The Pandavas Withdraw
Arjuna was lying at his feet, head bowed, and copious tears streamed from his eyes. Yudhisthira thought that he had never seen him so desperate and in so much suffering. So he asked him:
“My dear brother, tell me if our friends from the Yadu family are all well and spend their days peacefully. Tell me about what they do. How are Shurasena, Vasudeva, Ugrasena, Hridika, Akrura and all the others? What does Balarama, the Personality of God, do? And Shri Krishna, who pleases cows, senses and Brahmanas and is eternally fond of his devotees, is He happy with His friends?
“Arjuna,” he continued, “I see you desperate and anxious. Tell me, are you feeling bad? Or has someone disrespected you because you stayed too long in Dvaraka? Did something happen that made you unhappy? Or maybe you feel empty because you have lost your closest friend? Arjuna, don’t keep me on my toes yet, tell me if our Lord is still present on this planet or has He abandoned us.”
And he, who was grieved beyond belief by strong feelings of separation from Krishna, tried to answer his brother’s questions. As Arjuna remembered His face, his voice faded and he could barely speak.
“O King, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has treated me as a close friend, has abandoned me. So the extraordinary power that astonished even the Devas will never again be mine. I realize that without His presence, even though He is barely gone, the entire universe already seems empty and devoid of any attraction like a lifeless body that has been forever empty. Only by His grace have I been able to accomplish many formidable endeavors in my life, and now that He is gone I was not even able to protect the women of Dvaraka from the attack of a band of cowardly thieves.
“O King, the news I have for you is terrible: the Vrishnis have exterminated each other just as our family did years ago. Dvaraka has disappeared, swallowed by the ocean and only four or five survived. Evidently this is what He wanted. And now all that remains for me is to recall His words, His face, the things we did together: so I can purify my heart from the dust of material contamination.”
And Arjuna found peace in remembrance of Lord Sri Krishna.
The other brothers wept desperately. Then Yudhisthira said:
“These signs are clear: they indicate that our time has come to leave this world. In youth it is not advised for a Kshatriya to perform the tasks that are proper to the Brahmanas, but in old age it is sinful to remain attached until the end of one’s own days to the throne and the pleasures that this entails. The last years of life must be entirely dedicated to detachment from earthly things and to concentrating on God’s world. So I believe that the time has come to follow the path traced by our ancestors.”
Everyone agreed.
In a few days they announced their decision to abandon political life and retire in order to practice the principles of renunciation; then they crowned Parikshit emperor and appointed Yuyutsu as their tutor and the elder Kripa as their spiritual guide.
A few days later they left, greeted by a huge grateful crowd, followed by their faithful wife.
They had decided to travel through the main holy places of Bharata-varsha.
They went to Dvaraka. Where the fabled city once stood, now there was an immense expanse of water: the Pandavas in admiration in front of that vast ocean were remembering Krishna and his companions when Agni appeared.
“I heard of your decision,” he said, “And I believe you have chosen the best time to retire. With Krishna’s passing, your mission is over and you have no other duties to perform in this world. Now you just have to pay back to Varuna the weapons he had granted you, thanks to which you defeated the Kauravas. Throw them into the sea, and he will recover them.”
Without hesitation, Arjuna threw Gandiva and the quiver and the others did the same with their own weapons. Deprived of their last earthly attachments, the Pandavas headed north towards the Himalayas.
For months they walked non-stop and came as far as Meru. But while they were traveling on the snow-capped peaks, Draupadi, struck down by the cold and deprivation, fell to the ground lifeless. Then, one after another, they left their bodies first Sahadeva, then Nakula, Arjuna and Bhima.
Yudhisthira was left alone.
He kept walking without ever looking back, never taking his attention away from the Supreme Personality of God.
More time passed.
One day in front of him he saw an intense light, from which Indra arose.
“I have come here in person to get you,” said the Deva, “To accompany you to Svarga. In your life you have never sinned and your actions have always been righteous. As a result, you have full right to come with me to enjoy the pleasures of the higher worlds.”
Yudhisthira smiled, but not even when faced with such a tempting offer did he forget what was right.
“O Indra, I will certainly follow you to Svarga, but first I want to know about my brothers: are they already there in your company? Or have they gone to some other planet? Know that I do not wish to go anywhere without them.”
“Certainly. Your brothers are the most virtuous people who have ever lived, and they have abundantly deserved access to my planets. Come away, therefore, do not remain still in this world filled with misery.”
So Yudhisthira, having passed all the tests at that point, mounted the chariot driven by Matali. He urged the horses to run at their maximum speed. And as the vehicle sped through the sky, the Pandava took a final look at this world, its pains and frustrations. Then he lost sight of it.
In a few moments he had arrived in Amaravati, the capital of Indra, which Arjuna had already visited on his journey to search for celestial weapons.
Entering the palace, Yudhisthira looked around for Bhima, Arjuna, the twins and Draupadi, but did not see them. There were so many righteous monarchs he knew, but he couldn’t see his relatives.
“O Indra, you told me that Arjuna and the others were already here with you, but I can’t find them in this wonderful palace. Am I on some mission right now?”
Indra gave him a benevolent look.
“Yudhisthira, in this world you have to give up family attachments that are pertinent to the body and situation you had on Earth. Now what concerned your previous birth is no longer your concern. Stop thinking about them and enjoy much deserved bliss.”
“I don’t want any joy except to enjoy it in the company of my brothers. If they’re not here with you, where are they? Lead me wherever they are.”
Indra tried to persuade him to forget them, but Yudhisthira was firm in his purpose. As they talked, among many famous rulers of the past he noticed the vile and evil Duryodhana.
This is a section of the book “Maha-bharata, Vol. 2”.
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