Disclaimer: I do not anything you may recognize
Thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed or reviewed this fic so far.
Also, these flashbacks of Lord Vishnu's incarnations are also to give context and backstory for some stuff that happens later.
TW: Thanks for the review. Its God's Law, beings like Angels cannot interfere in Crisis now.
THWA: Thanks for the review. Glad it was nice and glad you liked it. He already did an earlier chapter, Chapter 3.
Guest: Thanks for the review and sad indeed. Glad that's good to see. Indeed, fight on and continue to do so. Glad that was nice to see, and yes, the movies didn't say it explicitly. Interesting indeed. Yes, all of this happened in Hinduism, you can look it up. And this chapter shall tell the stories of Hinduism' 2 greatest epics, since Lord Vishnu's next 2 incarnations starred in these 2 respectively, both are amazing, with a lot of awesome stuff, and action-packed too, plus the second one is the longest epic ever written, longer than The Iliad and Odyssey combined by 10 times. What I'm showing here is more of a summary with highlights for both.
Chapter 9- Dashavatara Part 2
After Parashurama, was Lord Rama, who was a Kshatriya himself, born to redeem them of their unrighteousness. He was the eldest son of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya and his Chief Queen Kaushalya, while Vishnu's Sudarashana Chakra turned into Bharat, Rama's younger brother who was son of Dasharath's second Queen Kaikeyi, and the third Queen Sumitra gave birth to twin sons Lakshmana and Shatrughna, who were Vishnu's devotee the primordial snake Sheshnag and his conch respectively.
The four Princes studied at the hermitage of Sage Vashistha, and one day, the Sage Vishwamitra came to Ayodhya, wanting help since some evil Demons were interrupting his rituals and killing fellow hermits.
Rama and Lakshmana accompanied him, and in the forest, Rama caused a 'twang' from his bow. The Demoness Tadaka appeared, growling at them. "How dare you disturb me with that sound?"
Lakshmana fired two arrows, as she staggered back, then Rama drew an arrow and chanted a mantra, before firing as Tadaka was hit on the head and fell down, dying.
Later, the two Princes guarded Vishwamitra and the hermits during their yajna as more Demons flew down, led by Maricha and Subahu, sons of Tadaka.
Rama and Lakshmana engaged, easily slaying most of them with their arrows, as Rama killed Subahu, who flew by many feet and fell down, dead, though Maricha escaped.
Later, the two were gifted divine weapons by Vishwamitra for their services, and he led them to the Kingdom of Mithila, where Princess Sita was set to be married, and there was a competition.
Whoever lifted the bow of Lord Shiva the Pinaka, gifted to King Janaka of Mithila by Parashurama, and strung the bow before wielding it, could marry Sita, who herself was an incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Vishnu's consort.
All failed, then came the turn of Rama, who lifted the bow and strung it, but it broke from his power.
That was when Parashurama arrived, angry at Rama for this, and gave him the bow of Lord Vishnu called the Sharanga, asking him to wield it.
When Rama held it, Parashurama realized he was Vishnu's next incarnation, so he left to meditate, while Rama and Sita fell in love and were married, as were the other Princes of Ayodhya to other Princesses of Mithila.
An ageing Dasharatha wished to crown Rama as the King of Ayodhya, and all seemed to agree due to Rama being very beloved.
Kaikeyi, Bharata's mother, was happy too, but her maidservant Manthara hated Rama, and wanted what was best for Kaikeyi.
A long time ago, Dasharatha had been wounded in a battle, and Kaikeyi had ridden his chariot away, saving his life, so in gratitude, he'd decided to grant her 2 boons of her wish. Kaikeyi hadn't taken the boons then and had saved them for a later date. Manthara urged Kaikeyi to throw a tantrum and demand the boons from Dasharatha so that they can be in Bharata's favor.
While Kaikeyi was a good person, she let herself be manipulated here and became a bit power hungry, so she threw a tantrum like Manthara had asked, and then Dasharatha came to see her. She reminded him of the 2 boons and he agreed to grant them. Her first wish was Bharata be crowned King instead of Rama, which shocked Dasharatha but he reluctantly agreed to that. Her second wish was Rama be sent into exile for 14 years.
That made Dasharatha faint, and later he was in medical care, and very heartbroken, but since he'd given his word back then, he had to agree to Kaikeyi's demands.
Rama was not angry and with perfect self-control, left for exile. However, Sita and Lakshmana accompanied him, so all three left, and Dasharatha eventually passed away of grief.
Bharat and Shaturghna were visiting Bharat's maternal uncle at the time, and then returned. When Bharat found out what his mother did, he got angry at her, refusing to profit from her actions, as she now regretted what she did, and an entourage from Ayodhya led by Bharat, Shatrughna, Kaushalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra went to Rama, Sita and Lakshmana, informing them of Dasharatha's passing as they mourned, and Bharat begged Rama to return and rule, but he refused due to wanting to carry out his parents' orders, so Bharat took Rama's sandals that he placed on the throne and ruled as a regent in his name.
After 13 years, in the forest of Panchavati, a Demoness called Surpanakha desired Rama and taking a beautiful form, asked him to marry her. He refused, introducing her to Sita, his wife, so Surpanakha angrily took her true form to try and kill Sita, only for Lakshmana to cut her nose and ears, making her flee.
Surpanakha's brother was Ravana, Demon King of Lanka, who was enraged by the insult to his sister, and Maricha, the Demon who had escaped when Rama and Lakshmana were guarding Vishwamitra, was his uncle.
Maricha took the form of a golden dear and passed Rama's hut, Sita desiring it as Rama chased it, but figured out it was a Demon and killed him, only for Maricha to mimic Rama's voice as he died and call out to Lakshmana for help.
Sita urged Lakshmana to go help his brother, and he drew a protective line around the hut before leaving. Ravana disguised himself as an ascetic and came to the hut, begging for alms, and he couldn't cross the line, so Sita stepped over, only for Ravana to take his true form and abduct her.
He placed her on his flying chariot the Pushpak Vimana, and carried her away, as the Vulture Jatayu who had befriended the trio tried to save her but was mortally wounded.
Rama and Lakshmana came across the dying Jatayu who told them of what happened as they gave him a funeral.
Eventually, in their search, the two brothers arrived at the Rishyamukha Mountain.
There, a Brahmin appeared in their way and joined his hands, bowing. "Greetings to you both."
"Greetings, Brahmin", Rama greeted back.
"Who are the two of you and why are you here?" The Brahmin inquired.
"We are sons of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya. This is my younger brother Lakshmana, and I am Rama", Rama introduced them both.
The Brahmin knelt, transforming instead into a monkey like creature, a 'Vanara', as he said. "My apologies, I could not recognize you, My Lord. Accept the greetings and devotion of your greatest devotee, Hanuman."
"Hanuman, I am blessed to have a devotee like you", Rama gestured Hanuman to stand, and he did.
"If my brother is your Lord, will you embrace me like I am your younger brother?" Lakshmana asked.
"Of course I will", Hanuman said, embracing Lakshmana, before asking. "How are you two here?"
"We are in exile, and my wife Sita has been taken from me", Rama revealed.
"My King Sugriva will help you both", Hanuman told them.
Hanuman lead them to Sugriva, who had been banished from the Kingdom of Kishkindha, where his brother Vali ruled. Sugriva and his supporters lived in this mountain, and Ravana had flown over here while abducting Sita, and some of her garments fell here, and seeing them made Rama weep.
Then Sugriva told them about why he was banished by Vali- Once upon a time a Demon had come to Kishkindha and challenged Vali, so Vali and Sugriva came forth to battle, and then the Demon got scared and ran off into a cave, where they chased it.
Vali told Sugriva to wait outside while he'd take on the Demon, and went in. Sugriva waited for days, and then one day a trail of blood poured out of the cave. Sugriva thought Vali had been killed and was stricken with grief, and to prevent the Demon from coming out, blocked the cave with a boulder, then returned to Kishkindha and became King.
However, turned out the Demon had died and it was his blood. Vali removed the boulder and returned to Kishkindha to find Sugriva as King, and thought his brother tried to kill him to be King. Sugriva tried to explain what actually happened but Vali was stricken with a rage unmatched and beat up Sugriva, and would have killed him too, but Sugriva fled to this mountain where Vali cannot come because of a curse, and has a group of Vanara supporters, and also a great humanoid bear named Jambavan.
Now Sugriva needed to regain the kingdom, and he and Rama made a pact where Rama would kill Vali to help Sugriva be King while Sugriva will help search for Sita.
Vali also had a boon that if any opponent faced him head-on, half of the opponent's power would be reduced and be added to Vali for that duration. Once upon a time, Ravana himself had tried to fight Vali but Vali wrapped Ravana's throat in his tail and then went about his daily business with Ravana wrapped up in his tail, humiliating the Demon King until he let him go.
So the plan was Sugriva would battle Vali while Rama shot him from hiding. Sugriva called Vali out and they fought but unfortunately, they happened to look alike so Rama was unable to tell the difference.
Sugriva was beaten up but fled again before he could be killed, and this time Rama gave him a garland of flowers to wear to differentiate. So Sugriva went back to challenge Vali, and they battled.
Sugriva tried to strike Vali with his mace but was disarmed and pushed back, before Vali struck his face with his mace, making him fall down, and raised his mace for the kill, only for Rama to fire his arrow as Vali was struck in the chest and fell down, dying.
Rama approached him with Lakshmana by his side, as Vali angrily pointed at him. "Who are you? And why did you kill me by hiding?"
"I am Rama, and you did an even worse thing by trying to kill your brother and taking the Kingdom", Rama said as Vali's wife wept over him. "Do not worry, I shall take care of your son Angad."
Sugriva cried over his dying brother now as Vali realized his mistake. "Forgive me brother, I should not have treated you like that. You can be King now."
"I shall take care of Angad and he shall be my successor", Sugriva assured Vali.
"Since you are angered due to me killing you by hiding, I give you a boon, in our next lives, you shall kill me in the same way", Rama granted Vali a boon.
Vali joined his hands and passed away.
Sugriva became King again but for a while, forgot his promise as Lakshmana in his rage almost destroyed the citadel, only for Vali's wife to calm him down and remind Sugriva of his promise.
A repentant Sugriva sent search parties to North, East, West and South. The former 3 search parties returned without success. The last one that went South consisted of Hanuman, Angada, Jambavan, and twin monkeys called Nala and Nila. They reached the edge of the country across which there was the Ocean, and then Lanka on the other side.
At that point they met a vulture called Sampati, who was Jatayu's brother, and informed him of Jatayu's passing. Sampati mourned his brother, then informed them that Ravana took Sita south to Lanka, across the ocean on his flying chariot.
Now, with the party knowing Sita was in Lanka, they wondered how to cross the ocean to get to her.
Hanuman was the son of Vayu, the Hindu wind God, as he'd blessed a Vanara couple called Anjani and Kesari with him. And when Hanuman was a kid, he'd seen the sun, and thinking it was a ripe fruit, jumped into the sky to eat it, but Indra King of Gods intervened, and considering it disrespectful, struck Hanuman with his Vajra, a diamond thunderbolt like weapon which was his main one.
Hanuman fell into a swoon, and Vayu angrily took away all the wind, making people suffocate everywhere, and so Lord Shiva intervened and resuscitated Hanuman, making Vayu return the air. Indra now repented for his mistake and gave Hanuman a boon that his body would be as strong as the Vajra, and also that the Vajra would never be able to harm him again.
The other Gods granted Hanuman boons too- Agni the Fire God told him fire won't harm him, Varuna the Water God told him water won't harm him, Vayu told him that he'd be as fast as the wind, and Lord Brahma told Hanuman he could move to any place he wanted, while Lord Vishnu gave him a 'gadda' or mace, and it became Hanuman's weapon.
And he got a lot of other powers too, like being able to grow into Cosmic proportions or shrink to atomic size, and even become the heaviest thing ever, or have negligible weight.
