["The\t princes\t of\t Gandhar\t decided\t that\t they\t would\t give\t their\t share\t of\t rice\t to\t the youngest\tprince\tso\tthat\tat\tleast\tone\tof\tthem\tsurvives.\tThen\the\twould\trise\tto\ttake revenge\t for\t the\t cruelty\t that\t Dhritarashtra\t had\t shown\t to\t King\t Subala.\t Thus, Shakuni,\twho\twas\tthe\tyoungest\tof\tthe\thundred\tsons,\twas\tfed\ton\tall\tthe\trice.\tHe lived\twhile\this\tbrothers\tand\tfather\tslowly\tdied\tof\thunger. Before\t he\t died,\t King\t Subala\t said\t to\t Shakuni,\t \u201cSon,\t take\t revenge\t for\t the\t deaths","of\t your\t father\t and\t your\t brothers.\t Make\t a\t dice\t out\t of\t my\t thigh\t bone.\t The\t dice would\talways\tlisten\tto\tyou.\tIt\twill\tmake\tyou\tnever\tlose\ta\tgame\tof\tdice.\tMay\tyou bring\t as\t much\t pain\t to\t Dhritarashtra\t as\t he\t has\t inflicted\t upon\t us.\t My\t blessings shall\talways\tbe\twith\tyou.\u201d King\tSubala\tdied\tand\tShakuni\tswore\tthat\the\tshall\tdo\tas\this\tfather\thad\tasked\thim. When\tShakuni\twas\treleased\tfrom\tprison,\the\twent\tto\tlive\twith\tDhritarashtra\tand Gandhari. He\t made\t friends\t with\t Duryodhana\t and\t poisoned\t his\t mind\t against\t his\t cousins, the\tPandavas. It\t was\t Shakuni\u2019s\t magical\t dice\t which\t made\t the\t Pandavas\t lose\t the\t game\t of\t dice with\tDuryodhana\tand\tthus\twere\tforced\tthem\tto\tleave\ttheir\tkingdom\tand\tlive\tin the\tforest\tfor\tthirteen\tyears. Duryodhana\t began\t to\t trust\t his\t maternal\t uncle\t Shakuni\t and\t he\t never\t liked\t the Pandavas\tfrom\ta\tvery\tyoung\tage.\tThus,\twhen\tthe\tgreat\twar\tof\tKururkshetra\twas fought,\t Shakuni\t played\t an\t important\t role\t in\t causing\t it.\t He\t succeeded\t in\t his mission\t when\t all\t the\t Kauravas\t including\t Duryodhana\t were\t killed\t in\t the\t war along\twith\tall\tthose\twho\tsupported\tthem.","Bhishma Through\t he\t was\t fighting\t for\t the\t Kauravas,\t Duryodhana\t felt\t that\t Bhishma\t was doing\t it\t half-heartedly.\t Bhishma\t loved\t the\t Pandavas\t dearly.\t But\t he\t had\t vowed that\t he\t would\t always\t serve\t the\t king\t of\t Hastinapur.\t So\t he\t fought\t for\t the Kauravas.\t But\t Bhishma\t was\t takings\t care\t not\t to\t kill\t any\t of\t the\t Pandavas. Duryodhana\t thought,\t \u201cWhat\t is\t the\t point\t of\t having\t a\t commander-in-chief\t who would\tnot\tkill\tany\tof\tthe\tPandavas.\u201d When\tBhishma\tlearnt\tof\tthis,\tit\tmade\thim\tvery\tangry\tto\tknow\tthat\tDuryodhana did\t not\t have\t faith\t in\t him.\t On\t the\t third\t day\t of\t the\t battle,\t Bhishma\t arranged\t his army\tin\tan\teagle\tformat\tand\tattacked\tthe\tPandavas.\tThe\tPandava\tarmy\twas\ttorn apart.