What Exactly Happened After Mahabharata War?

The Mahabharata is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of the rich ancient Indian culture that encompasses philosophical and devotional material expressed in the form of a narrative.

It deeply explains the Kurukshetra war and discusses the four goals of life, viz.,

1. Dharma (moral values)
2. Kama (pleasure or psychological values)
3. Artha (economic values)
4. Moksha (liberation)

The Hindu scripture in Sanskrit, Bhagavad Gita is a part of Mahabharata and it is basically a narrative framework between the Pandava prince Arjuna and his guide and charioteer, Lord Krishna.

During the righteous war between the Kauravas and Pandavas, Lord Krishna guided Arjuna to follow his dharma as a Kshatriya and follow the spiritual path to attain liberation.

We all know about the historic victory of the Pandavas in the Kurukshetra war but what happened after the war is unknown to many of us.

Hardly ever in our academics, we came across the details regarding who survived and how Pandavas died. Of all, the most important question is what happened with Lord Krishna?

If you are curious to know what exactly happened after mahabharata war, then just read on…

1. Pandavas Became Rulers of Hastinapur

It is said that after winning the epic Kurukshetra battle, the Pandavas came to rule Hastinapur with Yudhishtira as the rightful person to the throne. On seeing the plight of her sons at the battle, an enraged Gandhari cursed Lord Krishna and the entire Yadavas that they too will get prey to a painful death.

But Lord Krishna himself knew that this would happen as Yadavas had become arrogant and haughty and thereby, he ended Gandhari’s speech by saying ‘tathastu’ (so be it).

2. Gandhari’s Curse Started Showing Its Power

While the Pandavas ruled Hastinapur for 36 long years, Lord Krishna predicted some inauspicious events in Dwarka. Thinking it as a threat to the entire Yadava clan, Lord Krishna advised for a mass departure of the Yadavas to Prabhasa.

After reaching Prabhasa, a humongous fight broke between the Yadavas at a festival who started killing one another.

3. Lord Krishna Left His Physical Body

Lord Krishna’s elder brother, Balarama, then attained moksha by giving up his body through yoga. And meanwhile, a hunter named Jara mistook Lord Krishna’s visible left foot for that of a deer and shot an arrow.

Due to the attack, the mortal Lord Krishna left his physical body and merged with Lord Vishnu. After the death of Lord Krishna, Ved Vyasa told Arjuna that time for his and his brother’s death has come nearer.

Recommended: 11 Important Life Lessons To Learn From Mahabharata

4. Start Of Kali Yuga

The Dwapar Yuga was coming to an end with the demise of Lord Krishna and this marked the beginning of Kali Yuga, an age where moral values were sidelined and people became more arrogant, selfish, rebellious, etc.

On seeing the onset of Kali Yuga and how dharma was being betrayed in his empire, Yudhishtira handed over the kingdom to Parikshit. The Pandavas along with their wife Draupadi decided to climb the Himalayas to reach the heaven in order to punish themselves for doing anything wrong or immoral in their lives.

The puranas mention that a stray dog accompanied them to the top of the Himalayas and it was none other than Lord Yama in disguise.

5. Only Yudhishtira Made His Way To Heaven

As all the Pandavas and Draupadi were on their journey towards the pinnacle of Himalayas, one by one they started dying. Draupadi was the first one to die and Bheem was the last one. However, it was only Yudhishtira and the stray dog who reached the spot in Himalayas that was known as the gateway to heaven.

It is cited that the reasons for death of others was due to their desires, troubles and acts that was driven by ego. Only Yudhishtira was the one who followed his dharma religiously without giving heed to his ego.

Recommended: Essential Lessons of Life to Learn from Bhagavad Gita

6. Yudhishtira Meets Lord Yama and Lord Indra

When Yudhishtira and the stray dog reached the gateway of heaven, the dog revealed his undisguised self in the form of Lord Yama and before escorting him to heaven, he asked him to have a look at hell. In hell, Yudhishtira saw his brothers and Draupadi repenting for their sins.

The saddened Yudhishtira was consoled by Lord Indra who came to take him to heaven. Lord Indra promises him that soon his brothers and Draupadi will be in heaven.

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