In the previous episode, we had witnessed Bhagawan Krishna concurring with Yudishtra over the fact about who has reached which “Lokha”. For instance, those warriors who had fought valiantly, giving their best to defend their kingdom, will automatically attain the “Veera-Svargam” or “Svarga Lokha”. Those of them who reluctantly fought the battle, and tried to escape from the battlefield at crucial moments, will go to several lower-level “Lokhas”, whereas, those handful of warriors who fought the war by putting themselves in the front, thinking that fighting for their kingdom is their duty, would have reached the highest “Satya Lokha” of Bhagawan Brahma. Yudishtra recalls all these points mentioned to him by Sage Lomaharshana around ten years ago when he was on a “Teertha-Yatra” during the “Vana-Vaasam” time period.
Moving on further thus, the “Tarpanam” begins. All the wives and sons of the dead warriors perform the “Jala-Tarpanam” to their departed near and dear ones with a lot of tears in their eyes. This is a very tragic moment and Bhagawan Krishna is overseeing everything from a distance. Yudishtra is also performing the “Jala-Tarpanam” for all his relatives – Including Guru Dhronachaarya, the Kaurava brothers, Abhimanyu, etc. Meanwhile, the Kaurava brothers’ wives are performing the “Jala-Tarpanam” for their departed husbands, as many of them were young and did not have children as yet. While Yudishtra is performing the “Jala-Tarpanam” on one end, a faint voice of Kunthi Devi is heard from a distance. Kunthi Devi says to Yudishtra thus, “Oh Yudishtra! I’m happy that you are performing the “Jala-Tarpanam” for all the departed people in the war. However, you’ve to do a special “Tarpanam” for your own brother who has died in this war!” As Yudishtra hears this, he initially doesn’t understand what his mother is saying. He turns back and asks Kunthi Devi thus, “Oh Mother! What are you saying? All my four brothers are alive and why should I perform the “Tarpanam” for them?” As Yudishtra innocently says thus, Kunthi Devi could not hold back her tears. She says with a trembling voice thus, “Oh Yudishtra! You’re wrong! You had an elder brother and you killed him in this war!” Upon hearing this, Yudishtra is shell-shocked! He couldn’t believe what his mother is saying. As Yudishtra asks for more details, Kunthi Devi slowly opens up about the past. She says thus, “Oh Yudishtra! Before you were born, I gave birth to a child, which was blessed by Surya Bhagawan. As I was unmarried at that time, I could not keep that child with me. I had to disown that child and abandon it in the waters of the River Ganges. Subsequently, a charioteer saw the child floating in the water and adopted it. The child grew under his supervision, and hence came to be known as “Raadheya”! Oh Yudishtra! You know who I’m talking about now! The one whom you were thinking all these years as “Raadheya” (Karna) is not really a charioteer’s son. He is your own elder brother and is one amongst the Paandavas!”
As Kunthi Devi says thus, it comes as a huge thunder for Yudishtra and the Pandava brothers! Arjuna is stunned beyond words! Bheemasena could not believe his ears! Unable to bear this shocker, Yudishtra falls on the floor and faints! He could not hold back the intense grief of killing his own elder brother in the battle! He turns to Kunthi Devi and asks thus, “Oh Mother! Why didn’t you reveal this fact before? Now I’ve performed the greatest sin of killing my own elder brother in the battle! All these days, because I did not know that Karna was my brother, I’ve done several abuses and insults to him. Now who is going to forgive me for all these? How many times have I spoken against Karna? How many times I’ve conspired to kill him! Isn’t this a gross “Adharma” that I’ve performed right in front of my eyes?” Saying thus, Yudishtra turns towards Bhagawan Krishna and asks – “Oh Bhagawan Krishna! I’m sure you will be knowing this! Why did you not reveal this to me earlier?”
As Yudishtra cries aloud like this, Arjuna is also equally feeling guilty! He cries aloud to Bhagawan Krishna thus, “Oh! I was the one who killed Karna on the battlefield. I was the one who had pledged to finish Karna in the war. I never knew that I’m fighting against my own elder brother! Just because Karna did something to me, I was extremely impatient with him. I never understood Karna! It was totally my fault and I own up the crime of killing my own elder brother! Oh Bhagawan Krishna! Is this why you never took me near Karna for several days during the war? You avoided my direct confrontation with Karna, but I was the one who insisted on taking me towards Karna to fight with him! I did not understand this secret at that time! How foolish I was!”
Saying thus, Arjuna sinks into an inconsolable grief! So for today, let us understand up to this point and let us wait till the next episode to witness Bhagawan Krishna’s answer to Yudishtra’s and Arjuna’s cries! Stay tuned!
The Indian Dharma 