Duryodhana rebukes Krishna

Hearing Krishna's words, Duryodhana got up a little, supporting himself on his elbows. He said - Krishna, I now realize you the main culprit. You had planned all this. To you the sons of Pandu should have been the same like the sons of Dhritarashtra.

Krishna said You touched a pure Draupadi with your hands. The kings like Karna dies because of your sins. You sealed your fate when you killed Abhimanyu.

Duryodhana said I behaved like a Kshatriya. I will go to heaven with the heroes. Yudhistira can rule with the widows.

Balarama said I will kill Bhima, who did this to Duryodhana.

Krishna stopped him and said Where was your anger when Draupadi was insulted by asking her to sit on his thigh? That was was the day when Bhima promised he would break the thighs of Duryodhana. You will not know as you were not there. Hear this. There was a sage called Maitreya who used to loose his temper easily. The sage cursed Duryodhana that Bhima would break his thighs.

Balarama calmed down and but still kept abusing Bhima. He then left the place.

Slowly everyone returned to their camps. 

Bhima kicks Duryodhana

Bhima said to the fallen Duryodhana - You insulted Draupadi in front of all. This is a result of that.
Duryodhana was quiet. Bhima kicked him on his head, with his left foot.
Yudhistira stopped Bhima and said this was not proper. Kicking someone was not proper, and never on the head.
To Duryodhana - Yudhistira said You have lost all. Today you lie on the ground and your crown is in the dust. All I had asked was for five villages. You could have given that and none of this would have happened. How will Dhritarashtra live, knowing that all his sons are dead? How will I face Gandhari?
Krishna hearing this said - Do not pity him. He dragged Draupadi in the court when she was wearing a single garment. He tried to burn you alive in the house of Lac. He does not deserve kindness.

Bhima breaks Duryodhana's thighs

The Gods came to see the fight between Bhima and Duryodhana. The two were shouting and trying to hit each other like two bulls fighting. Bhima hit Duryodhana many times and Duryodhana fell, but got up again swiftly. He then struck Bhima who fell on the ground and was unable to get up.
Yudhistira asked Krishna about this. Krishna said Duryodhana is stronger than Bhima. Yudhistira said Does that mean we will not win?
Krishna said Calm down.
Bhima got up. Krishna, in a playful manner slapped his thigh. He reminded Bhima about his promise.
Bhima remember this. He also remembered that Balarama had said while teaching him, that he was never to strike anyone below the navel. He was afraid of Balarama. Then he decided to try that ignoring the fact that he could become subject to the anger of Balarama.
Bhima jumped in the air with his mace. Duryodhana thought Bhima would strike his head. Bhima swung the mace and hit Duryodhana on his thigh. He then struck on the other thigh. Duryodhana fell with both his thighs broken. 

Greatness of Kurukshetra

Janmajeya said - Please tell me about the greatness of Kurukshetra.
The sage said - Your ancestor Kuru was a great king who ruled over his subjects like his own children. He was a strong king and there was no one in equal to him, in might. All over the earth, his name was known.
Taking a large yoke, one day, the king with two blue bullocks went on to plow the earth. He plowed early in the morning and then went on to take care of his subjects. This continued for a few days.
One day, Indra in disguise, went to the king when he was plowing. He asked the king why he was plowing. The king said he was making the land fertile. After that he would have a grand sacrifice there. He would then please Indra.
Pleased, the person said he was Indra. The king fell at his feet. He said I had not been able to recognize you with my mortal eyes.
Indra said I will give you a boon.
The king said Let the land that I have tilled be known as Kurukshetra. Let the one who touches the dust of this place be relieved from all sins.
Indra said So be it.

After that Janmajeya asked the sage - What happened to Bhima and Duryodhana?

The sage said - Sanjaya told Dhritarashra about the fight and the fall of Duryodhana. The king was mad with grief. Sanjaya said Why do you grieve now? You knew this would happen.

Dhritarashtra said Please tell me details of the fight between Bhima and Duryodhana.

Balarama comes to Kurukshetra

Janmajeya asked the sage - Tell me about the travels of Balarama.
The sage said -
After visiting all the pilgrim spots, Balrama came to the ashrama of the sage Shandilya. There Balarama saw the sage Narada.
Narada told Balarama - You went for a pilgrimage and here the Pandavas and the Kauravas have started fighting. Krishna acted as the charioteer of Arjuna. Bhishma, Drona and Karna are dead. Your nephew Abhimanyu is dead. Duryodhana is the only Kaurava left along with Kripa and Ashwatthama. He is hiding in the Dwaipayana lake. There Bhima and Duryodhana will have a fight using their maces.