Hanuman was now near invincible, but used his powers to prank innocent people, and one day pranked a meditating sage who angrily cursed him that he would forget the vast majority of his powers, but the sage later revealed to Anjani and Kesari if someone reminded Hanuman of these powers, he will remember.
Now Jambavan, who was aware of all this, reminded Hanuman of his powers, and so Hanuman chanted a shloka and grew into a gargantuan size, as big as a mountain, and then started flying across the ocean to Lanka.
The Devas decided to test Hanuman, so on the way, a mountain rose and told Hanuman he can rest on it, but Hanuman refused as he wanted to find Sita for Rama, and continued flying, then met a creature called Surasa who said she'd been given a wish by the Gods that she can eat him.
Hanuman agreed, but kept growing in size, and Surasa kept opening her mouth wider but it fell short, then Hanuman suddenly became as small as a fly and flew into her mouth and came out before she could close it, passing the test and impressing Surasa who let him pass.
Then a sea monster called Simhika attacked him by trapping his shadow, which stopped him, and she ate him, but he grew in size in her stomach until it burst and he was out, coming to Lanka where he became as small as a fly and investigated.
There, he was met by Lanka's guard called Lankini who tried to fight him but Hanuman softly pushed her back and made her bleed, and Lankini let him go due to a prophecy that the day an opponent would make her bleed would be the day the age of Demons starts coming to an end.
Hanuman then found Sita in the garden, where Ravana tried to ask her to marry him but she refused and Ravana left after taunting her. The Demoness guards harassed Sita but one of them called Trijata was a kind person who cared about Sita and chased them away. In that moment, Hanuman revealed himself to Sita, and said he is Rama's messenger, and even had a ring from Rama to prove it to Sita.
Sita was happy, and blessed Hanuman, but did not want to go back with him yet for Ravana had many other innocent prisoners who Rama needed to free, and it was his destiny to kill Ravana, that's what he was born for.
Hanuman agreed, then got her permission to eat something, his true motive being to gauge the strength of Ravana's army.
Hanuman started ripping out fruits and eating them, then uprooted trees, and started fighting the guards too. Ravana's son Akshay Kumar arrived to fight Hanuman but was killed, so Ravana sent another son called Meghnada who was also called Indrajeet, which translated to 'Victor over Indra' as he'd beaten Indra once.
Indrajeet fired the Brahmastra, Lord Brahma's weapon. Hanuman surrendered to it and instead of killing him, it bound him, and Hanuman was led to Ravana in his court. Hanuman told Ravana to let Sita go back to Rama if he wants to save himself, and even said he himself could kill Ravana but its Rama's destiny.
Ravana wanted him dead, but his younger brother Vibhishana was a decent man, and was actually Lord Vishnu's devotee too. He told Ravana a messenger can't be killed, so Ravana instead decided to set Hanuman's tail on fire.
When the tail was set on fire, Hanuman broke free of his bonds and lighted the whole Lanka on fire, sparing only the garden where Sita stayed and also Vibhishana's house.
Hanuman then went into the ocean to put out the fire and met Sita one more time, taking her blessing, while Indrajeet used his powers to stop the fire.
Then Hanuman flew back across the ocean to give the search party the news, and they informed Lord Rama, who was overjoyed, and they started the journey to Lanka.
The army reached the ocean. During that time, Vibhishana begged Ravana to give Sita back but Ravana kicked and disowned him angrily, so Vibhishana flew across the ocean and joined Rama's side, and Rama accepted him.
They wondered how to cross the ocean, so Rama prayed to Varuna the Water Lord to give them a way.
3 nights passed but nothing happened so Lord Rama got angry and drew an arrow to dry the ocean, and then Varuna appeared and said he can't give them a way by himself due to the risk it poses to marine life, but told Rama that if his name is written on a rock and its thrown into the water, the rock won't sink but float, and the twins Nala and Nila can do it.
Rama agreed, but couldn't deactivate the powerful arrow, so Varuna directed him to a nearby island where an evil Demon lived, and Rama fired there, killing the Demon.
Then the bridge was made, with Rama's name written on stones that were thrown into the ocean, and they floated, and that's how the bridge was formed as the whole army arrived at Lanka.
Rama then sent Angad to Ravana's court one last time as a peace messenger, but Ravana still refused. Angad at that point challenged the court to try to move his leg, saying if anyone can move it Rama will go back and forget about Sita.
Everyone tried but failed, including Indrajeet, but when Ravana tried, Angad moved his foot away and said- "Don't fall on my feet, fall on Lord Rama's feet." And then he grabbed Ravana's crown and threw it away before fleeing.
The crown fell in Rama's camp and he crowned Vibhishana the King of Lanka instead.
Then the war began, and losses happened on both sides, with most of Ravana's sons and generals slain.
Ravana at one point went to battle Rama but Rama managed to humiliate him so he returned. Ravana had another brother called Kumbhkarna, who was cursed to sleep forever, but on Ravana's request the curse was reduced and so Kumbhkarna would sleep for only 6 months, and then wake up, eat a lot and cause havoc, and then sleep again.
But if he's woken outside of the timeframe when he can be woken, he'll die.
Ravana disregarded that and woke up Kumbhkarna to fight Rama, since Kumbhkarna was a giant and possessed great strength.
Kumbhkarna at first also tried to convince Ravana to return Sita but Ravana refused so Kumbkharna had to fight due to loyalty to his brother.
Kumbhkarna arrived to battle, and devastated the army, due to his strength, and also shared a moment with Vibhishana, assuring him he doesn't hold Vibhishana taking Rama's side against him even if it makes him a traitor, and he refused Vibhishana's advice to change sides.
Eventually, he lifted up Sugriva to take prisoner, when Rama approached him. Sugriva struck Kumbhkarna's eye with his tail and was let go as Rama said. "I am here to battle you!"
"Now you've invited Yama to take you by walking up to me!" Kumbhkarna boasted.
"I see Yama too, but he is here to take you away when I slay you", Rama revealed as Kumbhkarna laughed, and threw a boulder, only for Rama to shatter it with an arrow.
A shocked Kumbhkarna threw an ax, which met the same fate, and then a mace which too was deflected. He hurled a tree which Rama shattered as well.
Then Rama chanted a mantra and fired the Vayuastra at him, severing his left arm as Kumbhkarna screamed, with Rama chanting another mantra and firing the Indrastra, severing his right arm.
Kumbhkarna wailed in pain, but was still formidable and walked forwards, opening his mouth to swallow Rama whole, as Rama fired a volley of arrows which decapitated Kumbhkarna, his head falling into the ocean.
Then Indrajeet arrived to battle Lakshmana and hit him with a powerful weapon called the Vasavi Shakti that made him faint, and he'd die.
The army is told of some special herbs that can cure him, but they're in the Himalayas, which are in the North of India, while the army was in Lanka.
Hanuman now used his powers and flew to the Himalayas, but didn't know the herbs, so he took his giant form and ripped off the whole mountain, then flew back to Lanka, where Lakshmana was healed with the herbs and Rama embraced Hanuman.
The healed Lakshmana interrupted a ritual of Indrajeet he was using to increase his power, and cut off his head.
An enraged Ravana came out to battle again, while Lord Indra sent a chariot with his charioteer Matali to Rama, so he could fight Ravana who was on his flying chariot.
"Why are you happy with this chariot? Bow before me!" Ravana demanded.
"If you'd bowed before now, I would have spared you. Now you have to be beheaded", Rama told Ravana who laughed.
"I am more powerful than all you killed before, and if you do not flee, I shall have my revenge by slaying you!" Ravana boasted. "I am Ravana, the greatest, all fear me, even Celestial Guardians are my prisoners!"
"Lowly Demon!" Rama immediately said. "You are a coward whose valor is limited to preying on helpless women. You are no warrior. You are a sinner who violates Dharma! Today you shall receive punishment for your sins."
"A King is the one who punishes, and here is your punishment", Ravana fired a powerful arrow, but Rama fired one back, and his arrow destroyed Ravana's arrow, shocking Ravana.
With Rama on the chariot of Dharma and Ravana on the chariot of sin, they clashed, Ravana firing powerful arrows as Rama destroyed them each time with his own arrows, the two engaging in the final battle.
Ravana's chariot went up as Rama gestured to Matali to fly up too, and there their arrows clashed once more.
Ravana's chariot advanced towards Rama as Rama told Matali. "Matali, move forwards swiftly, I must fight with my whole concentration."
Matali moved the chariot forwards, the two firing arrows as they multiplied and clashed, and then Rama fired an arrow that decapitated Ravana, only for the decapitated head to laugh madly as another grew.
Rama decapitated him again, to the same result, and it happened again, until Ravana laughed at Rama with ten heads.
Suddenly, Vibhishana flew next to Rama and revealed. "Ravana has been given a boon of immortality by Lord Brahma, the nectar resides in his navel. Use the fire weapon and dry the nectar up, then slay him."
"Vibhishana, you traitor! I will slay you!" Ravana snarled as Vibhishana flew down.
Rama chanted a shloka and fired the fire weapon, which struck Ravana's navel, making him gasp as the nectar was dried up.
"Use the Brahmastra and slay him, Lord", Matali urged Rama. Rama again chanted, and fired the Brahmastra, which struck Ravana, finally ending his evil once and for all.
Then Rama and Sita reunited lovingly, as Vibhishana became King of Lanka, and with the exile period over, all returned to Ayodhya, Rama forgiving Kaikeyi and finally becoming King with Sita as his Queen.
Sita gifted Hanuman a necklace, as he inspected it, but kept tearing it off, angering Vibhishana.
"Hanuman, Mother Sita has gifted you such a beautiful necklace, yet you keep tearing and throwing it off?" He asked in rage. "Why?"
"I do not see Lord Rama or Mother Sita anywhere on this necklace, so it has no value to me", Hanuman simply replied.
"So anything without Lord Rama or Mother Sita lacks value?" Vibhishana asked.
"Yes, it does to me."
"Then this body you carry and care for so lovingly, do Lord Rama and Mother Sita reside in it?" Vibhishana asked. "If not, why do you keep your body?"
"Lord Rama and Mother Sita are in every part of my body", Hanuman said.
Ramayana 2008 Hanuman Chalisa plays
Hanuman declared. "JAI SHRI RAMA!"
The Earth shook and lightning cracked, before Hanuman ripped open his chest, showing a projection of Lord Rama and Mother Sita inside, as all got up in awe and shock, joining their hands and bowing to him, Vibhishana too, realizing how wrong he'd been to doubt Hanuman's devotion.
Rama and Sita shared a smile, raising their hands in blessing to Hanuman who got up, his chest rejoining as Rama told him. "Hanuman, you are the greatest devotee of all time. I am blessed to have your devotion."
"Lord", Hanuman smiled, as Rama embraced him happily, Hanuman embracing him back.
After many years, both Rama and Sita returned to Vaikunth after passing, and took upon their true forms of Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi once more.
Then, following Lord Rama, was Lord Vishnu's complete and most glorious incarnation- Lord Krishna.
The King of Mathura, Kamsa, who'd deposed and imprisoned his own father Ugrasena, and was a tyrant ruler, had happily gotten his sister Devaki married to Vasudeva of the Yadava Clan.
Suddenly, a voice from the Heavens told him that Devaki's eighth son would kill him. Angry, he'd tried to kill Devaki but Vasudeva had stopped him, saying he could imprison them and they'd give up the eighth child to him.
Kamsa imprisoned them, but also killed the first six babies they had, alongside any babies born in the city in that timeframe. However, the seventh baby was transported to the womb of Rohini, Vasudeva's other wife who stayed in the village of Gokul with Vasudeva's friend Nanda the village chief.
This baby was the incarnation of Sheshnag the Primordial Snake once more, and was named Balarama.
Kamsa was told the seventh one was miscarried.
Devaki was heavily pregnant with her eighth child when a divine light appeared in front of her and Vasudeva, both of them seeing Lord Vishnu smiling down at them now.
Mahabharata 2013 Shanta Karam Bhujaga Shayanam plays
"Do not fear, Vasudeva of the Yadavas and Devaki daughter of Devak", Lord Vishnu assured them as they bowed to him. "Bless you!"
