Untold story: Episode#86 Once, the great sages like Vishwamitra, Durvasa, Vashista and Narada went on pilgrimage and visited Dwarka to meet Vasudev Krishna a d his brother Balarama. Over a period of time, the Yadavas lost their sense of culture and discipline and were inclined to be uncouth and unrefined! A group of  Yadavas boys decided to play pranks on the sages and test their supernatural powers. They dressed Samba (Son of Vasudev Krishna and Jambavati) as a woman; wound several robes around his belly to make him appear as a pregnant woman. They approached the sages and asked them to predict whether this lady would give birth to boy or a girl. The sages realised through their divine vision that the boys were mocking at them and cursed them saying the disguised boy will give birth to a lump of iron which will lead to the destruction of the entire Yadavas race. The Yadavas boys laughed until Samba's stomach became heavier and eventually Samba happened to deliver a huge block of...

Episode 85 Gandhari eyes filled with tears and her ears were echoing the cries of the slain warriors  window's. She could not bear the heart-rending cries of all the mothers and widows; the air was filled with loud wailings! Gandhari was helpless and could find no way to console them. Seeing their intense grief, Gandhari forgot her own sorrow that all her hundred sons were killed by Bhima in the war - but after a while the nightmare memories struck her worse than a thunderbolt could have and she wept bitterly again.  She blamed Vasudev Krishna repeatedly for the total destruction of the Kuru race. Gandhari was under belief that Vasudev Krishna though he had power to prevent the war - he did not do enough to prevent the war. This thoughts and her own helplessness tormented her to no end, if Vasudev Krishna and really desired to prevent it, this bloodshed was definitely avoidable. In a fit of rage, Gandhari cursed Vasudev Krishna that the Yadavas clan would also be similarly d...

Episode#84 The King went to River Ganga and offered traditional libations for the peace of the departed soul! After the ceremony was over, Yudhishtira stood in the bank and the entire bitter tragic events returned to his mind and overcome by intense grief,  he fell unconscious on the ground as if an elephant had struck down by a vicious hunter. Bhima went up to his brother,  caressed him and spoke to him soothingly! Dhritarashtra came along and comforted Yudhishtira: "You should not grieve like this, arise and reign over the kingdom that awaits you  - You will be assisted by your brothers and friends. Leave this anguish to Gandhari and me, you achieved victory in accordance with the righteousness of warriors. A fool that I was, I did not give the slightest significance to the precious words of Vidura and ended up by committing the biggest blunder of my life! I listened to the foolish words of Duryodhana and deceived myself.  Like a beautiful night-dream everything...

Episode#83 Yudhishtira's mental anguish increased every day when he thought of all the kinsmen that had been killed. He was stricken with intense remorse and decided to renounce as a mark of emancipation from his sins! "I see no joy or happiness - nor am I worthy to be the ruler of Hastinapur or indulge in worldly pleasure!" He said to his brothers and added "Do rule the land yourselves leaving me free to go to the forest." Arjuna discussed nobility of family life and the righteousness one could continue without resorting to renunciation. Bhima also tried to convince but a trifle harshly "You talk, alas - like an ill-witted person who has acquired the knowledge the religious shastras without understanding their underlying worth. Sanyasa is positively not the Dharma of us Kshatriya. The duty of Kshatriya, is to live an active life and remain committed to the subject of his kingdom to whom he has vowed to provide all the necessary amenities,  protection f...

Episode#82 The Pandavas performed the Arghya (Venereal offerings to the departed soul) in honour of martyrs who had laid their lives in the war and camped on the bank of the Ganga for a month. One day, Narada appeared before Yudhishtira. "Son, through Krishna's grace, the valour of Arjuna and power of your Dharma, you were victorious and you are the sovereign Lord of the land. Are you not happy?" He asked. Yudhishtira replied "O great Devarishi, it is true that the kingdom has come into my possession but all my kinsman have gone forever  We have lost sons that were dear to us, for me - this is no victory at all, on the contrary it is my greatest defeat! O sage Narada, we took our own brother for an enemy and killed him; Karna stood rooted like a rock in honour and the world wondered at his magnanimous valour- we have slain him mercilessly! This terrible act of slaying our own brother was the result of our sinful attachment to our possessions. Karna, on other hand, ...

Episode#81 Gandhari says "I do not envy the victory of Pandavas and ibagree that my intense grief has robbed me of my understanding! These Pandavas also are my sons. I know that Dusshasana and Sakuni brought about this destruction and that Arjuna and Bhima are not to be blamed! My sons deserve the fate they have met - only because of their flase pride and vanity I do not complain about it. But in Vasudev Krishna presence,  Bhima challenge Duryodhana to battle and knowing that Duryodhana was stronger and could not br defeat in a single combat, Bhima struck him below the naval and killed him! Vasudev Krishna continued to be an indifferent onlooker! This was against righteousness and it is this that I find it impossible to forgive." Bhima, who heard this, came near and said "Mother, I did this in self-defence, whether is was right or wrong, you should bear with me. Your son was invincible in combat a d I had to resort to self-defence what was undoubtedly wrong,  but then ...

Episode#80 "Why should we weep for them? Those who die in battle after a heroic fight go as a guest to be received in the heaven! By grieving for what is past, you cannot gain anything back in the form of Dharma, pleasure, wealth." Thus, and in many more ways, did the wise and noble Vidura try to assuage the King's grief. Vyasa also approached Dhritarashtra for consolation and said: "Dear Son, there is nothing that you do not know and which you have to learn from me. You know very well that all living beings must die. This great battle came to reduce earth's burden as I have heard from Lord Vishnu. Under no circumstances, this calamity could have ever been prevented and hence weep no more. Henceforth, Yudhishtira is your son; you should try and love him! In this way, bear the burden of life, giving up grief. " Making his way, through the crowd of weeping women Yudhishtira approached Dhritarashtra and bowed before him. Dhritarashtra embraced him but there ...