat calmly as
death embraced them.
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CHAPTER EIGHT - THE IRON PESTLE

Lord Shri Krishna had returned to his own country of Dwaraka with his
people the Yadawas. At the end of the battle Gandhari had cursed the
Yadawas. She said they would all die in a great battle. This is how it
happened:

One day a holy man came to visit the Yadawas. Some young men
decided to play a trick on him. One of them called Shamba dressed up
as a woman. He tied a pillow onto his tummy to pretend he was about
to have a baby. The young men said to the holy man: “Will this baby
be a boy or a girl?”

The holy man was angry. “You will give birth to an iron pestle and it
will destroy your people.”

The young men were frightened. They went to their rulers and told
them the story. The rulers decided to take the iron pestle and grind it
to powder. They took the powder a sprinkled it into the sea. One
small sharp part of the iron pestle shaped like an arrow head could not
be ground down so they took it away and buried it.

But the iron powder floated ashore and reeds grew up on the shore.
Each sharp pointed reed was tipped with iron.

One day the Yadawas held a great celebration by the shore of the sea.
They were happy and they danced and sang. They also drank wine
and many of the men became drunk. They began to argue and fight.
They plucked reeds and began to throw them at each other. They
became angry and threw the reeds with force.

The iron tipped reeds killed all of the Yadawas.


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Balarama, Krishna’s brother was sad at the death of all the Yadawas
and went to meditate in the forest where he died and became one
with God.
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CHAPTER NINE - THE DEATH OF KRISHNA

Krishna, after the death of all the Yadawas and Balarama knew it was
time for him to depart from earth. He smiled to himself. “My work is
nearly done. Evil has been defeated. A great king sits on the throne.
I will return to my house in heaven.”

He walked into the forest and sat beneath a tree and fell asleep.

A hunter was in the woods looking for deer. He had a very special
arrow. The piece of the iron pestle which couldn’t be ground to
powder had been buried. A farmer had dug it up and, seeing how like
an arrow head it was, sold it to an arrow maker. The arrow maker had
made it into and arrow. The hunter had bought the arrow. Now he
was looking for something to shoot at.

Through the long grass he saw two pink shapes which looked like the
ears of a deer. He took careful aim and shot his special arrow. The
arrow flew towards the ears of the deer and pierced one of them.

The hunter ran towards the deer only to discover that he had pierced
the foot of the Lord Shri Krishna. The hunter was very upset.

“O Lord,” he cried, “Forgive me. I have wounded the great Lord of the
Universe. I will be cursed and so will my family!”

Lord Shri Krishna smiled at him like a loving father. “Calm yourself,”
he said, “This is part of my play. It is time for me to leave the earth
and you have helped me. You will not be cursed. Rather you and your
family will be blessed for all time.”

So saying the Lord of Love left his body and returned to heaven.
Flowers rained down from heaven and the Gods sang praises to Lord
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Wishnu and the Lord Shri Krishna.
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CHAPTER TEN - THE LAST JOURNEY OF THE PANDAWAS

When Yudhishthira and the Pandawas heard of the deaths of their


mother Kunti and their friend Krishna they became very sad. They
made Arjuna’s grandson Pariksheet on the throne as king. They left
the city of Hastinapura with Draupadi.

They visited holy places. When they came to the Himalaya mountains
they began to climb. As they did so a dog began to follow them. As
they climbed higher the weather got colder. As the trudged through
the thick, cold snow Draupadi fell down. She could go no further and
she died. Nakula and Sahadewa also fell down and died.

At last both Arjuna and Bhima could go no further in the thick snow
and they too fell and died. Yudhishthira was calm. He knew only their
bodies had fallen but they were at peace with God.

The dog kept following him. When they reached the top of the
mountain. Yudhishthira saw a blazing light. A golden chariot was their
and Indra, king of the Gods called to him: “O Yudhishthira, climb into
to this chariot and come to heaven.”

