Yudhishthira in Heaven

Reaching heaven, Yudhishthira looked around. There on a throne, shining with glory, sat Duryodhana. Yudhishthira was filled with anger: 'The one who caused so many deaths, who insulted Draupadi, is here? I will not stay. Take me to where my brothers are.' Narada explained, 'He gave his life like a hero on the battlefield. Now let go of enmity.'

A heavenly messenger led Yudhishthira to meet his brothers. The path was dark, foul-smelling and full of terrible sights. Yudhishthira turned to go back, when pitiful voices rose all around: 'Dharmaraja, stay! While you are here, our pain is less.' When he asked, they said they were Karna, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva and Draupadi.

Yudhishthira told the messenger, 'Go and tell the gods: I will stay here with my brothers.' Then Indra and Dharma appeared. The darkness lifted and the scene of hell vanished. Indra said, 'All this was maya. Because of the half-truth you told Drona, you too had to see hell for a moment. Your brothers, likewise, were here only for a short while.'

Yudhishthira bathed in Mandakini, the Ganga of heaven, and left his human body behind. He took a divine form and met everyone: Krishna in his divine form with Arjuna serving him; Karna shining with the Sun; Bhima with the Wind god; Draupadi as Lakshmi; Bhishma among the Vasus; Drona beside Brihaspati. No one held any enmity now.

So the story of the Mahabharat comes to its end. At the close, Vyasa raises both his arms and says that wealth and pleasure both come from dharma, so why do people not follow dharma? That is the final message of this great book: after every battle in life, dharma is what remains.