\t Scores\t of\t men\t died\t that\t day\t trying\t to\t attack\t the\t mighty\t Bhishma. Bhishma\u2019s\tmany\tarrows\thit\tArjuna\tand\tinjured\thim. Krishna\t could\t not\t bear\t it.\t He\t thought,\t \u201cIf\t this\t continues,\t the\t Pandavas\t will\t be defeated\t soon.\u201d\t So\t as\t Bhishma,\t having\t lost\t his\t self\t control\t due\t to\t his\t anger, fought\tagainst\tthe\tPandavas,\tKrishna\tlifted\ta\twheel\tof\ta\tbroken\tchariot\tand\tran towards\tBhishma\tto\tput\tan\tend\tto\this\tlife. But\twhen\tBhishma\tsaw\tKrishna\tcharging\ttowards\thim\the\tdropped\this\tweapons and\twith\tfolded\thands\the\tsaid,\t\u201cI\tam\tso\tlucky\tthat\tthe\tLord\tof\tthe\tUniverse\thas decided\tto\tmake\tme\tfree\tfrom\tthis\tworld.\tO\u2019\tMadhava,\tlet\tme\tdie\tby\tyour\thands. I\thave\tno\twish\tto\tlive\tanymore.\u201d","Krishna\tstopped\twhen\the\theard\tBhishma.\tHe\tremembered\the\thad\tvowed\tnot\tto pick\t up\t a\t weapon\t in\t the\t battle.\t He\t threw\t down\t the\t wheel\t and\t walked\t back\t to Arjuna\u2019s\tchariot.\tThe\tLord\thad\tbroken\this\tvow\tfor\this\tdevotee. On\tthe\ttenth\tday\tof\tthe\twar,\tKrishna\tadvised\tArjuna\tto\tuse\tShikhandi\tas\ta\tshield while\the\tfought\twith\tBhishma.\tBhishma\thad\tvowed\tthat\the\tshall\tnever\tmarry\tor have\t children.\t Once,\t when\t his\t step-brother,\t Vichitravirya,\t fell\t in\t love\t with Amba,\tthe\tprincess\tof\tKashi,\tBhishma\thad\tforcefully\tbrought\ther\tto\tHastinapur to\tget\ther\tmarried\tto\this\tbrother.\tHowever,\twhen\tVichitravirya\tlearnt\tthat\tAmba was\t in\t love\t with\t someone\t else,\t he\t refused\t to\t marry\t her.\t Then\t Amba\t asked Bhishma\tto\tmarry\ther\tbut\tBhishma\tcould\tnot\tbecause\the\twas\tunder\tthe\tvow.","Mad\twith\tanger\tAmba\tvowed\tto\ttake\ther\trevenge\tby\tkilling\tBhishma.\tShe\twent to\tthe\tforest\tand\tengaged\tin\ta\ttough\tpenance\tupon\twhich\tLord\tShiva\tblessed\ther that\tshe\twould\tturn\tinto\ta\tman.\tThus,\tAmba\tbegan\tto\tbe\tknown\tas\tShikhandi. In\t the\t great\t war\t of\t Kurukshetra\t Shikhandi\t was\t fighting\t for\t the\t Pandavas. Krishna\tknew\tthat\tBhishma\tknew\tthat\tShikhandi\twas\tAmba.\tSo\twhen\tShikhandi came\t before\t Bhishma\t that\t day,\t he\t dropped\t his\t weapons\t and\t said,\t \u201cI\t shall\t not fight\twith\ta\twoman.\tAmba,\tI\tam\ttruly\tsorry\tfor\twhat\tI\thave\tdone.\tPlease\tforgive me.\u201d On\tKrishna\u2019s\tgesture,\tArjuna\ttook\tthis\topportunity\tand\tshot\thundreds\tof\tarrows at\tBhishma.\tThe\tarrows\tpierced\tthrough\tBhishma\u2019s\tbody.\tHe\tfell\tto\tthe\tground. But\tas\the\tfell,\this\tbody\tdid\tnot\ttouch\tthe\tground.