They joined their hands, Vishnu continuing. "When Hiranyaksha had submerged the Earth in the Cosmic Ocean, I had assumed the Varaha Avatar and saved the Earth. In my Narasimha Avatar I had slain Hiranyakashipu. In my Vamana Avatar, I had established King Bali in the Underworld. Whenever righteousness is threatened, people forget their virtues, with conflict replacing love in their hearts and desire for power replacing the desire for truth, and a King starts torturing his own subjects, I take form. Now I must take another Avatar."
Vasudeva and Devaki shared a look as Vishnu told them. "You two have made numerous sacrifices for righteousness. Upon seeing your agony, the Gods in the Heavens too are overwhelmed with sorrow. However, through your medium, the world shall receive righteousness and peace as sacraments." He smiled and then revealed to Devaki. "I shall be born as your son now, and play in your lap, mother. I shall enter your womb with all my skills and powers."
Devaki and Vasudeva once more shared an overjoyed look as Vishnu requested Devaki. "I, Vishnu, bless the entire world, but today, I seek your blessings for this endeavor, mother."
Devaki had happy tears.
Mahabharata 2013 Shri Krishna Govinda Hare Murari plays
Lord Vishnu smiled and transforming into a divine light, entered Devaki's womb, as she stroked it lovingly, and soon, Krishna was born.
Everyone in Mathura except Vasudeva and Devaki fell asleep as Vasudeva put baby Krishna in a basket and escaped the prison where the doors had unlocked by themselves.
It rained heavily as Vasudeva carried Krishna in the basket through the River Yamuna, flooded due to the heavy rain, his feet submerging in it.
Mahabharata 2013 Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya plays
The baby's feet touched the river and it parted, giving way to Vasudeva as he now walked through the river with Krishna in his basket on the head.
Mahabharata 2013 Shri Krishna Govinda Hare Murari plays
As the rain got worse, Sheshnag the Primordial Snake appeared over Vasudeva and Baby Krishna, protecting them from it, and as they reached the end of River Yamuna, he left them.
Vasudeva climbed out of the river and turned to see the parted way was filled by the water again.
Vasudeva gave up Krishna to Nanda, who gave his and his wife Yashoda's newborn daughter to Vasudeva very sadly and reluctantly, but knew it was necessary for the future.
Vasudeva returned to his cell where Devaki was, and the doors were locked again with all waking up. Kamsa came to kill the baby girl, but she transformed into a Goddess called Yogmaya instead, to his horror, and revealed his destiny to him, including where his death now resided.
So an angry Kamsa hired a Demoness called Putana who assassinated babies, and she took a beautiful form, going to Gokul where everyone was fawning over the newly born and divine looking baby Krishna.
Seeing her beauty, all thought she was a Goddess and Yashoda gave Krishna to her to breastfeed and bless, and left him alone with her.
Putana breastfed Krishna with an evil smirk, looking down at him. Her breasts had poisoned milk inside.
"Drink my milk, child, it's the last thing you shall drink."
Then suddenly she felt weakened and numb, and started screaming. "NO! LET ME GO! ARRRGHHH!" She transformed back into her true Demonic form, which Yashoda and the others saw.
She ran out of the house, screaming in pain, because Krishna was sucking out her life force as well. Putana eventually fell down outside the village, dead, with Krishna on her chest, as Yashoda arrived and picked him up, crying.
Kamsa sent more Demons who were also slain. Krishna and Balarama grew up in Gokul, and later the nearby village of Vrindavan, and Krishna was a mischievous person, being a butter thief, but he was also loved by all in both villages, and whenever he played the flute, all the women in the villages who were gopis or female cow-herders used to come and start singing and dancing with him, with the closest to him being Radha.
During this time Kamsa sent various other Demons to kill Krishna but they were slain by either of Krishna or Balarama, the beloved miracle boys of the villages.
A serpent known as Kaliya had poisoned the River Yamuna, so no bird or beast could go near the water. However, Krishna jumped into the river, making his friends and others call out in horror for him.
Swimming to the bottom of the river, Krishna found Kaliya's tail, and kicked it, making Kaliya screech and face him. He was a many-headed serpent.
"Foolish boy, who are you?" Kaliya hissed. "How dare you come to this river that is my abode?"
"Everyone has a right to this river's water, Kaliya, not just you", Krishna said to him. "Leave this place, or I will punish you."
"You fool! Look at my size, and look at yours! I will destroy you!" Kaliya hissed again, and fired a blast of poison from his mouth, but Krishna swam up to avoid, then came back down.
Kaliya charged Krishna, who leapt to his other side to avoid, and Kaliya charged again to the same result.
Mahabharata 2013 Shri Krishna Govinda Hare Murari plays
Kaliya hurled his tail towards Krishna, trying to constrict him, but Krishna swam up and then landed on one of Kaliya's heads, his footprints upon the head now.
Krishna then danced and jumped on all of the heads, his footprints upon all heads of Kaliya, as Kaliya's wives then appeared, and one of them begged. "Please, do not kill him!"
"Show him mercy!" Another added.
Kaliya realized the greatness of Krishna too, and now subdued, he said. "Forgive me. Let me go, and I will follow your orders. I am only here because I am safe in these waters."
"Now my footprints upon you will keep you safe, as long as you don't harm a living being", Krishna told Kaliya.
Soon, Kaliya rose out of the water, and Krishna performed a beautiful dance upon his heads while also playing the flute, with the villagers, including Nanda and Yashoda, happy and mesmerized now.
The villagers used to pray to Lord Indra and perform a yajna for him, but Krishna knew that sometimes, Indra could get arrogant, and that arrogance needed to be broken. And, the people were praying to pacify Indra, praying out of fear was not the right way to pray.
So, Krishna urged the whole village to instead pray to the nearby mountain of Govardhana, which provided them with a lot of resources.
The villagers agreed, and an angry Indra then caused heavy rains which caused floods and deluge all over the village, and he caused thunderstorms as well.
"It is all because of this Krishna!" One hermit angrily pointed at the boy as people ran here and there. "Because of him, all of us are doomed! There is still time, boy, pray to Lord Indra and seek his forgiveness."
Krishna simply smiled and walked to Govardhana nearby. Joining his hands, he prayed. "Lord Govardhana, help us."
Then, he knelt near the mountain, and put his little finger at the edge of it, as cracks were suddenly formed and everything shook.
Mahabharata 2013 Shri Krishna Govinda Hare Murari plays
All watched in utter shock as soon, Govardhana was being held up, above the ground.
"Krishna!" Radha called out to him.
Then, all were stunned at what they saw next- Krishna had held up the entire Mt. Govardhana on just his little finger, and was smiling too.
Nanda and Yashoda shared a look of shock yet joy at the sight, as the entire village ran under the mountain, now protected from Indra's wrath, while Krishna played his flute.
Then the mountain shook, the people staggering a bit, for Indra had struck it with a fireball, but Krishna was unbothered.
"Krishna", one villager cried out to him, "Mt. Govardhana can't stand against Indra's wrath."
Krishna simply continued playing his flute as a bolt of lightning struck the mountain next, and nothing happened, Balarama smirking at his brother.
Then, a tornado came down.
Mahabharata 2013 Shri Krishna Govinda Hare Murari plays
Krishna played the flute as the tornado then got sucked into it, and couldn't do any damage at all.
At that point, the clouds were gone as the bright sun shone once more upon everyone.
Then, a bright light appeared as except Krishna and Balarama, all were blinded from it. It was Indra!
"Krishna", he joined his hands and bowed to Krishna, "you've humbled me today."
"But that was not my intention", Krishna simply said to Indra. "I just wanted to increase the Yadavas' self-confidence is all."
Indra smiled, and then said. "You've broken my arrogance today, Krishna. I wish to bless you."
"If you wish to bless me, tell me how to put down this mountain I've lifted", Krishna replied innocently as Indra chuckled and Krishna joined him in it.
"I will of course help you in putting it down, but the mountain of righteousness you've lifted up is a tough one to tread", Indra admitted. "If you put that down, those who want to follow you on it will be left wandering." Krishna nodded, as Indra bowed to him. "I bow down to you."
Krishna nodded, accepting it.
Kamsa soon decided to invite Krishna and Balarama to a wrestling match in his Kingdom. The two brothers knew they wouldn't return to Vrindavan now, as there was a lot more to do.
So Krishna had tearful farewells with Radha, Nanda and Yashoda, and Balarama too had tearful farewells with the latter two, and the brothers had tearful farewells with the entire village.
When they left, everyone in the village cried.
Soon, they were led to Mathura by Akroor of the Yadavas, whom Kamsa had sent, though Akroor too wanted the brothers to kill Kamsa.
At Mathura, Kamsa's wrestlers Mushtik and Chanur challenged Krishna to lift another bow of Lord Shiva which four wrestlers together couldn't lift.
Krishna lifted it effortlessly, and managed to break it too, as the people cheered for him due to having one-upped the two wrestlers of the tyrant King.
Then Krishna and Balarama saw a lady with deformities, whose body was crooked at three places because of which she needed a walking stick, and she fell on Krishna's feet.
"Who are you, lady? Why do you fall at my feet?" Krishna asked.
"My body is crooked at three places, Lord", the woman said to him. "So they call me Trivakra. But are you truly the one who has come to slay Kamsa?"
"No, I have not come to slay anyone. I have come to cure crookedness", he said, surprising her. "Whether its of the body, or soul. I merely heal things."
Krishna knelt and grasped the woman by the shoulders.
Mahabharata 2013 Shri Krishna Govinda Hare Murari plays
Her body started moving suddenly, and shook, including her crooked spots, as she suddenly stood up, fully straight, her crookedness all gone.
That made her smile as the people all cheered, and she joined her hands, bowing her head, before kneeling to Krishna, and everyone else in the city did the same, Balarama and Akroor smiling, while from above, Kamsa watched furiously at how easily Krishna had won over the subjects he'd tortured for years now.
Then, the time came for the wrestling, where Krishna and Balarama easily defeated Chanur and Mushtik respectively, and then it was Kamsa's turn.
"Wrestle with me, Krishna!" Kamsa demanded. "If I die, then my guards will slay your parents."
Krishna and Balarama looked up, where Vasudeva and Devaki were chained, two guards ready to pin them and slay them.
The two brothers joined their hands and bowed their heads to their parents, who raised their hands in blessing.
"If you die, your parents will be spared", Kamsa then said. "So, do you still wish to wrestle, or save your parents?"
"There are many parents all over the world I've to protect", Krishna declared to Kamsa. "How many of them can you kill?" Kamsa laughed as Krishna urged him. "I'm ready, wrestle with me uncle."
At that point, Kamsa stood up, taking off his crown and royal robes as he stepped into the arena to battle, both circling each other.
Kamsa leapt at Krishna who avoided and grabbed him from behind in a hold. Kamsa tried to free himself, but Krishna lifted him up and tossed him down.
Kamsa angrily got up and grabbed Krishna from behind in a hold now, trying to squeeze him, only Krishna knelt and tossed Kamsa down over himself again.
As Kamsa got up, Krishna grabbed him, Kamsa trying to struggle. Krishna looked up at Vasudeva and Devaki, then pushed Kamsa back.
Mahabharata 2013 Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya plays
Krishna then walked to Kamsa and kicked him, making him fall down, and then grabbing him by the hair, Krishna picked him up and spun him around, before tossing him away again as he fell down.
Before Kamsa could recover, Krishna leapt at him and struck his throat with his knee, pinning him down.
He looked up to see the guards about to kill Vasudeva and Devaki, when suddenly protective shields appeared around both, deflecting the guards who fell down, while the chains on Vasudeva and Devaki came off.
The two shared a look of relief as Vasudeva raised his hands in blessing for Krishna.
Krishna looked back down at Kamsa, who instead of Krishna now saw Lord Vishnu himself, with all four arms, holding his mace in the lower right hand, his lotus in the lower left, his conch in the upper left and his Sudarshana Chakra spinning in the upper right hand's finger.
