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Real Intelligence! Sri Krsna along with Satyaki mounted his chariot driven by Daruka. He was followed by Maharaj Yudhisthira & Arjun, Bhima, Nakula & Sahadev. When they arrived at Kurukshetra, they saw funeral pyres rising like small hills all over battlefield, which was also strewn with heaps of broken armour, smashed chariots & spent weapons. Sri Krsna pointed out to Yudhisthira the 5 lakes that had been made by Parasurama, saying: O King! This is where the great warrior incarnation of Godhead had offered Kshatriya’s blood as oblations to his forefathers after ridding the earth of them 21-times As Sri Krsna continued narrating the pastimes of Sri Parasurama, they arrived at Oghavati river, where Bhisma was lying upon bed of arrows. Sri Krsna & Pandavas got down from their chariots at some distance & approached Grandfather Bhisma on foot. After offering obeisances unto all great sages present, they took their seats surrounding Bhisma Sri Krsna praised Bhism...
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Destroy darkness within the heart with shining lamp of knowledge! After being commanded by Sri Krsna to come out of his grief & execute the wishes of Vyāsdev, Yudhisthira finally threw off his lethargy & got up from his seat. First, he worshiped all the brāhmanās present & then mounted a new white chariot drawn by 16 white bullocks. Bhima took reins of his elder brother's chariot; Arjuna held a white umbrella over his head and Nakula & Sahadeva fanned him with camaras Yuyutsu followed Maharaja Yudhisthira on his own chariot, and behind him rode Sri Krsna & Satyaki. Dhritarashtra & Gāndhāri went in front, seated upon a palanquin. Behind the chariots were all the women, tended to by Vidura. In this way the procession proceeded toward Hastinapura. When the citizens learnt of this, they hastily decorated the city & then joyfully went out to greet the Pandavas. Thereafter, as the procession passed through the streets of Hastināpur, thousands upon thousa...
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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...