\tThe\tarrows\tmade\ta\tbed\tfor\thim and\t he\t lay\t on\t it\t as\t Yudhisthira,\t Bhima,\t Duryodhana,\t Kama,\t Kripa,\t all\t warriors from\t both\t the\t Pandavas\u2019\t as\t well\t as\t the\t Kauravas\u2019\t side\t gathered\t around\t him. Bhishma\tsaid,\t\u201cArjuna,\tI\tam\tthankful\tfor\tthis\thero\u2019s\tbed\tthat\tyou\thave\tpresented me.\tBut\tmy\thead\tis\thurting\tbecause\tit\thas\tno\tsupport.\tPlease\tgive\tme\ta\tpillow.\u201d Arjuna\tshot\ttwo\tarrows.\tThe\tarrows\tslid\tpast\tBhishma\u2019s\thead\tand\tsupported\this head\twithout\thurting\thim\ta\tbit. Next,\t Bhishma\t asked\t for\t some\t water.\t Duryodhana\t sent\t his\t men\t to\t fetch\t some water.\t Bhishma\t said,\t \u201cMy\t son,\t the\t water\t you\t are\t offering\t me\t is\t not\t the\t water\t I want.\u201d\t Then\t he\t looked\t at\t Arjuna\t again.\t Arjuna\t shot\t an\t arrow\t to\t the\t ground. Suddenly\ta\tstream\tof\twater\tsprang\tfrom\tthe\tground\tto\tBhishma\u2019s\tmouth.","It\twas\tthe\triver\tGanga,\tBhishma\u2019s\tmother.\tIt\tsatisfied\thim\tas\the\tfelt\tclose\tto\this mother.\t Bhishma\t looked\t at\t Krishna\t with\t great\t joy.\t He\t said,\t \u201cI\t bow\t to\t you,\t my Master.\tYou\tare\tthe\tLord\tof\tall\tthe\tworlds.\tI\tam\ttired\tof\tthis\tlife.\tThe\ttruth\tshall win\tthis\twar\tand\tI\tam\thappy.\tI\tmust\tleave\tthe\tearth\tnow.\u201d Bhishma\twas\tblessed\tby\this\tfather\tthat\the\twould\tdie\twhen\the\twished.\tSo\tas\the lay\t on\t his\t bed\t of\t arrows,\t he\t kept\t waiting\t for\t Uttarayana\t Punyakala,\t an auspicious\t day.\t It\t was\t believed\t that\t on\t the\t day\t of\t Uttarayana\t Punyakala\t the doors\t of\t Vaikuntha,\t where\t Lord\t Vishnu\t lives,\t is\t thrown\t open\t and\t the\t souls leaving\t the\t earth\t can\t see\t the\t Lord.\t Bhishma\t died\t when\t Uttarayana\t Punyakala arrived.\tHis\tsoul\tthen\tmade\tits\tway\tto\theaven.","Gandhari\tCurses\tKrishna After\tthe\tgreat\twar\tof\tKurukshetra\twas\tover,\tKrishna\twalked\tinto\tthe\tbattlefield where\t the\t women\t sat,\t crying\t over\t their\t dead\t husbands,\t fathers\t and\t sons. Gandhari\twas\ttrying\tto\tcalm\tthem\twhile\tshe\tgrieved\tfor\tthe\tloss\tof\ther\tsons. She\t was\t unable\t to\t find\t words\t to\t console\t the\t women,\t when\t Krishna\t walked\t to her\tand\tbowed\tto\ther\trespectfully. When\tGandhari\tsaw\tKrishna,\tshe\tsaid,\t\u201cYou\tare\tthe\tcause\tof\tdeath\tof\tmy\tsons. You\t could\t have\t prevented\t the\t war\t but\t you\t did\t not.\t As\t a\t result\t the\t Kurus\t have been\t almost\t wiped\t out.\t I\t curse\t you\t that\t you\t too\t shall\t die\t like\t an\t animal\t while your\tclan\tof\tVrishnis\twill\tbe\twiped\tout\tas\tthey\tfight\tamongst\tthemselves.\u201d Krishna\tsmiled\tgently\tand\tsaid,\t\u201cMother,\tyou\thave\trelieved\tme\tof\ta\tburden.\tMy clan\tcannot\tbe\tdestroyed\tby\tanyone\tin\tthis\tworld\texcept\tby\tthemselves.