Srimadh Bagawatham - Dritharashtra attains mukthi and Krishna exits the stage He had set.

Continued From: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/04/srimadh-bagawatham-ashwatama-punished.html

Lord Krishna returned to Dwaraka after the Kurukshetra war. The Pandavas cared for their uncle Dritharashtra and his wife Gandhari even though Dritharashtra had persecuted them by even trying to kill them when he arranged to set fire to the wax mansion they were residing in. The Pandavas other uncle Vidura returned from his pilgrimage. Vidura felt sorry to see that Dritharashtra wasn’t ready to forego his materialistic lifestyle even after seeing his 100 sons die. Vidura advised Dritharashtra who finally listened to Vidura’s words.

‘Dear brother how are you? ’enquired Vidura.

‘Gandhari and I are very comfortable. Bhīma waits on us hand and foot. He cooks the most delicious food specifically for us. We are well cared for and there is no shortage to the comforts my dear nephews shower on us!’ replied Dritharashtra.

‘I am very sorry to see that you haven’t attained mental maturity yet,’ said Vidura.

‘Why do you say so?’

‘You have lost your hundred sons. At least after seeing your children die you should have developed detachment in materialistic life style. I feel more shocked because you have no pride either! Did you forget that the very same Bhīma who waits on you with devotion you had tried to murder by feeding him poisoned food? How could you eat the food cooked by Bhīma without any sense of remorse? Not to forget your attempt on the lives of all the Pandavas when you cunningly sent them to live in a mansion built out of flammable material and you set fire to that mansion in the middle of the night!’

‘What you say is true,’ said Dritharashtra, ‘I have treated my nephews unfairly and yet they take care of me with affection. Please show me the way to lead a detached life. You have always been wise and spiritual. Please guide me along the right path.’

Dritharashtra and Gandhari left for Vanaprastha with Vidura and finally attained Mukthi.

King Yudhishtirar felt sad that his uncles and aunt had left home. He was informed by Sage Narada that they had attained Mukthi. The King felt troubled when he saw many ill omens.

‘My heart feels the advent of some great doom’, said Yudhishtirar to his brothers. ‘I feel uneasy because there is no word from Arjuna. He left for Dwaraka with Krishna many months ago. I see many ill omens; the cows give blood instead of milk, the planetary orbit is hay wire, the deities in temples appear to be crying.’  

‘Rest assured,’ said Bhīma. ‘Arjuna has just arrived!’

At that instant Arjuna entered the hall.

‘Partha! I am very glad to see you!’ exclaimed Yudhishtirar. ‘Is everyone okay at Dwaraka? How is dear Krishna? How are His queens? Tell me everything for I can feel a strange fear grip my heart!’ said Yudhishtirar observing the sorrow stricken face of Arjuna.

Arjuna broke down and cried. ‘There is none left in Dwaraka now!’

‘What!’

‘All the Yadavas perished in an internal fight. Our dear Krishna has left for Sri Vaikuntham because His work here is done. Oh brother, how will I live without Him? You always told me to treat Him with respect because He is the Supreme Being but He would never hear of it! He would even allow me to rest my feet on His lap! How can I live without seeing Him? With Him I have lost my powers for I couldn’t lift my Gandiva anymore! His eight queens headed by Rukmini Piratti followed Him to Sri Vaikuntham. I tried to escort the other 16,000 queens to Hastinapuram when we were attacked by bandits. These arms which shot arrows against the great warriors like Bhishmacharyar were no longer able to resist the attack of ordinary bandits! Now I know that I was able to fight earlier because of His power in me! Now He has withdrawn that power from me and I have become helpless. I have lost the 16,000 queens to bandits and come here having lost a simple battle!’

‘How did the Yadavas come to pass away?’ asked Yudhishtirar.

‘The Yadavas drank liquor and under intoxication played a plank on a sage. Lord Krishna’s son Samba dressed himself as a woman and concealed an iron pestle under his dress. The others took him to a sage and said, ‘this young woman is pregnant. Please predict the gender of the child.’

The sage realized that they were mocking him He therefore cursed them. ‘This person would give birth to an iron pestle which will ruin your entire clan!’

The Yadavas became scared. They sought the advice of King Ugrasenar. Per the king’s advice, they powdered the pestle and cast it away at sea. The inner part of the pestle was made of wood which was powdered. The outer iron shell was swallowed by a fish. The waves washed the powder on the shore of Prabhasa. The powder grew into kusa grass.

One day the Yadavas went on a pilgrimage to Prabhasa. After drinking alcohol, they started to fight with one another. They grabbed the kusa grass growing on the shore and killed each other with the soft grass. Lord Balarama sat under a tree, turned himself into a white snake and left the Earth.

A hunter called Jara had found the iron shell swallowed by the fish. He had made an arrow out of the shell.

Lord Krishna was lying reclined under a tree. Jara saw Krishna’s beautiful feet and mistook them to be deer. He shot Krishna’s feet with the arrow. As he neared the place where the Lord was present, he realized his error but the Lord forgave him. Krishna decided to use this incident as His exit.’

Esoteric Meaning:

Alcohol drunk by the Yadavas is the sacred Soma drink. The pestle powdered signifies the crushing of the Soma plant. This is also similar to Devendra’s vajra being mixed with the foam present in the waves which killed Vritrasura. The Soma juice extracted is strained and purified. This is indicated by the growth of kusa grass which is worn on the ring finger as pavithram while performing rituals. The Yadavas thus become purified and attain the state of immortality after reaching heaven. The kusa grass is called pavithram because it kills papams.

The name of the hunter, Jara, means old age but here represents an enlightened soul. He shot himself into Brahman which is shown as the hunter shooting Lord Krishna’s feet.

Contrary to popular belief Lord Krishna did not die from the arrow wound. He left earth with His body while His charioteer Daruka witnessed the Lord’s ascent. Daruka was surprised to see the Lord’s chariot go towards the sky followed by the horses and the Lord’s weapons.

‘Krishna what is happening here?’ asked Darukan.

‘I wanted to leave silently; I didn’t know that you are here,’ said lord Krishna. ‘The purpose of my incarnation is fulfilled and I am returning to my eternal abode of Sri Vaikuntham.’

Thus the Lord did not leave His body behind. The Lord’s body is called as divya mangala Vigraham and even at the time of incarnation is made of suddha satvam. Thus the Lord left for Sri Vaikuntham with his divya mangala Vigraham after deciding to leave earth.

Continued On: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/04/srimadh-bagawatham-pandavas-exit-this.html