He was smiling down at Kamsa, who, in his dying moments, joined both hands, then passed away, as Krishna and Balarama were hailed by all.
Krishna then made his maternal grandfather and Kamsa's formerly imprisoned father Ugrasena the ruler of Mathura again, while he and Balarama had their education, and the King of Magadha Jarasandha who'd been Kamsa's father-in-law attacked Mathura seventeen times in revenge, but Krishna defeated him each time while establishing the Kingdom of Dwarka for the Yadava Clan.
Then one day Krishna, now an adult, got a letter from Princess Rukmini of Vidarbha, who wanted to marry him, but was being married to Shishupal, an ally of Jarasandha, by her brother Rukmi against her will.
Rukmini was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu's consort Goddess Lakshmi, so Krishna knew it was time for them to unite in this life as well.
Krishna snuck into Vidarbha, with Balarama and the army at a distance, and he arrived at the temple where Rukmini was, and she turned to face him as he emerged, the sunlight illuminating him.
Mahabharata 2013 Krishna Manmohana plays
Rukmini was overjoyed to see Krishna as she saw his flute, touching it, then ran her hands over his peacock feather on the head, happy tears in her eyes as she backed off, unable to believe it.
Krishna smiled and wiped her tear, holding it out to her on his finger, the two happy to be united in this life.
Later, Krishna was off with Rukmini on the chariot while Balarama and the Yadava Clan easily took on and beat up Vidarbha's army, as Rukmi stopped Krishna outside the city.
"Rukmini, you insult me by running off with him!" Rukmi said to her in anger. "You are so disgraceful and disrespectful, you two will be separated forever!"
Rukmini was horrified on hearing that when Krishna angrily said while pointing at Rukmi. "Did you not feel fear in your heart saying such harsh words about your own sister? For this audacity of yours, I will take your life!"
Mahabharata 2013 Jai Jai Sudarashana plays
Krishna raised his index finger as the Universe shook and the sky itself split apart, a light shooting down at his finger, as to Rukmi's horror, the Sudarshana Chakra appeared on Krishna's finger.
"No, Lord!" Rukmini requested. "He is still my brother, do not slay him!"
"I will still punish him", Krishna told her, as the Sudarashana Chakra flew, breaking Rukmi's bow while he fell down, his crown falling off too, and now, his hair and beard had been shaved, an insult to a Kshatriya.
The Sudarshana Chakra flew back to Krishna's finger and disappeared, as he and Rukmini rode away while Rukmi was left on the ground, humiliated.
Krishna and Rukmini were soon married, and later Krishna married seven other women as well, who too were incarnations of Goddess Lakshmi, so he had eight chief Queens.
Then one day Krishna and Balarama were invited to the wedding competition of Princess Draupadi of Panchala, where the task was to string a mighty steel bow and shoot a target on the ceiling, which was the eye of a moving artificial fish while looking at its reflection in oil below.
The two did not participate, just attended, and there, five brothers known as the Pandavas attended too, disguised as Brahmins. They were the sons of Pandu, former King of Hastinapur, and Kunti, who was Vasudeva's sister.
Pandu had 2 wives, Kunti and Madri, but had once accidentally killed a hermit during a hunt when the hermit and his wife had been mating in dear form, so the hermit had cursed him that he too would never be able to have intercourse.
A repentant Pandu had exiled himself with his wives while his older brother Dhritarashtra who hadn't become King first due to his blindness was now crowned King, and was married to Princess Gandhari of Gandhar, who had blindfolded herself to share her husband's pain.
Kunti had a boon that she could call upon any God to bless her with a child, so she'd used that, and she and Pandu had been blessed with 3 sons- Yudhisthir, Bhima and Arjuna, and then she'd shared the mantra with Madri who'd been blessed with the boys Nakul and Sahadev.
Pandu had still engaged in intercourse with Madri one day, and died from his curse, so a guilty Madri had jumped into the fire during his funeral.
Kunti had returned to Hastinapur with the Pandavas, where Dhritarashtra and Gandhari had a 100 sons called the Kauravas, the oldest being Duryodhana, though he was younger than Yudhisthira.
Growing up, there was friction between the brother clans, even as they studied under the hermit Drona.
Then when they were all adults, Duryodhana had arranged for the Pandavas and Kunti to stay in a house made of flammable material, that had been set on fire during the night, but Vidura the Prime Minister and brother of Dhritarashtra had informed them and sent a miner to dig a tunnel, saving their lives, but they were assumed dead.
Now they were in hiding and were attending this competition as Brahmins.
Yudhisthira was the oldest and a master spear fighter, and also a Paragon of truth, justice, righteousness and Dharma. Bhima was second, and the strongest man in the world, with the strength of a hundred elephants. Arjuna was third, the greatest archer in the world, and an invincible warrior. Nakula was fourth, the most handsome man in the world, and skilled in sword-fighting and horse-keeping, while Sahadev was fifth, also a skilled swordsman and astrologer too.
Duryodhana and the Kauravas had also attended, with Duryodhana's friend King Karna of Anga, who was originally the son of a charioteer but seeing his archery nearly rivalled Arjuna, Duryodhana had made him King and an ally.
However, what none but Kunti knew, was that when Kunti had first been given her boon to call upon Gods to bless her with children, she'd called upon Surya the Sun God to test it. Due to the boon's power, he couldn't back down and had blessed her with Karna.
Kunti was ashamed at the time, being unmarried, and had sent Karna floating away to Anga in a basket, her heart heavy with grief and turmoil, and there Karna had been found by the charioteer and his wife.
Karna tried his hand at this competition but failed too. However, Arjuna succeeded, and Draupadi married him, especially as Krishna had befriended her and told her to look out for Arjuna.
The other Kings got angered by Brahmins winning and attacked but were all defeated by the brothers, as Krishna befriended the Pandavas, his cousins, finally.
Then the Pandavas returned home to Kunti with Draupadi and told her- "Look what we brought." She was not looking as she was praying, and due to the wrong phrasing thought its food and told them to share amongst themselves.
Since they'd to obey her, all 5 brothers married Draupadi.
Draupadi's father Drupada and brother Dhristadyumna were angry at this at first but Krishna convinced them.
With the wedding done, the Pandavas went back to Hastinapur and after negotiations, the Kingdom was split fairly. The Pandavas named their section as Indraprastha and it was magnificent, even better than Hastinapur.
Later, Krishna and one of his wives Satyabhama a warrior woman went to battle a Demon called Narkasur who had pillaged many lands and taken over 16,1000 maidens captive from everywhere.
He could only be slain by a woman, so Krishna upon his divine Eagle Garuda destroyed his army while Satyabhama killed Narkasur.
The 16,100 women then begged Lord Krishna to marry them to save their honor which Narkasur had tainted by abducting them.
So, Krishna agreed, and now, he was married to 16,108 women, who all got to live luxuriously in Dwarka.
Arjuna later also married Krishna's sister Subhadra, to which Krishna agreed.
Yudhisthira wanted to do a ritual to establish himself as Emperor but Jarasandha was still at large and powerful, so he'd to be defeated first.
Disguised as Brahmins, Krishna, Bhima and Arjuna went to Magadha, and after a formal meeting, revealed their identities to him, Krishna challenging Jarashanda to a duel and letting him choose anyone.
Jarasandha chose Bhima, and so the battle was on.
All watched as Bhima and Jarasandha wrestled, with Bhima being tossed down before getting back up, grappling against him, both throwing each other down.
They got up, Bhima punching Jarasandha back, before Jarasandha leapt at him and threw him down, punching his face thrice.
Bhima rolled them over and then struck Jarasandha's face a few times, before they parted, Bhima tiring out.
Bhima then looked at Krishna, who broke a straw into two and threw the pieces in opposite directions.
Getting the hint, Bhima tossed Jarasandha down, and pinning him to the ground with his foot, tore one half of his body off, now tearing him into two.
And then he tossed both halves into opposite directions too, finally ending Jarasandha and freeing all Kings he'd imprisoned.
During Yudhisthira's ritual, many were invited including Shishupal who was Jarasandha's ally and was to be married to Rukmini had Krishna not intervened.
Shishupal was born with 3 eyes and 4 arms, and his parents were trying to cast him out but a voice from Heaven itself warned them not to for his time had not come, plus it foretold that these deformities of his would vanish in the presence of a certain person, but whoever that person is will also kill Shishupala one day.
So, Lord Krishna was Shishupal's cousin, and when he came to visit, those deformities disappeared, so his mother now asked Lord Krishna to promise not to kill Shishupal, as according to prophecy he'll be the one to do it. Lord Krishna said he'll forgive 100 sins of Shishupal but will kill him after the 101st one.
Shishupal had grown up to be a horrible and arrogant person, and hated Krishna too due to having married Rukmini, whom he wanted.
At the ritual, Krishna was made Guest of Honor, and then Shishupal started insulting him, increasing his sin count.
"You insult us Kings by honoring this cowherd in our places, King Yudhisthira!" Shishupal cried out. "What about the great teacher Drona, or Duryodhana, or Drona's son Ashwatthama, or what about Grandsire Bhishma here?"
Bhishma was the son of Hastinapur's former King Shantanu and the Goddess Ganga of the holy river. The marriage had been short-lived, and Shantanu had one day fallen in love with a fisherman chief's daughter called Satyavati, but the fisherman chief was going to agree to the wedding only if Satyavati's child became the ruler after Shantanu.
Hearing that, Bhishma had vowed to give up the throne of Hastinapur, and then when the chief was still unsure, Bhishma had even vowed to be celibate forever, which was when the marriage happened.
An impressed Shantanu had given Bhishma a boon to die when he wished to, and Bhishma was now loyal to whoever sat on the throne of Hastinapur.
The Pandavas and Kauravas were all descended from Shantanu and Satyavati, and Bhishma was their guardian and revered grandsire.
"Shishupal, I do not mind Krishna being honored, why are you arguing in vain?" Bhishma asked.
"Of course you wouldn't mind, you are a eunuch!" Shishupal laughed, angering Bhishma and everyone else as well.
"If this wasn't my beloved Yudhisthira's auspicious occasion, I'd have slain you!" Bhishma declared.
"Let him speak, Grandsire", Krishna shrugged. "He is insulting me."
"I do not need your permission, cowherd!" Shishupal boasted.
"I will rip out your tongue", Balarama angrily stood up before turning to Krishna. "Why aren't you doing anything?"
"I promised our aunt to forgive a hundred sins of his", Krishna reminded.
"You might have, but I didn't", Balarama angrily turned to Shishupal. "He insulted Grandsire Bhishma, our aunt Kunti, and he's insulting you yet you smile?"
"Not smiling, brother, I'm counting", Krishna smiled. "He still has 3 sins left."
"Do not frighten me! I will insult you not 3 but 300 times and you can't do a thing!" Shishupal boasted. "You have no honor so I can't even insult you! That's 98. You are nothing more than a thief! That's 99. And you are a lewd man who married 16,108 women! That's 100. And then-"
"Now stop", Krishna raised a hand. "You've reached a 100 sins."
"No!" Shishupal continued. "You are just an imposter in King's garbs, insulting us real Kings."
Krishna looked forward, and raised his finger as the Sudarshana Chakra appeared, horrifying Shishupal while Balarama smirked, and it flew forth as his head was chopped from his body, flying off and falling at Krishna's feet.
Mahabharata 2013 Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya plays
Shishupal's head lay at Lord Krishna's feet, staring at him in horror as the body convulsed, and Krishna stood with the Sudarashana Chakra spinning on the index finger of his right hand.
Looking at the head, Krishna said. "It is time for you to quieten down, Shishipal."
The head closed its eyes while the body stopped convulsing, the Sudarshana Chakra fading away while Krishna looked at the body. "May your soul rest in peace."
Draupadi noticed Krishna's finger was bleeding from having handled his Chakra and said. "Govinda, your finger!" Krishna simply smirked but she tore a small piece of her saree and wrapped it around his finger, as he smiled at her.