\tLately, they\thave\tgrown\tto\tbe\tvery\tsinful\tand\tgreedy.\tYou\thave\tsolved\tmy\tproblem\tfor it\tis\tonly\tfitting\tthat\tthey\tfight\tamongst\tthemselves\tand\tkill\teach\tother.\tAs\tto\tmy death,\t I\t accept\t your\t curse\t by\t way\t of\t your\t blessings.\u201d\t Gandhari\t calmed\t down when\t she\t heard\t Krishna,\t though\t the\t grief\t of\t seeing\t all\t her\t son\u2019s\t dead\t still overwhelmed\ther.","Her\tcurse\ttook\teffect\twhen\tsages,\tVishvamitra,\tKanva\tand\tNarada\twent\tto\tvisit Dwarka.\t A\t group\t of\t young\t Vishni\t boys\t dressed\t one\t of\t themselves\t as\t a\t woman and\thid\ta\tmace\tin\this\tdress.\tThen\tthey\ttook\tthe\tboy\tto\tthe\tsages\tand\tasked,\t\u201cThis woman\tis\tabout\tto\thave\ta\tbaby.\tKindly\ttell\tus\tif\tit\twill\tbe\ta\tboy\tor\ta\tgirl.\u201d The\t sages\t soon\t understood\t that\t this\t was\t a\t mischief.\t They\t felt\t they\t had\t been insulted.\tSo\tthey\tcursed,\t\u201cWhatever\tthe\tboy\tis\thiding\tunder\this\tdress\twill\tbe\tthe cause\tof\tdestruction\tof\tthis\tclan.\u201d\tWhen\tBalarama\theard\tthis\the\tquickly\ttook\tthe mace\tand\tground\tit\tinto\ta\tpowder\tbefore\tthrowing\tit\tin\tthe\tsea. While\t he\t did\t this\t some\t pieces\t broke\t off\t from\t the\t mace.\t Balarama\t threw\t away those\t pieces\t too.\t Now,\t one\t day\t the\t Vishnis\t went\t for\t a\t picnic\t at\t the\t seaside.\t A fight\t broke\t out\t between\t them.\t Some\t seaweed\t were\t growing\t by\t the\t seaside which\tthey\tpulled\tout\tto\tstrike\teach\tother\twith.\tThe\tseaweeds\thad\tgrown\tout\tof the\t powder\t of\t the\t mace.\t They\t were\t long\t and\t sharp.\t Soon\t all\t the\t Vishnis\t died and\tso\tbrought\tan\tend\tto\tthe\tclan. Balarama\t could\t not\t bear\t the\t sorrow\t of\t having\t lost\t his\t men.\t He\t went\t to\t the seaside\tand\tgave\tup\this\tbody.\tIt\tis\tsaid\tthat\the\tconverted\tinto\ta\tlarge\tblack\tsnake with\tfive\theads\tand\tdrowned\thimself\tinto\tthe\tsea.\tBalarama\tis\tsaid\tto\thave\tbeen an\tincarnation\tof\tLord\tVishnu\u2019s\tfaithful\tfollower,\tSheshnaag. Krishna\t too\t could\t not\t bear\t the\t loss\t of\t his\t men\t and\t his\t brother.\t He\t went\t to\t the forest\tand\tclimbed\ta\ttree.\tThere,\tin\this\tsorrow,\the\twas\tsitting\ton\ta\tbranch\twhen\ta hunter\tmistook\thim\tfor\ta\tbird\tand\tshot\tan\tarrow\ttowards\thim.\tThe\tarrow\tpierced","Krishna\u2019s\tfoot\tand\tKrishna\tdied\tfrom\tthe\twound.\tThe\thunter\thad\tmade\tthe\tarrow from\tthe\tpieces\tof\tthe\tmace\tthat\tBalarama\thad\tthrown\taway.\tThis\tway\tthe\tcurse of\tGandhari\tand\tthe\tsages,\tcame\ttrue.\tSo\tended\tLord\tKrishna\u2019s\tlife\tand\the\twent back\tto\this\theavenly\tabode.",""]
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