Chapter 15 - Ascendance of Pāṇḍavas to heaven

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Agni said:

1. O Brahmin! When Yudhiṣṭhira was ruling the kingdom, Dhṛtarāṣṭra went to the forest along with Gāndhārī and Pṛthā (Kuntī) and passed from one stage of life to another.

2-5. Vidura was burnt by the forest fire and ascended heavens. Thus, Viṣṇu removed the oppression of demons and others on the earth, for the sake of dharma and for the destruction of adharma and having the Pāṇḍavas as an apparent cause. Having the curse of a brahmin, as a pretext, he destroyed with the club, the race of Yādavas who were oppressing (the world) Then (he) installed Vajra (son of Aniruddha) in the kingdom. On the directive of celestials, Hari himself having discarded his body at Prabhāsa, is being worshipped by the residents of heavens at the worlds of Indra and Brahmā. Balabhadra, (who was) a form of Ananta, reached heavens in the nether world.

6. Hari, the imperishable lord, is always to be contemplated upon by those who meditate (on him). Without him (at Dvārakā), the ocean flooded the city of Dvārakā.

7-8. Pārtha (Arjuna), having performed the obsequies of Yādavas, and having offered the waters of oblation and money, felt grief-stricken when the women, who were the wives of Viṣṇu (Kṛṣṇa), were carried away by the shepherds (using) the clubs as weapons and defeating Arjuna on account of the curse of Aṣṭāvakra.^[1]

9-12. Being consoled by Vyāsa, he thought, “My strength remains only in the presence of Kṛṣṇa.” Having come to Hastināpura, Pārtha then informed Yudhiṣṭhira, his brothers and the guards of the people. That bow, those weapons and the chariot and those horses were lost in the absence of Kṛṣṇa, just as a charity made to a person not well learned (would be lost). Having heard that (news), the intelligent Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira), having established Parīkṣīt in the kingdom, set out on his final journey to relinquish this world along with Draupadī and his brothers, after having realized the transitory nature of the mundane existence and repeating 108 (names) of Hari.

13. Draupadī, Sahadeva, Nakula, Phālguna^[2] (Arjuna), Bhīma had fallen on the way (of their march). The king was grief-stricken.

14. Mounting the chariot brought by Indra he reached heavens along with his brothers, having seen Duryodhana and others and Vāsudeva and becoming happy. This is (the story of) Bhārata told to you. Whoever reads this, goes to heaven.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Once when a brahmin Aṣtāvakra was doing penance standing in neckdeep water, the heavenly nymphs who happened to pass that way bowed to him and sought his blessings to get a good husband. Being pleased he blessed them that they would become the wives of the Lord when he manifested as Kṛṣṇa. Later, when they began to mock at him, on seeing his crooked form as he came out of waters, he got enraged and cursed them that they would be forcibly taken away by thieves. See Vi.P. V. xxxviii. 71-82.

[2]:

On account of his birth on the Himalayan peaks as the moon was in asterism Uttarā Phalgunī, Arjuna was known by this name.

uttarābhyāṃ ca pūrvābhyāṃ phalgunībhyāmahaṃ divā |
jāto himavataḥ pṛṣṭhe tena māṃ phalgunaṃ viduḥ ||
   M. Bh. IV. xliv. 16.