After the ritual was done and Krishna and Balarama left, the Kauravas explored the Pandavas' palace, which was full of illusions to those unaccustomed to it.
Duryodhana at one point tried to open a door, but it was actually just a wall looking like a door. Then at one point he leaned against a wall but it was a door that opened to the other side and he fell into it.
And then at one point Duryodhana tried to walk on a floor but it was a pool looking like a floor and he fell into it, humiliating himself. The Pandavas except Yudhisthira laughed at him and so he wanted revenge.
Their uncle Shakuni who was Gandhari's brother and King of Gandhar, had magic dice that listened only to him, so he suggested to Duryodhana, to invite the Pandavas to a gambling game.
So, the Pandavas and Draupadi went to Hastinapur for the gambling game, though Draupadi stayed in a chamber provided for her, and Yudhisthira was urged to stake everything he can, including his Kingdom, then his brothers, and then even himself, and he lost everything due to the dice listening only to Shakuni.
Then he was urged to stake Draupadi too. This was questioned because he had already lost the rights to himself, so he didn't have the right to her, but they pointed out a husband does have a right to his wife as well, and vice-versa, so Yudhisthira staked Draupadi and lost her too.
Draupadi was furious when she heard this, as Yudhisthira had lost himself first. She was summoned to the court but refused, so Duryodhana sent his younger brother Dushasana to forcefully bring Draupadi to the court.
Dushasana grabbed Draupadi by the hair and dragged her to the court, and the Pandavas were helpless as they lost the game and were now basically servants to the Kauravas. No one else was able to stop this humiliation and degrading behavior either, not even the more honorable people like Bhishma and Drona due to being duty-bound. Vidura and one decent Kaurava called Vikarna protested but logic was overruled.
Draupadi was in tears first and tried to argue to everyone that she couldn't be staked and was no maid to the Kauravas, but it fell on deaf ears. Duryodhana then mockingly gestured Draupadi to sit on his thigh, and ordered Dushasana to disrobe Draupadi, which horrified everyone, and Bhima swore to tear Dushasana's arms and bathe Draupadi's hair with his blood and then drink it, and also to break Duryodhana's thighs.
Karna mocked Draupadi, calling her a whore for having 5 husbands, and commented that such a woman, whether clothed or not, it makes no difference.
Draupadi was now at the center of the hall, Dushasana starting to pull at her saree as she joined both hands and prayed. "Govinda."
She spun around, slowly being disrobed as some laughed while others, including the Pandavas, Bhishma, Drona and Vidura cried.
Krishna heard Draupadi's call, and looked at the piece of saree wrapped around his hand, that she'd done when his finger had been injured.
Grasping the cloth, he started unwrapping it.
Mahabharata 2013 Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya plays
A bright light shone in the Hastinapur court as all froze in horror, Dushasana looking up when the curtains transformed into saree fabric suddenly.
Undeterred, Dushasana continued pulling when the fabric wrapped around Draupadi, protecting her grace and dignity, the Pandavas watching, hopeful now.
Krishna continued unwrapping the saree piece from his hand.
Mahabharata 2013 Shri Krishna Govinda Hare Murari plays
More saree fabric came down, covering Draupadi, and more covered her, as Dushasana continued to pull but failed, everyone watching this in awe or shock, depending upon who they were.
Krishna glared downwards.
Duryodhana's garments fell off, followed by his robes, as Dhritarashtra, Karna, Dushasana and the rest too got disrobed, with the Pandavas losing their garments too, as did Bhishma, Drona and Vidura.
Shakuni was disrobed as well, the robes and garments of all men falling at Draupadi's feet, but Draupadi was covered from head to toe in saree fabric.
Krishna continued unwrapping the saree piece around his hand.
Dushasana was horrified to see he was disrobed now, and how much saree he had pulled, yet Draupadi was still clothed. Bhishma, Drona and Vidura joined their hands in prayer.
Krishna finished unwrapping the cloth from his hand, a tear rolling down his cheek at this degrading behavior Draupadi had to go through, and then he dropped the piece on the ground.
Dushasana fell down as well, exhausted fully, while the saree fabric disappeared, Draupadi's grace having been saved.
While Draupadi was saved, since the Pandavas lost, a condition was made- The Pandavas have to go into exile for 12 years and incognito mode for 1 more year, and if they're discovered in the incognito year, they've to go into exile for 12 years again and then incognito for another year, and so on unless they spend an incognito where they're not discovered.
The Pandavas agreed and left into exile, Draupadi going with them. Subhadra during this time stayed at Dwarka, pregnant with Arjuna's son Abhimanyu, who Krishna raised and trained himself to be a great warrior.
The Pandavas and Draupadi went into exile and some adventures happened during this time too, with the Pandavas being gifted divine weapons by Gods. They also secretly prepare alliances for a potential future conflict.
At one point, a man called Jayadratha who was the husband of Duryodhana's sister saw Draupadi during her exile period and tried to abduct her but the 5 Pandavas stopped him, but spared him due to not wanting to make their sister a widow. Still, they shaved his head at five places to humiliate him.
An angry Jayadratha meditated to Lord Shiva for years, and ultimately, to pacify him, Shiva had to grant him a boon. He requested he be able to best all Pandavas next time he faced them. But they were too powerful so Shiva said he'd only be able to best all of them except Arjuna once whenever he faced them.
In their final incognito year, the Pandavas and Draupadi spent it in disguise in the court of King Virata, and there Draupadi had another dangerous admirer called Kichaka who was the commander of the King's army, and he tried to molest her at one point but she escaped. She told Bhima and they made a plan, so Draupadi asked Kichaka to come to the bedchambers at night. Kichaka did, thinking Draupadi will make love to him, but in the darkness, he met Bhima who brutally killed him for trying to molest Draupadi, and later Kichaka's brothers tried to kill Draupadi in revenge but Bhima killed them as well.
Kichaka was a mighty warrior, and news of his demise reached Duryodhana, who believed the Pandavas were in the kingdom, and launched an assault, but the Pandavas revealed themselves and Arjuna single-handedly drove his forces back.
Duryodhana claimed they lost since he discovered them during incognito period, but turned out the incognito period barely did pass before they were discovered, so the Pandavas have fulfilled the game's conditions.
Duryodhana was still mad though and didn't want to give them anything, and would rather have war.
Duryodhana and Arjuna both wanted Krishna to help them. Krishna offered both the Pandavas and Kauravas to choose between his elite Narayani army, or himself without any weapons and only as a charioteer.
One day, Krishna slept in Dwarka as Duryodhana arrived, standing at his head's side, hoping Krishna would see him on waking up, as Arjuna arrived after him, and sat at Krishna's feet, massaging them.
When Krishna opened his eyes, from his position, he saw Arjuna first. "Parth my friend, since I saw you first, you shall have your chance first."
"This is deceit!" Duryodhana claimed angrily as Krishna stood up. "I came first and stood at your head's side."
"Showing your arrogance, you think yourself above all, yet Arjuna sat at my feet, in spite of being the greatest warrior, he is humble", Krishna countered, making Duryodhana fume before Krishna walked to the window, gesturing to his elite Narayani army, standing in formation. "This is my army, you can either have this, or you can have me but without any weapons and only as a charioteer. I will not lift a weapon during the war."
Duryodhana was concerned, because since Arjuna had the first chance, he could take the army.
"I choose you, Madhav", Arjuna said without hesitation, making Krishna smile as Duryodhana smirked happily, thinking Arjuna a fool.
"Which means I get the army", Duryodhana realized.
"Indeed, but remember, even an elite force is only as good as the army commander", Krishna pointed out to him.
"Grandsire Bhishma is the commander, he is one of the greatest!" Duryodhana boasted.
"And what happens when Bhishma dies?" Krishna inquired.
"He has the boon to die when he wishes to, he can't die!" Duryodhana pointed out in maniacal glee.
Balarama did not want to fight and left on a pilgrimage instead.
Still, in one last attempt to prevent the war, Krishna went to Hastinapur's court, trying to stop the war, and asked to only give the Pandavas five villages.
However, Duryodhana still refused, and declared to the entire court. "I can embrace a foul-smelling bull, but not grant the Pandavas five villages! I can make an adulterous woman my wife, but not grant the Pandavas five villages! I can behead myself before Yamraj, but not grant the Pandavas five villages!"
He turned to Krishna and held up his fingers in a pinch. "Forget about five villages, I won't even give the Pandavas land equal to the tip of a needle point." Then he smirked and said. "The Pandavas are so arrogant with you at their side, isn't that right, cowherd? Soldiers, arrest him!"
"Duryodhana!" Dhritarashtra begged. "Do not do this, please!"
"Vasudeva Krishna will slay you right here for this!" Vidura declared.
"No, Prime Minister, I will not", Krishna shook his head with a smile. "Because elder brother Bhima has taken that vow."
Duryodhana smirked, as soldiers came in with chains to shackle Krishna, while Dhritarashtra, Bhishma, Drona, Vidura and Kripa were in dismay.
Mahabharata 2013 Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya plays
Krishna smirked as suddenly, the chains got too heavy and the soldiers stopped in their tracks, grunting, trying to move, but failed, before collapsing to the ground, the chains falling as well, to everyone's shock.
"Foolish soldiers, get up! Shackle his wrists! Get up!" Duryodhana ordered as the soldiers got up, trying to lift the chains, but couldn't even budge them.
Duryodhana watched in anger, the rest watched in surprise, and Krishna watched with a neutral expression as the soldiers fell down again.
"Soldiers!" Duryodhana cried out as now all the soldiers came in, trying to lift the chains.
Mahabharata 2013 Shri Krishna Govinda Hare Murari plays
But no matter how hard they tried, the soldiers still couldn't lift the chains, to the shock of all, and suddenly, they fell to either side of the room as Krishna smirked at Duryodhana.
"Your soldiers cannot bear the weight of your sins, Duryodhana", Krishna told him, Duryodhana fuming in rage. "Can you?"
"I'll do it myself!" Duryodhana snarled, lifting up the chains as he walked to Krishna.
Mahabharata 2013 Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya plays
Krishna held up his index finger as the Sudarshana Chakra appeared, making Duryodhana freeze in his tracks in horror, as Krishna grew to a giant size, taking his Virat Roop, and a bright, divine light shone from him.
Bhishma, Drona, Vidura and Kripa basked in the presence of the divine light, smiling, as Duryodhana, Dushasana, Shakuni, Karna and the rest all covered their eyes in pain.
Dhritarashtra, who was blind, stood up. "What's happening? Will someone tell me what's going on?"
"I shall grant you sight, King Dhritarashtra!" Krishna declared, to Dhritarashtra's shock. "See for yourself."
Mahabharata 2013 Shri Krishna Govinda Hare Murari plays
Divine light shone from Krishna's hand into Dhritarashtra's non-functioning eyes, and bright flames exploded inside his eyeballs, forming an outline of a person, which was Lord Krishna, and now Dhritarashtra fell back on his throne in horror and shock at the divine sight.
"What kind of sorcery is this?" He wondered, rubbing his eyes. "What is it am I seeing?" Joining his hands, he begged. "Please take this sight back. I do not want it! Forgive me, Vasudeva! Forgive me!"
There was a bright flash of light as Dhritarashtra was blind again, while Krishna was back to normal.
"Farewell, King", Krishna said with joined hands before leaving.
Krishna also informed Karna of his true parentage as a way to motivate him to fight for the Pandavas, but when Kunti approached him, he refused, pointing out the Pandavas had mocked him due to being a charioteer's son and she too had abandoned him, while Duryodhana had supported him.
At the end of it, Karna finally promised Kunti five of her sons would live, as he won't kill Yudhisthira, Bhima, Nakul or Sahadev, but he will fight Arjuna and only one will survive.
Arjuna before the war hesitated as a lot of the people on the opposing side were his respected and beloved family, like Bhishma, and his teachers Drona and Kripa were beloved to him as well.
