Dhritarashtra prepares to leave

Dhritrarashtra stayed for five more years. He was constantly thinking of how to convince Yudhistira and leave the palace. He went to Gandhari and said - I am feeling imprisoned here. Every time I am here, I feel I could have done things differently and situations would have been different. What is the way in which I can be relieved?
Gandhari said A life away from family ties is what is needed. I want to retire to the forest and spend my life in meditation. This is a life that I want to lead and Yudhistira should not stop me.

The next day morning, Dhritarashtra sent for Vidura. He said he had decided to leave the palace and would not listen to Yudhistira anymore. Vidura said he would come along also.

Dhritarashtra and Vidura took off the royal robes and dressed in plain clothes. Gandhari did the same too. Sanjaya heard this and said he wanted to go with them too.

When Kunti heard this, she went to Dhritarashtra. She said she wanted to accompany them. Dhritarashtra accepted her. 

Gandhari curses Krishna

Gandhari continued - Fire comes in my mouth when I think of how unfair you have been. Listen Krishna. I will curse you and then my grief will be lessened. The way my daughters in law, the same way your daughters in law will cry. You created a divide among the Pandavas and the Kauravas and similarly your clan will get divided.

Yudhistira started shaking hearing this. Krishna knew this was to happen. He went to Gandhari and said I accept your curse. If this pleases you and makes you calm, I accept this. 

Gandhari addresses Krishna

Janmajeya said - Please tell me what Gandhari said. How did she control her grief? What did she say to Krishna? Why did she curse Krishna?
The sage said -
Listening to Krishna, the queen sat up. Then Gandhari said to Krishna - See Krishna, my hundred sons lie dead, slain by Bhima. You can hear their wives crying. The women who had never stepped out of the house, are out in the open, in the field. All sons are the same to a mother, wether they are good or bad. I am not able to stand this. If I could show you the weight I have in my heart, I would have shown it to you. Off all the griefs one has, the loss of a child is the gravest. Only one who has carried a child in her womb and feel this. How will you console me Krishna? Duryodhana, who was worshipped by his subjects in now being eaten by jackals. When he asked me who will win, I said where there is justice, where ever there is Krishna, Victory will be there. I know Duryodhana did not listen to any advise and thus met his end. Shakuni, my brother, through his cunning mind brought about this. The Pandavas will rule here after and no one is left to rule after that.
Krishna and the Pandavas were quite.
Draupadi was crying for her sons. Uttara, holding Abhimanyu's body was crying.
Gandhari was crying away, calling out to Duryodhana. She then turned to Krishna and said - O son of Devaki. You are the cause of all this destruction. You could have stopped this war. If you had not stepped in and become the charioteer, things would have been opposite. You knew Abhimanyu would step into the formation as he knew how to get in and did not know how to get out. You used Ghatotkacha to save Arjuna from the powerful weapon of Karna.

Gandhari goes to the battlefield

It was a horrible sight at the battlefield. Vultures were flying everywhere. Jackals and Dogs were tearing at the flesh of the dead.
People looked around for the bodies of their departed ones. Some recognized the body parts, some saw the bodies and some could find the bodies at all.
There were dead animals and chariots and many jewels were scattered there.
After some time, Gandhari was able to spot Duryodhana. She swooned seeing her dead son. People thought she had died. Krishna, Satyaki and the Pandavas raised her and revived her.
Seeing Krishna, Gandhari said See, there is Duryodhana. Where is Karna? Why is not here with him? Where is Shakuni? Where are Bhishma and Drona? He who had never lain on a hard bed, why does he lie on the bare ground? Get up son. Bhima and Arjuna are calling for a fight.
Krishna said Do no grieve. Your sons have what they deserved. Go with the Pandavas now. 

Kunti sees her sons

Gandhari then asked the Pandavas to greet their mother, Kunti. Kunti was overjoyed to see her sons, Krishna and Satyaki. She hugged her sons, her eyes full of tears.
Krishna said Why are your eyes wet? Yudhistira will now become the king.

Draupadi came and bowed down to all.

Gandhari then decided to go into the field to see the dead bodies of her sons. All the ladies, Krishna and the Pandavas went behind her.

Dhritarashtra goes to Kurukshetra

Vyasa said - Do not grieve for the departed. Let me tell you something. Once I was in the land of Brahma. There the earth came and said she wanted some relief. Vishnu said the demons that he had killed had been born as Kshatriyas. Brahma said Duryodhana will be born and will torment many.
Hearing this, the earth said how will be relieved.Brahma said Gods will born as sons of Pandu. Duryodhana will be born as son of Dhritarashtra. Vishnu as Krishna will be there to help the sons of Pandu when turmoil will start with who will gain the kingdom. Do not worry O Earth. You will be relieved off Duryodhana. This Duryodhana is your son. He had Karna as his friend and Shakuni as his adviser. Thus I tell you, do not grieve.

