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Be careful about your deeds! Maharaja Yudhisthira requested Vyāsdev to describe various sinful acts & their respective atonements   Vyāsdev said: Dear King, following sinful persons must atone for their misdeeds: -A brahmacäri that gets up from bed after sunrise, or who goes to sleep while the sun is setting -One who has rotten nails or black teeth; one whose younger brother has married first, or who weds before his elder brother has done so; one who kills a brahmana; one who speaks ill of others; one who marries a girl before her elder sister has married; one who failed to fulfil a vow; one who teaches Vedic knowledge to an unworthy person; one who sells meat; one who drinks liquor; one who charges money for teaching Vedic wisdom; one who kills a woman; one who kills an animal; one who sets fire to a house; one who lives by deceitful means; one who lives in disobedience of his guru's orders   He further said: One who breaks a promise; one who eats forbidden ...
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Time I Am! As Yudhisthira was adamant to fast until death, Vyāsdev again said: Your determination is not at all proper. As the nature of our activities is determined by Destiny, one only increases his miseries if he attempts to avoid performing his duties. The eternal living entity is wandering throughout the creation in various forms of life. Thus, he acts in various ways, according to his acquired nature & the temporary relationship he establishes with similar conditioned souls   Due to being temporary & external, our relationships with kinsmen & friends can be compared to the meeting of travellers at night in a hotel & their subsequent continuing on toward their separate destinations the next morning. One should not grieve for any misfortune encountered in such temporary relationships, since everyone follows his own course, guided by the hand of Destiny   Although Srila Vyāsdev tried to dispel Maharaj Yudhisthira’s intense grief, the king remained ...
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SURRENDER & FIGHT! Srila Vyāsdev said to Yudhisthira: My dear grandson, you should not lament for having to perform your duties as a Kshatriya, for such duties are never sinful. On the other hand, it is very sinful for a king to neglect his duties, because this puts the citizens in great danger of being exploited by rogues & thieves   You should satisfy your brothers. Just consider how, for your sake, they had endured the miseries of forest life for so many years, waiting for the time to come when they would be reinstated as kings. I can assure you that later; after having fulfilled your duties as emperor of the world, you will be able to renounce everything & attain liberation from material bondage   Yudhisthira said: O grandfather, I no longer desire sovereignty over earth. After hearing the piteous lamentations of all these women whose relatives were killed, my heart feels an unbearable grief, so that I cannot find any peace or happiness in life ...
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Execute your responsibility & do not imitate others! As Maharaj Yudhisthira was adamant on taking up the reins of the kingdom, Bhima, Nakula, Sahadev all gave arguments of how it is important for a Kshatriya to rule the earth virtuously, rather than to falsely renounce one’s duties   Arjun said: Dear brother, a king’s duties are considered to be highly sacred. When a Kshatriya kills an aggressor, it is not at all sinful, because violence is necessary for the upkeep of social order. Being unable to remain silent, Bhima interrupted by saying: You should rejoice now that our wicked enemies have been killed. Rule the kingdom with grandeur. Perform the asvamedha-yagna & give profuse charity to the brahmanas. In this way you’ll be able to give up your lamentation   Yudhisthira replied: Even though you may be ignorant of the higher principles of religion, it is still a fact that engagement in self-realization is far superior to acting righteously as a king. The Veda...
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Real sacrifice! After concluding the funeral ceremonies, Pāndavās lamented & mourned about the great massacre on battlefield. Maharāj Yudhisthira specially was deeply anguished by the turn of events. Great sages including Nārada muni, Vyāsdev, Devala & Kānv came & tried to dispel the mental anguish of Yudhisthira by suitable instructions but as he felt a heavy and deep sorrow within the core of his heart, he was unable to dispel his grief   Yudhishthira said: In fact, my victory seems more like defeat, for all my relatives & friends have been killed, especially Abhimanyu and Karna. Kunti devi urged: Dear son! Pls don’t lament for Karna’s death. Both Surya & I had tried our best to persuade Karna to join the sides of his brothers, but we failed as he was determined to continue his hostility towards you, even after being informed his true identity. So, his death should not be lamented   In turn, Yudhisthira became angry with his mother because her s...
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Revenge leads us nowhere! After listening to Vyāsdev’s words, Dhritrāshtra gave up the idea of committing suicide & further lamentation for his dead sons. On Vidura’s urging, he prepared to perform the funeral ceremonies for his deceased relatives at Kurukshetra   When Maharāj Yudhisthira learned that Dhritrāshtra had set out from Hastināpur, he went to meet him along with his brothers, Sri Krsna, Sātyaki & Draupadi. He came to the blind king & bowed down before him. Dhritrāshtra reluctantly picked him & embraced him   Actually, Dhritrāshtra was burning with rage, eagerly awaiting the chance to embrace Bhima-not out of affection, but with the desire to crush him to death. Understanding the old blind king’s wicked intention, Sri Krsna quickly came & dragged Bhima away. In an instant He put the iron statue of Bhima He had kept ready for this purpose next to the old king. Dhritrāshtra had the strength of ten thousand elephants. When he squeezed the i...
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  The divine vision!   As Dhritrāshtra was lamenting, Vidura continued: Dear king! Just as a traveller has to make regular stops when he becomes tired, so the living entity traversing the path of material existence has to again & again take shelter within the wombs of different mothers. Because of this inconvenience, the wise person very carefully gives up lust, anger & greed. He restrains his senses & speaks only that which is truthful, so that he can escape the slaughtering process of repeated birth & death   Although Dhritrāshtra was listening, his mind continually dragged him back to the recollection of his miserable condition & he fainted. Vyāsdeva, Sanjay & Vidura rushed to pick him. They sprinkled water and fanned him. Dhritrāshtra regained his consciousness but proceeded to weep very bitterly for a long time. He suddenly exclaimed: I realize the intolerable condition of human existence & so will put an end to my life this very d...
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