Krishna narrated the 'Bhagavad Gita' to Arjuna, reminding him of his duty to fight for what is right, and do what is required of him without thinking about the fruits of his actions, as Arjuna's despair was gone now and the war began, Krishna being Arjuna's charioteer and guide.
On the ninth day, Krishna noticed Arjuna was fighting Bhishma half-heartedly and now enraged, jumped off the chariot.
"I shall end you, Grandsire Bhishma, at this very moment!" Krishna raised his finger as the Sudarshana Chakra appeared, and Arjuna was shocked that Krishna was breaking his vow.
"Madhav, no!" Arjuna cried out, jumping off the chariot and grabbing Krishna by the foot, though Krishna continued walking, dragging Arjuna with him.
"Madhav, don't do this, do no break your vow!"
"It is time for me to break my vow, Parth", Krishna replied, looking at Bhishma, who lay down his arms.
"You broke your vow to end me", he joined his hands happily. "It is my good fortune that you are my slayer. Please, end my life!"
"Madhav, if you do this, people will call you an oath-breaker forever!"
Krishna knew that oaths should be broken if their circumstances got outdated, or if they actively caused harm to society. In these cases, oaths had to be broken instead of being kept for personal honor, which was what he was trying to teach Bhishma.
"People will call me all sorts of names when this war is over, Parth", Krishna pointed out. "I do not care."
"No Madhav! I vow that I will not fight anyone half-heartedly from now on, including Grandsire Bhishma. Do not make history look back on me as a horrible friend who made his friend break his vow, please Madhav!"
Krishna's Sudarshana Chakra faded as he smiled, pleased, and looked at Bhishma. "Lift up your arms, Grandsire Bhishma, and engage in battle."
Bhishma joined his hands and bowed respectfully before lifting his weapons to battle.
Next day, Drupada's child Shikhandini came to the battlefield. In her last life, she was a princess whom Bhishma had rejected due to his vow, so she'd angrily sworn to slay him in her next life, and gotten a boon from Lord Shiva to do so.
Now Shikhandini had done a ritual to become a man for a day and fight.
Since Shikhandini, or Shikhandi as a man, was a woman, Bhishma lay down his arms on seeing Shikhandi, not wanting to attack him, and taking the opportunity, Arjuna, screaming in grief, fired at Bhishma from behind Shikhandi, fatally wounding him as he lay on a bed of arrows, out of the fight but still alive due to his boon.
He still blessed Arjuna with long life and victory, as both sides mourned him, and Arjuna used his arrows to dent the Earth, causing Bhishma's own mother the holy Ganga to flow out and quench her son's thirst.
With Bhishma gone, Drona was commander of the Kaurava forces now, and on the thirteenth day, Krishna and Arjuna were busy in another part of the battlefield, so Drona made an impenetrable formation to capture Yudhishthira.
Only Krishna and Arjuna knew how to penetrate and escape it, but Arjuna's young son Abhimanyu knew how to penetrate it. He did not how to escape, however, so the other four Pandava brothers asked him to go in while they'd follow him to protect him.
When Abhimanyu entered though, the four Pandavas were stopped by Jayadratha, whose boon activated and he defeated all four of them for that once, preventing them from aiding Abhimanyu, who killed thousands of warriors, and even defeated Karna, Drona, Kripa, Shakuni, Dushasana, Duryodhana, Ashwatthama and many more by himself, causing them to gang up on him and break his chariot and bow, and disarm him of his sword.
Abhimanyu fought back with his chariot wheel, but eventually, was grievously wounded as they slew a young boy together brutally by ganging up on him, with Drona doing nothing to stop this dishonor.
They danced around his corpse as well, the four Pandava brothers crying in grief and guilt for being unable to protect Abhimanyu.
At night, Arjuna returned with Krishna and on seeing his son's corpse, was driven to a rage unmatched, as he blamed Jayadratha, who'd stopped the other four from aiding Abhimanyu,
Angrily, he swore to either kill Jayadratha by sunset the next day, or kill himself if he failed.
And he was unstoppable the next day, killing many warriors. Bhima reluctantly battled Vikarna, and killed him, but also grieved, for Vikarna had defended Draupadi during her humiliation.
Duryodhana and Shakuni had hidden Jayadratha back at their camp, as now Arjuna and Krishna were confronted by Duryodhana and other warriors.
"Welcome, my beloved younger brother, Arjuna", Duryodhana beckoned mockingly. "You cannot kill Jayadratha today. Look, we built your funeral pyre for you."
Arjuna saw the pyre made for him, as Duryodhana laughed alongside Dushasana.
Suddenly, the sun set, making the two laugh harder, while Arjuna looked down with a blank look.
"Didn't you ask for this Vasudeva, alone and unarmed, instead of the elite Narayani army?" Duryodhana inquired, laughing again. "Now see where that got you."
"Madhav, you're divine, my failure must be your plan, I accept", Arjuna told Krishna before getting down from the chariot, when Jayadratha now appeared, holding a flaming torch.
"Either you light my pyre, or I light yours", Jayadratha reminded Arjuna. "Now you've failed, so I'm here to light your pyre, Arjuna."
From a distance, the four Pandavas watched sadly as Bhima cried out. "Arjuna, stop!"
"No Bhima, Arjuna will not stop today", Yudhisthira told him glumly.
Arjuna walked towards his funeral pyre, with the Pandavas, Krishna, Duryodhana, Dushasana, Karna, Drona, Ashwatthama and Kripa all watching.
Then Shakuni rode in as Jayadratha told him. "Come, uncle, your plan was a success, now you have the opportunity to watch Arjuna die today."
"Vasudeva Krishna!" Shakuni addressed Krishna directly, as Krishna turned to face him. "Why have you hidden the sun with your Sudarshana Chakra?"
That caused Duryodhana's, Dushasana's and Jayadratha's smirks to vanish as they, Ashwatthama, Drona, Kripa and Karna all looked to the sky, while Arjuna looked up with a glint in his eye, and the Pandavas looked at the sky too.
Krishna smiled at Shakuni. "I can't cause sunset, but I can certainly create the atmosphere of sunset, uncle."
Duryodhana grabbed his head in his hands in horror, as Jayadratha's jaw was dropped, while Dushasana was in disbelief.
Arjuna looked up with a smirk while Krishna turned to the sky.
Mahabharata 2013 Shri Krishna Govinda Hare Murari plays
The Sudarshana Chakra flew off, uncovering the sun, its rays causing daylight once more, as Duryodhana, Jayadratha, Dushasana, and the rest were all stricken with horror.
"Jayadratha, my vow is about to be complete", Arjuna declared. "As is your life!"
"No Arjuna", Jayadratha held up a hand, terrified for his life. "If my head falls to the ground because of you, you will be reduced to ashes! My father gave me this boon!"
"Do not worry, Jayadratha, if your life is a boon from your father, in your dying moments too, you should receive his blessings", Arjuna shrugged as Jayadratha backed off in terror. "So I will use the Lord Shiva's Pashupatastra, that he gifted to me, on you, so that your head falls in your father's lap."
Arjuna lifted his divine and powerful bow, the Gandiva, and chanted a shloka as Jayadratha was horrified.
The Pashupatastra appeared, Jayadratha begging. "No Arjuna!"
Arjuna fired the Pashupatastra at Jayadratha.
"Warriors, help King Jayadratha!" Duryodhana ordered as he, Dushasana, Drona, Karna, Ashwatthama, Kripa and Shakuni all fired or hurled weapons to deflect the Pashupatastra, but those weapons were all deflected while the Pashupatastra struck Jayadratha, decapitating him, as his headless corpse fell to the ground, still holding the flaming torch.
The Pashupatastra carried Jayadratha's head and dropped it in his meditating father's lap, who opened his eyes and dropped the head in horror, being reduced to ashes.
That was when the sun actually set.
"The King of Sindhu, Jayadratha's head, became the reason for his own father's death", Krishna noted.
"In this very manner, in this very manner, all the sinners will die!" Arjuna declared angrily to the opposing army. "Rivers of blood will flow. One by one, all of you will die." Some of them glared back at him in anger as he continued. "Those who have sinned more, will die at the end, after witnessing the destruction of their capabilities, and suffering for their wrongdoings!"
Bhima had married a Demoness called Hidimbi and had a son called Ghatotkacha with her, and Ghatotkacha wreaked havoc on the Kaurava army, before Karna used a divine weapon called Vasava Shakti, gifted to him by an impressed Lord Indra for donating his impenetrable sun armor to him, to kill Ghatotkacha.
He'd been saving it for Arjuna but now Ghatotkacha had sacrificed himself and saved Arjuna. While dying, Ghatotkacha took giant form and collapsed upon the Kaurava army, killing many of them, as Bhima grieved his son too now.
Next day, Kings Drupad and Virata were both killed by Drona, before Bhima, on Krishna's suggestion, killed an elephant called Ashwatthama and declared he'd killed Ashwatthama, which was also the name of Drona's son.
Drona asked Yudhisthira, who never lied, to confirm it.
Yudhisthira replied that Ashwatthama had died but he wasn't sure if it was the human or the elephant, causing Drona to fall to his knees and meditate.
Yudhisthira's chariot that floated a few feet above the ground due to him being King of Righteousness now landed on the ground due to his lie.
The Pandavas tried to arrest Drona but Drupad's son Dhristadyumna cut off his head in revenge for his father. Once more, both sides mourned their beloved teacher.
On the seventeenth day, when Karna was now commander, Bhima ripped off Dushasana's arms and tore open his chest, drinking his blood, like he'd vowed, and took some of the blood back to Draupadi at the camp, bathing her hair with it.
Draupadi herself had vowed not to tie her hair again until bathing them with Dushasana's blood, and now both of their vows were complete.
Arjuna killed many more, including Karna's son Vrishasena, and then Karna and Arjuna duelled once more.
Arrow after arrow they fired at each other, neither coming out on top as Arjuna told Krishna. "Ordinary arrows will not stop him today."
So both he and Karna summoned divine arrows, firing at each other as the arrows destroyed each other. Then Karna fired an arrow that managed to break Arjuna's bowstring, though he tied it back.
Suddenly, Karna's chariot wheel got stuck in the ground, but he declared. "Even if my chariot is stuck, I shall slay you with the Brahmastra!"
Karna tried to summon it, but failed, to his shock. He tried again, and still failed. So now he said. "Arjuna, my chariot wheel is stuck in the ground. Stop your arrows as I free it."
Karna got down, trying to move his chariot, as Krishna told Arjuna. "Parth, slay him right now!"
Arjuna looked reluctant as Karna angrily said. "But this is unrighteous!"
"Calling Draupadi a whore in front of Hastinapur's entire court was also unrighteous, Karna King of Anga", Krishna reminded him as Karna's eyes were wide in horror and shame on remembering that.
"But Madhav, he is unarmed and on the ground", Arjuna pointed out to Krishna. "He can't even remember his knowledge of weapons."
"That is his own fault. He once approached Parashurama to be taught by him, but since Parashurama hated Kshatriyas, Karna lied that he was a Brahmin. When Parashurama found out the lie, he cursed Karna to forget this knowledge that he'd earned with deceit right when he needed it most", Krishna told Arjuna, before pointing to Karna. "And this Karna, along with many other warriors, ganged up on your young son Abhimanyu and brutally killed him, and they danced around his corpse too. He too was unarmed and on the ground, Parth. So slay him!"
Arjuna looked at Karna, still trying to move his chariot, and remembered holding his son's corpse, then remembered his brothers telling him how the Kaurava army, including Karna, had ganged up on him and brutally killed him, and danced around his corpse.
Roaring in rage and grief, Arjuna fired an arrow that decapitated Karna, ending the life of Surya the Sun God's son finally.
Duryodhana's mother Gandhari had gathered great power in her eyes due to her blindfold, and beckoned Duryodhana to meet her in camp where she'd remove her blindfold and use her power to make him invincible.
Duryodhana was grieving for his best friend Karna, whom he loved more than his brothers, and then he was met by Krishna who taunted him that he'd appear indecent in front of his own mother.