Sanjaya said Kings from many lands have come to pay their condolences.

Dhritarashtra asked Vidura to fetch the women. Vidura said Dhritarashtra is going to the battlefield where all your sons lie dead.

Hearing this, wails broke out. Vidura said Please control yourselves. The king wants you to come to the battlefield.
The women climbed on the chariots and left for the ground. They were crying away, cursing their fate and crying to their departed ones.

At that point, Ashwatthama, Kripacharya and Kritavarma came and met Dhritarashtra. They told him that all his sons were dead and Bhima had killed all of them. To take revenge they had killed the brothers and sons of Draupadi.

Hearing that Dhritarashtra was coming, the Pandavas decided to greet him. Yudhistira asked Krishna how should he face the King and Gandhari?
Krishna said Do not fear. I am the One who controls Life and Death. Do not fear for your life. I know Gandhari will not curse you. Please go and greet her and the king.

The five brothers and Krishna then went to meet the King. 

Marriage of the Kuru Princes and birth of Karna

When the three boys grew up they were sent for their education. Along with the scriptures they learnt the art of warfare. When they were of age, it was time to get them married.
In the clan of Yadavas there was a king called Subala who had a daughter called Gandhari. She had a boon that she would give birth to hundred sons of great strength.
Bhishma sent a proposal to Subala for the marriage of Gandhari with Dhritarashtra.
The king thought over the proposal. The only hitch was that Dhritarshatra was blind. Apart from that, the Kurus were a strong clan.
Agreeing to the proposal, Subala agreed to give Gandhari to Dhritarashtra. Along with Gandhari, many maids and a lot of wealth was sent. Gandhari's brother, Shakuni also came along with his sister.
When Gandhari heard that her husband was blind, she decided to follow her husband, Taking a clean white cloth, she tied it over her eyes thereby she also became blind.
Handing over his sister to Dhritarashtra, Shakuni returned back to his kingdom.

After the wedding of the elder prince, Bhishma started thinking of a bride for Pandu.
Shura was a Yadava king, the grandfather of Shri Krishna. Seeing that the king Kuntibhoja, his cousin,  was childless, he gave his daughter Pritha to her, for bringing her up as his own.He named her Kunti.

One day the sage Durvasa came visiting the land where Kuntibhoja lived. Seeing Durvasa, Kunti washed his feet with her own hands and welcomed him. She looked after the sage and was there to serve him, with folded hands.
Pleased with her devotion, Durvasa gave her a mantra. He told her whenever she uttered the mantra with any God in mind, that God would appear before her. Saying this and blessing her, the sage left.

Kunti wanted to try out the mantra. She uttered the mantra thinking of Surya.
Surya appeared and Kunti bowing down, said she was just testing the mantra. She said she had called him without any reason and she begged forgiveness.

Surya said the mantra is powerful and will not go futile. Surya said Kunti needed to sleep with with him.
Kunti said she was a virgin and all would be ashamed if she performed a act like that. Surya said, with his boon, her virginity would remain intact. A son was born of Kunti and Surya and Surya left.
The child was born with an armor on his body and earrings on his ears.

Kunti was not sure what to do and what people would say to her. Taking a large copper vessel, she placed the child in that. She carefully placed the vessel in the waters of Yamuna and watched it float away.

A Suta (charioteer) was bathing in the waters of Yamuna when he saw the floating vessel. Curious to know what was inside, he got the vessel to the shore. Seeing a beautiful boy inside, he called out to his wife Radha.

The couple was childless and they adopted the boy. They named the boy Vasusena. The boy grew up learning all he could. He would always give alms away to any brahmana who came his way. All that was asked off him, he gave. Such was the case that when later Indra asked for his armor and earrings, he cut them off his body and gave it away. As he had cut off his body to give away what was asked for, he was also known as Karna. In lieu of the armor, Indra had a given to Karna a ferocious weapon called Ekagni, which would mean sure death of the one on whom this was hurled.

Going back, Kunti's swayamvar was organized. All kings came there and among then was Pandu, looking regal like Indra himself. Kunti chose Pandu as her husband. Pandu came back to his land along with Kunti.

None of the princes had any children. Bhishma thought of marriage again.

Shalya, the king of Madra had a beautiful sister called Madri. Bhishma asked for Madri's hand for his brother's son. Shalya said in their land they had a custom of receiving dowry from the groom, to which Bhishma agreed. Bhishma came back with Madri and got her married to Pandu.

Pandu wanted to expand the kingdom and he went on an expedition towards the West. Pandu defeated many kings and made them his subordinates.

Pandu was greeted by Bhisma when he arrived. Pandu gave all the wealth that he had got, to Dhritarashtra.

There was a king called Sudeva who had a beautiful daughter called Parashari, who was known for her beauty. Bhishma got this princess married to Vidura.