Yudhishthira climbed in and so did the dog. “We can’t have dogs in
heaven!” Cried Indra, “Out you go.” He shooed the dog out of the
chariot.

“This dog has followed me faithfully since we came to these


mountains. Even Draupadi and my brothers have left me but not this
dog. I will say here with him. “ And Yudhishthira climbed down from
the chariot.

No matter how much Indra argued with him Yudhishthira would not
change his mind. Finally the dog turned into his father Dharma, the
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God of Law and Justice.

“I am pleased with you my son!” Said Dharma, “You have shown that
you will stay with Truth no matter what. Even when your wife and
brothers left you I, Truth, stayed with you. Now take this chariot to
heaven.”

Yudhishthira bowed to his father and took the chariot with Indra to
heaven.
CHAPTER ELEVEN - YUDHISHTHIRA’S LAST TEST

When Yudhishthira reached heaven with Indra he saw beautiful palaces filled
with sweet music. Find food, lovely gardens and rich jewels awaited him
their. He walked full of wonder through the palaces and gardens. He heard
music, laughter and dancing and walked towards them.

Suddenly he saw the evil Duryodhana surrounded by his wicked followers


sitting, eating and watching beautiful girls sing and dance for them.

“Why is this wretch here?” Said Yudhishthira angrily, “He caused the deaths
of millions through his selfishness and greed! Where are Draupadi and my
brothers? Take me to them”

“Calm yourself,” said Indra, “There is no place for anger in heaven. You still
suffer from anger because you still have your body. The ways of the Gods
are mysterious. Duryodhana and his followers have a right to be here.
Embrace them like brothers.”

“Never,” said Yudhishthira, “Take me to Nakula, Sahadewa, Arjuna, Bhima


and Draupadi.”

“Alright,” said Indra. And one of the guides of the spirits took Yudhishthira
on a long walk along a side path. Gradually the pleasant gardesn, music
and dancing disappeared. The path became rocky and hard and dark. They
were in a tunnel which began to smell horribly. He heard moaning and
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groaning.

“Where are we?” asked Yudhishthira, “Let’s go back.”

Just as he turned to go he heard the voices of Draupadi and his brothers


calling to him. voices “O Yudhishthira don’t leave us! You make the air
smell sweet and the fires less hot!”

Yudhishthira became angry. “Why is Duryodhana in heaven and my wife


and brothers here? I will stay here in hell with my loved ones.” He stood
still for an hour in that horrible place when, all of a sudden the horrible
smells and sounds were gone. He was back in heaven surrounded by his
loved ones. Kunti, his mother, Draupadi, his wife and all of his brothers,
happy and at peace. Indra stood there smiling at him.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN - THE END

Yudhishthira was astonished. “What happened?” he asked Indra.

All men do both good and evil things. Those who do mostly evil come to
heaven for a short time, then spend a long time in hell before being reborn.
Those who do mostly good go to hell for a short time, and then spend a long
time in heaven before being reborn. When they lied to kill Drona you stayed
sient. For this you had to go to suffer for an hour in hell. Now enjoy the
wonders of heaven!”

And Yudhishthira and his loved ones remained in the bliss and peace of
heaven for ages and ages.

The story of the Mahabharata tells of the Gods, it tells of men, it tells of
deeds of great evil and it tells of deeds of great good.

It tells how the Lord Shri Krishna, the Lord of Love came to earth to free us
from pain and suffering. It tells of the great war between the Kaurawas and
the Pandawas.
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In the end good won and evil was defeated.

The Lord still lives in your heart. The great hero Arjuna lives in your hearet.
They stand ready to help if you call on them.

Whenever evil begins to grow, whenever misery begins to overflow, the Lord
Shri Krishna and his great friend the warrior Arjuna will come to you and
help.

Praises be to Lord Shri Krishna,


He is the Lord of Love,
He is the Lord of Light,
With His gentle smile evil vanishes,
With His loving looks misery is over,
Wherever He walks bliss and peace are there,
Praise Him and bow to Him
The Lord of Love lives in all hearts.

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