Hearing that, Duryodhana covered his privates, and so when Gandhari made him invincible, his thighs were still vulnerable.
On the eighteenth day, Yudhisthira killed Shalya the new commander and Nakul's and Sahadev's uncle in combat, grieving for him, while Sahadev defeated and killed Shakuni finally. Nakula killed Shakuni's son Uluka.
Duryodhana took refuge in the nearby lake, as the Pandavas confronted him, and now Bhima and Duryodhana engaged in a mace fight.
While Bhima was stronger, Duryodhana was more skilled with a mace, having been trained by Balarama himself once, and now he was invincible too. Bhima had been trained by Balarama too, but Duryodhana had been his best student.
The two battled, Duryodhana striking Bhima and sending him staggering as his crown fell off. Bhima dodged the next blow and they clashed a few a times, both struggling against each other.
Bhima tried to strike Duryodhana who dodged and struck his shoulder, then chest, sending him back, before Bhima struck him and sent him rolling.
Duryodhana got back up, striking Bhima's face as he was sent rolling, and his face bled too. Bhima stood back up, blocking Duryodhana's strike, then hitting him right on the head as he went to his knees, then got back up and pushed Bhima back, their maces clashing again.
Bhima pushed Duryodhana back and struck his chest, then his face, only for Duryodhana to laugh. "More forcefully, come on!"
Bhima continued striking Duryodhana, but could not even dent him as Duryodhana struck his face and he bled, falling down again, but blocked Duryodhana's next strike, standing up, trying to push him back, but Duryodhana dodged and struck his side.
Bhima again struck his face but Duryodhana was unaffected and taunted. "More forcefully."
"Arjuna, remind elder brother Bhima of his oath to break Duryodhana's thighs for he'd invited Draupadi to sit on his thigh", Krishna told his friend.
"But Krishna, this is mace warfare, hitting below the waist violates those rules", Arjuna pointed out.
"This is war, it must be won", Krishna pointed out. "I could watch the beauty of Duryodhana's mace skills, and Bhima's too, for hours if this was a game, but its war, so tell him."
"No Krishna, I can't", Arjuna shook his head.
"Then watch the battle", Krishna shrugged, before cheering for Bhima. "Great move, brother Bhima."
As the battle continued, Krishna cheered louder. "Very good, brother Bhima!"
Bhima stopped, looking at Krishna, who cheered while pointing at his own thigh. "Nice move, brother Bhima. Nice move!"
Getting the hint and being reminded of his oath, Bhima turned to Duryodhana, who tried to attack, but Bhima struck his thigh with his mace, breaking it as Duryodhana screamed in pain, with Bhima striking his other thigh as Duryodhana fell down, wailing in pure agony.
"Bhima! You violated the rules of mace warfare and killed me by deceit!" Duryodhana screamed.
Bhima angrily put his foot on Duryodhana, trying to crush him. "I remember when you beckoned Draupadi to sit on your thighs, and today I've broken those and fulfilled my oath."
Yudhisthira pulled Bhima off of Duryodhana. "No Bhima, you may have defeated him, but do not kill him so brutally. He is not only our brother but a King too. Let him die like one."
"Unrighteous rule-breaker!"
They all turned to see Balarama standing there, looking very angry. He raised his hand, lightning cracking in the sky as his plough weapon appeared.
"You have violated the rules of mace fight!" Balarama said, marching to Bhima who lay down his mace and went down on his knees, joining his hands. "Get up and battle me!"
"No, Revered Guru, I will accept your punishment", Bhima said to him.
"I shall wash my plough with your blood, get up and fight!" Balarama demanded.
"No Revered Guru, punish me for this", Bhima replied.
"In that case, I shall slay you for breaking the rules of mace fight!" Balarama angrily raised his plough for the kill.
"Elder brother Balarama!"
Balarama stopped, turning to Krishna, who stepped forwards. "Are you fighting at Duryodhana's side?" Smirking, he reminded. "But you'd taken an oath to not battle. So, that means you too are committing an unrighteous deed."
"By violating the rules of mace fight, Bhima has committed a grave injustice!" Balarama declared in a rage. "So if I have to commit an unrighteous deed to punish him, I will!"
"So you too are engaging in unrighteousness, brother", Krishna pointed out while Duryodhana moaned in pain nearby. "Why is brother Bhima at fault here? He was bound by an oath to strike Duryodhana's thighs and break them. Besides, even if Duryodhana was your greatest student, you know how he has repeatedly committed unrighteous deeds too. He beckoned Draupadi to sit on his thighs and humiliated her, he had poisoned Bhima once when they were children, he tried to kill them and aunt Kunti by burning a house he'd provided for them to stay, having created it with inflammable material. And there's much more, brother. So why do you excuse all of that and punish Bhima instead?"
Balarama looked down, relenting. "You really know how to argue, brother. I have no reply for this argument of yours." His plough weapon disappeared. "Today you've deceived your own elder brother."
"You are my elder brother, who will I deceive if not you?" Krishna asked as both brothers shared a smile. "Fate had laid the foundations for this war to be fought on deception itself, so deception was bound to be part of it." He put a hand on Balarama's shoulder. "If elder brother Bhima had acted righteously today, the whole world would have suffered from Duryodhana's unrighteousness, so this had to be done."
Balarama looked down at Duryodhana, saddened that his greatest disciple had this kind of fate due to his own sins.
Ashwatthama, Kripa and Kritavarma were still alive though, and met the dying Duryodhana, who made Ashwatthama his commander.
Krishna and the Pandavas were away as Ashwatthama led a night raid on the Pandava camp, first choking Dhritadyumna to death in revenge for his father, and also killed the five sons of Draupadi and the Pandavas called the Upapandavas, before killing many more, including Shikhandini/Shikhandi, as anyone who tried to escape was killed by Kripa and Kritavarma.
The three then relayed the news to the dying Duryodhana who was overjoyed and breathed his last as they performed his cremation rites.
Next morning, Krishna and the Pandavas returned, finding out what happened as Yudhisthira fainted and the Pandavas became inconsolable, with Bhima wanting to kill Ashwatthama most of all as he'd massacred the most.
Draupadi stayed behind to mourn her sons and brothers, while Krishna and the Pandavas found Ashwatthama at the hermitage of the sage Ved Vyas.
Ashwatthama invoked the Brahmastra to slay Arjuna, and on Krishna's instruction, Arjuna invoked the Brahmashira.
They fired their weapons, but Ved Vyas stepped in between, using his divine power to stop both in their tracks.
"Arjuna, Ashwatthama, these weapons can destroy the Universe on clashing. Krishna, why didn't you stop Arjuna?"
"Ashwatthama had already fired his weapon, Sage Vyas, so Arjuna was forced to use his weapon to nullify it", Krishna pointed out.
"Withdraw your weapons, both of you!" Ved Vyas demanded.
Arjuna joined his hands and chanting a shloka, withdrew his Brahmashira, before Vyas turned to Ashwatthama. "What are you waiting for? Withdraw your weapon."
"But I don't know how to", Ashwatthama admitted.
"If you didn't know how to withdraw it, why did you fire it you fool?" Ved Vyas demanded before saying. "Hit something barren with it instead."
However, Abhimanyu's wife Uttara who was King Virata's daughter, was pregnant with Abhimanyu's son, so Ashwatthama decided he'd destroy the Pandavas' legacy instead.
"I shall destroy Abhimanyu's son, Pandavas! You may have won, but you will die without heirs!" Ashwatthama declared, as the Brahmastra changed direction and sped towards the Pandava camp.
Draupadi, sitting and grieving over her sons' and siblings' corpses, looked up to see the Brahmastra in horror as it passed her and entered the tent.
Uttara, who was being cared for by her mother-in-law Subhadra, looked up to see the Brahmastra as it entered her womb, making her wail in agony as she felt her baby die, and Subhadra cried out in horror. "Uttara! What's wrong, my dear? Uttara!"
Draupadi ran inside, sitting on the wailing Uttara's other side. "Uttara, be strong, my dear! Be strong!"
Both Subhadra and Draupadi watched the wailing Uttara in utter horror.
Krishna glared at Ashwatthama in anger. "You are a repulsive person, Ashwatthama. What you have just done, no one in this whole world has done it until today." Krishna pointed at Ashwatthama. "Duryodhana, Dushasana, King of Gandhar Shakuni, Kamsa, Ravana and Hiranyakashipu…..you shall be punished more severely than all of these."
Ashwatthama simply glared in defiance as Krishna raised his index finger.
Mahabharata 2013 Jai Jai Sudarshana plays
The Universe shook and the sky split apart, Ashwatthama horrified as a light shot down towards Krishna's index finger, the Sudarshana Chakra now appearing.
There was a gem in Ashwatthama's forehead that granted him great power.
The Sudarshana Chakra sped at Ashwatthama, striking his forehead as his gem came off and went into Krishna's hand, while Ashwatthama had a permanent wound in his forehead in his gem's place, looking like his brain had been ripped out of his skull.
He fell to his knees, wailing in agony as the blood kept pouring while Krishna's Sudarshana Chakra went back to his index finger and faded.
Mahabharata 2013 Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya plays
"You will never die Ashwatthama, you will remain immortal! And this wound on your head shall be eternal, giving you agony and bleeding forever as you roam the corners of this world till the end of time! The entire society shall condemn you, but you shall continue to breathe, Ashwatthama, you shall continue to breathe!"
Ashwatthama wailed, his bleeding and agony now permanent forever, as Krishna and the Pandavas left.
The six of them returned to their tent where Uttara was still wailing, and the five Pandavas watched in horror, Arjuna falling to his knees. "Our future is destroyed. We have nothing left."
Subhadra got up in tears and joined her hands in front of her brother. "Brother Krishna, please, my Abhimanyu's son cannot die! Please, do not let this happen."
Krishna grasped his sister's hands gently. "Subhadra, I won't let him die, do not worry. There will be destruction, but there will also be recreation."
He sat down, touching Uttara's womb with a smile. "I, Vasudeva Krishna, with the fruit of the noble deeds of my life, revive Uttara's womb."
Mahabharata 2013 Shri Krishna Govinda Hare Murari plays
A divine light glowed from Krishna's hand, reviving Uttara's womb and saving her baby as the Pandavas' horrified expressions turned to ones of relief, Subhadra too crying in relief as Krishna and Draupadi shared a smile, while Uttara went to a peaceful sleep.
Krishna got up and declared. "This boy has been tested in the womb itself, so he shall be called Parikshit!"
After this, Bhishma gave a sermon on Dharma to Yudhisthira on his bed of arrows before finally passing away, as the Pandavas cremated him, and returned to Hastinapur.
Dhritarashtra, with his great strength, tried to kill Bhima with a powerful hug for he had killed all his sons, but Krishna put a statue in the way that Dhritarashtra destroyed instead, not killing Bhima but killing his anger as he conceded defeat, and allowed Yudhisthira to be King.
Krishna was chosen to crown him, and the process began.
"STOP!"
All turned to Gandhari, who asked angrily. "Why is Vasudeva being given this honor? He should not receive it!"
"Gandhari, only Vasudeva Krishna should get this honor. We are fortunate he was present here during this auspicious occasion", Dhritarashtra told her.
"Elder brother is right, sister-in-law, no one is more powerful than Krishna in this Universe", Vidura agreed.
"I am aware of his powers and his miracles. I know the Pandavas won because of him!" Gandhari pointed at Krishna accusingly. "I know he protected Draupadi's honor after the game of dice. Yet he did not stop this great war. Why?" She had tears in her blindfolded eyes as she snarled. "You have committed the gravest sin on the Kurukshetra battlefield. We were all just your puppets, and you used us to perform this dance of death! You deserve to be punished." She raised her hands in grief. "Listen to the wail after the battle." She was crying. "Listen to the pain of a mother's soul." She declared in anger. "I, daughter of the pious King Subal! I, the devoted wife of King Dhritarashtra!" Her voice broke in her grief. "I, the unfortunate Queen Mother of the Kuru Dynasty, curse you-"
"No Gandhari!" Dhritarashtra cried out.
