Where did the Mahabharata heroes go

                       Where do the heroes of Mahabharata go after the war

 

The Mahabharata is an epic that everyone would have read at some time or other. If not having read it, they would have at least heard stories from it.

Of course, for the Hindus the Bhagavath Geetha is a sacred text contained within the Mahabharata and all Hindu households would have heard about it.

The end of the epic is gruesome as we realize that all but ten persons have survived the Kurukshetra war. The entire Kauvara clan is wiped out and many of the kin of Pandavas, their relatives and friends are slain.

The Pandavas leave the earth after Krishna and Balarama go back to Swarga Loka. The Mausala Parva of the Mahabharata gives a graphic description of the death and destruction in Dwarka and the end of Krishna and Balarama. (In reality, there is no end to Krishna and Balarama, All that they do is shed the mortal body and rejoin their original avatars).

But what about the other heroes. Where do they go. Well, here is the answer. The sage, Vaisampayana, reveals this secret to king Janamejaya.

The sage points out that Yudhistera, who is the embodiment of righteousness, reaches the land of Dharma, Bheeshma-the great warrior and uncle to both Pandavas and Kauravas and son of Ganga, proceeds to the Vasus. The teacher of archery goes to Brihaspati, the seer of the Gods.

Kritavarma joins the Maruts, while Pradyumna, one of the sons of Krishna ,  merges into the body Sanatkumara.

The blind king Dhrtarastra and his wife Gandhari journey to the of kingdom Kubera, the God of wealth who is also a brother of Ravana.  Pandu and his wives find themselves at the abode of  Mahendra.

Virata, Drupada, Dhrshtaketu, Nisatha, Akrura, Samba, Bhanu, Kampa, Viduratha, Bhurishrava, Shalya, Kamsa, Ugrasena, Vasudeva and Uttara proceed to the region of Vishvedevas.

Abhimanyu, the valiant son of Arjuna, goes to Chandraloka. The eldest of the Pandavas, Karna, joins the Sun. Shakuni enters into the body of Dvapara age. Dhrishtadymna  mergs into the body of Agni, the God of Fire. Balarama joins the  Patala region in the kingdom of Ananta , while Krishna merges with Narayana.

The 16,000 wives of krishna merge into the river Saraswati. The other warriors of the Pandava and Kaurva camp go to their respective regions of Yakshas, Gandharvas, Demons and Gods.

(EOM)