“Yudhishthira Finds the Kauravas in Heaven”
- Summary:
- When Yudhishthira entered heaven, he saw the Kauvaras there. They were all very much at peace and welcoming of Yudhishthira, but he was confused to see them in heaven. The gods explained that they were here because all of them died on sacred land that automatically ascends them to heaven. Unfortunately, while the Kauvaras were in heaven, the other Pandavas and Draupadi were not. They were in hell, so Yudhishthira left to go to them.
“Yudhishthira Descends to Naraka”
- Summary:
- Yudhishthira arrived in hell and heard his brothers’ and Draupadi’s cries. The gods asked Yudhishthira if he was ready to return to heaven, but he did not want to leave without his family. He then received a vision of literally everything - everything on earth and every life, every possibility and every dimension, past and future. He became enlightened. So, he could not stay in hell; instead he ascended past the heavenly realm of the gods to the highest heaven where Vishnu lives.
These stories as well as what led up to them really surprised me. It makes sense that if the Kauvaras died on sacred ground that they would go to heaven without question, even though I could argue they are not as deserving of their places as others are, but my question is: why are the Pandavas and Draupadi in hell? Compared to Yudhishthira, they have all sinned and therefore have fallen like previous tales described, but does that really merit not getting a ticket into heaven? Nobody is perfect. And from my perspective, Yudhishthira was by no means perfect either as he failed to step up and save his wife from another man trying to take advantage of her, not once but twice. And he succumbed to his pride along the way in the dice games. And, there are many other instances in which, from my eyes, Yudhishthira ‘sinned’. So why is he different? Why does he deserve better? Rather, and more to my point, why do the others deserve worse? The outcome of this part in the story really confused me and, to be completely honest, made me like the epic a little less. This just did not feel justified, nor did it feel like an ending with full closure.
Vaikuntha, Home to Vishnu: Flickr
Bibliography: Tiny Tales from the Mahabharata by Laura Gibbs, Part D
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