"No, Your Highness!" Arjuna screamed as well.
"YES!" She screamed, Krishna watching her in nothing but sympathy and understanding, as she looked at him. "I curse you! The manner in which my clan was wiped out, your Yadava clan will be wiped out before you very eyes!"
Everyone except Krishna had utter horror on their faces as they heard that, Gandhari continuing. "All the Yadava men will kill each other like beasts, while the children will wail like calves", she shook her finger, "but no one will wipe their tears." She then said in grief. "The way my city is immersed in grief", her sadness gave way to more rage, "your city will be submerged in the ocean, and the water will drown the gold in your palace! And you! You will wander in a forest, crippled by age and unarmed, and ultimately be shot by a hunter!"
Tears rolled down Subhadra's cheeks at her brother's fate, Krishna's own eyes watery, but not for himself or his people.
"The curse of a mother who has lost all her sons is never in vain!" Gandhari declared, the horror on everyone's face still clear, as she then fell to her knees, weeping.
"Gandhari, what've you done?" Dhritarashtra asked his wife.
"You repaid Vasudeva's favors with such a terrible curse", Yudhisthira said, crying himself.
"You should have cursed us 5 Pandavas to wander in Hell for eternity", Arjuna told Gandhari, tears in his own eyes. "But by putting this grave curse upon Madhav, you have orphaned the whole Universe."
As Gandhari wept, Kunti begged. "Sister-in-law, tell us how to remedy this curse."
The crying Gandhari joined her hands in front of Krishna, her anger now spent. "Forgive me, Vasudeva! The deaths of my 100 sons made me utter such harsh words. Please, forgive me!"
All others wept too, as Krishna walked to the wailing Gandhari, kneeling near her and wiping her tears. "No, mother. You haven't done anything wrong." Then Krishna helped the sobbing Gandhari stand, embracing her to his chest. "Your wrath is justified. It is natural that you are devastated. Even I have felt this pain every moment. When someone was losing his limb on the battlefield, I was the one who was bleeding. When someone got slayed, he gave me his share of the pain. If I have tasted victory, then I alone have suffered defeat." Then he parted from her and looked at her blindfolded self. "I am your foe, mother, and also your friend. I am even your son. I am the one who cursed Ashwatthama, I am also the one who is suffering the curse. When Duryodhana's thigh was broken mother, I was the one who screamed in agony. All my life, I have received blessings from mothers. Hence today, I, Vasudeva Krishna, accept this mother's curse as well." All the while, he was smiling as she cried. "I promise you, when the time of my clan's destruction arrives, I shall be the first to attack."
Gandhari cried. "No! No! How could I utter such a terrible curse?"
Krishna assured her. "No mother, you are completely blameless. Humans are manipulated into uttering blessings and curses by Time. Your words have just been a means to execute a predestined event." He then looked ahead and said. "The destruction of the Yadavas is predestined as well."
"Is the destruction of the Yadavas inevitable?" Kunti asked. "You are one of them. You struggled to give them so much protection, and established Dwarka for them. Will you destroy your own people?"
"No, I won't, Time will", Krishna explained to her. "If the Yadavas had participated in this war, they'd have perished as well. But now, they are confined by old systems and traditions, and are growing worse, tyrannical. So they too will perish one day, with our land."
Krishna had the power to violate the curse, but he accepted it due to Gandhari's pain, and knew his clan needed to be destroyed one day to prevent them from growing in power, arrogance and tyranny. Gandhari's curse was his tool.
36 years later, the Yadava clan was prosperous in their Kingdom, but also became frivolous and hedonistic, as Krishna's mischievous son Samba played a prank on some hermits, dressing up as a pregnant woman and asking them to predict the baby's gender.
One hermit saw through the prank and angrily cursed Samba to give birth to an iron bolt that would destroy his own clan.
A frightened Samba told his father, who knew the destruction was near, and told Ugrasena. When Samba actually gave birth to the iron bolt, Ugrasena had it pulverized and the iron powder cast into the sea.
Then the town witnessed many dark omens and people started becoming worse, Krishna suggesting to go on a pilgrimage to the sacred waters of the sea.
There, the Yadavas revelled in merrymaking and alcohol, as Krishna's inebriated friend Satyaki insulted Kritavarma for scheming with Ashwatthama, but Kritavarma retaliated as well.
As the arguing continued, Satyaki decapitated Kritavarma, before trying to slay more as Krishna tried to stop him. It escalated, other Yadavas killing Satyaki and Krishna's son Pradyumna.
Beholden with a wrath, Krishna walked to the miraculous erakā grass nearby and ripped it out as it became an iron bolt. The iron powder from Samba's bolt had washed up on this shore and grown into long reeds of this grass.
Turning to the Yadava men, Krishna struck, slaying the violent amongst his own clan, to protect the future from their growing tyranny.
Other men plucked the grass too as it became iron bolts, and they killed each other, with Krishna surviving, alongside his charioteer Daruka and Vabhru. Balarama survived too for he hadn't been here when the conflict had escalated.
Krishna sent Daruka to Hastinapur to tell the Pandavas and ask Arjuna to come for help, before sending Vabhru back to the Kingdom to protect the women and wealth from robbers. However, an iron bolt killed Vabhru, so Krishna went to Dwarka, consoling Vasudeva, who then gave up his life, as Devaki, Rohini and his other wives cremated themselves.
Krishna went out, meeting Balarama, who gave up his life by Yoga, passing on and becoming Sheshnag again.
Krishna sat in a forest with his foot out, smiling, remembering his whole life, and the curse upon him that had now come to fruition.
Suddenly, an arrow pierced his foot fatally, and he felt his life slip away, smiling. A hunter called Jara, who'd shot his foot on thinking it to be a dear's head, came out now, horrified on seeing who he'd shot.
A piece of the iron powder had been eaten by a fish that Jara had fished out and cut open, using the piece of the bolt to make an arrow that he'd now shot at Krishna's foot.
"Oh no!" He fell to his knees at Krishna's feet in horror. "What have I done? I shot you, Vasudeva Krishna! How could I commit such a grave sin?" He was in tears now. "Forgive me, please! I have committed a sin!"
Krishna smiled and told Jara. "In your last life, you were the great Vanara King Vali, and I was Rama. I had killed you with an arrow by hiding, then given you a boon that in our next lives, you shall kill me in the same way. Now today, your arrow has hit me. This was how I was going to die, do not blame yourself, Jara, you were not at fault here."
The crying Jara joined his hands, falling at Krishna's feet who raised his hand in blessing, then closed his eyes, his body fading as a great bright divine light shot out of him towards the Heavens.
And thus, the most glorious incarnation of Lord Vishnu passed due to his own boon, and after his passing some of his wives like Rukmini too cremated themselves, all forming Goddess Lakshmi again, and others like Satyabhama went to the woods for penance, as Dwarka was submerged while Arjuna came and led the survivors to Hastinapur the best he could, assaulted by robbers on the way who he could not fully defeat, to his horror, his Celestial weapons not working as the robbers took some of the women away, though he still killed as many as he could when he stopped wasting his time by trying to summon the Celestial weapons.
Arjuna went to Ved Vyas who revealed that the job of Arjuna's Celestial weapons was over, so they have gone back to where they came from, but he was still undefeated, and it was fate, he couldn't fight it.
Arjuna realized the time had come, and now, Karna's son Vrishaketu whom he'd adopted on finding out Karna's true parentage, was the only one alive with knowledge of these Celestial weapons, and he was the King of Anga, promising not to reveal the secrets of these weapons to anyone.
Soon after this, the Pandavas and Draupadi passed, ascending to Heaven with the rest of the family as Parikshit became ruler.
After this, was the Buddha incarnation.
Prince Siddhartha was predicted to be a great King, or religious leader. His father wanted him to be a King and kept him in the palace, but one day he wanted to go out, so his father allowed it, the charioteer leading Siddhartha around the city.
Then Siddhartha saw an old man with a walking stick. "White hair, wrinkles on him, why is he so weak?"
"He is old, Prince", the charioteer revealed. "This is the rule of nature."
Later, they saw a man wailing in agony as Siddhartha asked. "Why does he wail?"
"He is suffering from leprosy, my Prince", the charioteer said. "People suffer from disease a lot, it's a fear, but the body is vulnerable to it."
Then they saw a dead man being carried for cremation as Siddhartha asked. "What happened to that man?"
"He has died", the charioteer explained. "Those who are born always die too, it is the cycle of nature. After that, the person attains Heaven or Hell based on their deeds."
"Will I die too?" Siddhartha asked.
"Forgive me Prince, but yes you will."
Later, passing a forest, they saw an ascetic meditating as Siddhartha asked. "He is so peaceful, how?"
"He is an ascetic, he has given up the world and found true knowledge", the charioteer said, as the four sights put Siddhartha in great thought.
Eventually, Siddhartha too gave up the worldly pleasures and one day, meditated under a Bodhi Tree, doing penance.
And soon, he got answers to all of his questions, becoming enlightened with true knowledge as he became Gautama Buddha, his disciples increasing in number too, and he started the religion of Buddhism, spreading it outside of India as well.
This was his last incarnation, Lord Vishnu mused, as Kalki, his tenth incarnation, was supposed to come in the future as an apocalyptic horseman, but he was going to save existence from itself, removing Adharma and unrighteousness from all living beings' hearts, and start a new cycle of Dharma and righteousness.
But this was not the time for it, as right now, existence had to be protected from the Crisis. He still took his previous nine forms depending upon the occasion. He took the Krishna form a lot, and had taken the Buddha form once, humbling the unstoppable Sun Wukong who'd then been imprisoned before starting his redemption years later.
Now, seeing the Heroes, he knew they were the ones who could fight back, and he would do what he had done as Krishna during the Mahabharata war- punish the unrighteous, and guide and bless the Heroes.
That was what he and the Council of Godheads had to do now, protect the Heroes so they would fight back against this.
Beyond the Multiverse, beyond the very concept of creation, there lay a realm of which was indescribable, incomprehensible. All that can be seen by outsiders was a bright, shining white light that blinded whoever gazed into the unknown.
This was where the Anti-Monitor stood as a being of comparable size circled him, grey skinned head with black eyes, no nose, and the body encased in machinery, eyeing the inhabitant of the Antimatter Universe with distaste.
"We grow weary of waiting, Mobius."
"Linger here all you want, I will see our will enacted, there will be nothing left."
"Yet you hesitate. You fear these inferiors. You have had the means to wipe them out, but still they exist."
"They hold power."
"We did not cloak you from wandering eyes so you could fail us now in face of these meagre oppositions. You promised absolute destruction of everything. Have we erred in allowing your survival?"
"Have care with whom you speak to, Beyonder."
"And you should know your place, Mobius. You question our power? We who longed to the extermination of the Multiverse, a promise that is now doubtful to be accomplished. You have been defeated. Your weapon, gone."
"I have no need for it, or you."
The Beyonder surged forward with it's hand hovering over the Anti-Monitor's head but made no other action.
"But until the last pillars of creation have fallen, until there is nothing left, you cannot take that which you have coveted for so long." The Beyonder sneered at Mobius' words as it lowered its hand. "I have the power to bring to you what we all desire, and you Beyonders have but words."
The Beyonder stepped back from the Anti-Monitor, standing closer to its own kind. "You are wrong. You do not have the power…but you will."
Then it started blasting at the Anti-Monitor, joined by two more as they fueled him, making him fall to his knees as his power increased.
But one Beyonder in the corner disagreed with this course of action, of empowering the Anti-Monitor to get what they wanted. "If this dreaded "Anti-Monitor" cannot succeed, then fine, I'll do it myself."
And this Beyonder left the Beyonders' realm in that moment.
Today is Lord Krishna's birthday, that is Janmashtami, and it shall be celebrated until tomorrow, so fitting that I posted this chapter with Lord Krishna's tale on this day. Happy Janmashtami to all Indian readers of mine.
And this ending, this is bad.
Hope all enjoyed and see you all next time with another chapter.