Hearing Narada, Balarama left for the lake. The Pandavas and Krishna greeted Balarama. With a sad face with tears in his eyes, Duryodhana also came and greeted Balarama.
Balarama asked Krishna Why did he let the Kauravas get defeated?

Krishna said Listen. You know about the atrocities that Duryodhana brought about, on the Pandavas. Shakuni, with his enchanted dice, won over everything of the Pandavas. Draupadi was made a maid and brought in the court. Her clothes were snatched off. At that time Dhritarashtra stopped the game. Another game happened. Who ever lost would go to the forest for twelve years and then go in hiding for a year. After all this, when the Pandavas asked for their land back, it was refused. I was insulted by Duryodhana when I went to mediate. That is when the war happened. I am not at fault.

Balarama then asked Duryodhana to give their land to them, to which Duryodhana refused. He said he had lost a lot in the war and would now not give anything away. He said I know I was unfair. Abhimanyu was killed by unfair means. I also know that I will be killed by Bhima and the complete kingdom will go to Yudhistira.

Balarama said I will then leave for Dwaraka as my words are not being listened to.

Krishna asked Balarama to wait and watch the fight between Bhima and Duryodhana.

Yudhistira said This is the land of Kurukshetra. Whoever dies here attain heaven. 

Indra kills Trishira

The sage continuing, said to Janmajeya -
Let me tell you about the pilgrim place of Dadhichi.
Brahma had a son called Twastha. He was a learned person. He married an asura woman and through her he had a son called Trishira, who had three heads. From one head, the boy recited the Vedas and from one he constantly took the name of Rama. With the third head he consumed liquor.
He performed sacrifices and gave a major share of the sacrifice to the daityas.
The Gods hearing this went to their lord Indra and asked him to correct this. In anger, Indra cut off the head of Trishira.
Twastha, hearing this, was furious. He performed a sacrifice, and from that was born an asura called Vritta. Vritta fought and defeated Indra. He then took over the throne of Indra.
The Gods went to Brahma. Brahma asked them to go to Vishnu.
They prayed to Vishnu and asked him to help them. 

The pilgrimage of Soma

After this, Balarama went to the pilgrim place of Soma. He had a bath there and gave gifts of cows to the Brahmanas. 

Janmajeya asked the sage about this place. The sage said - 

Once Shiva was making love to Durga. The sperm of Shiva was burning and Durga unable to control that, flung that in the waters of Ganga. 

Ganga herself was not able to stand this and left the sperm in the clump of grass on the banks. From that was born a boy with six heads. Six wives of Chandra, seeing the boy, came to take care of him. They fed the boy and named his Kartikeya as the first one who had fed him him was Kritika. 

The son of Shiva grew up. Indra asked Shiva to get the maiden Devasena get married to Kartikeya. He would then become the husband of Devasena (Devasenapati) and would become the commander of the Gods and thus eventually would kill Tarakasura.

Shiva agreed to this. 

In the war with Tarakasura, Indra lost the battle and came to Kartikeya for help. All Gods gave weapons to Kartikeya and with those, Kartikeya killed Tarakasura. 

The sage said to Janmajeya - Here Balarama also heard the story of the birth of Kartikeya and then proceeded further.

The pilgrim of Vashistha

The sage said to Janmajeya - Listen while I tell you about the sites visited by Balarama.

Balarama went to the site of Vashishtha on the banks of river Saraswati. He bathed there and fed the poor.

Janmajeya asked - What is special about the place?

The sage said - I have told you earlier about Vashistha and Vishwamitra and their fight. Vishwamitra killed the sons of Vashishtha. He made the king Saudasa a rakshasha and through him he killed the eldest son of Vashistha. Vashishtha's daughter in law was pregnant at that time, and gave birth to the great sage Parasara. His sage was the great Vyasa.
Vashistha's ashrama was on the eastern banks of Saraswati and Vishwamitra was on the western bank. While Vashistha did not want to fight, Vishwamitra was looking for an excuse for the quarrel.

One day Vishwamitra called out to the river Saraswati. Scared of the sage, the river appeared before him. Vishwamitra said Vashistha is meditating. He is lost in that and has no sense left. Go and drown his ashrama.
Fearing Vishwamitra's curse, Saraswati went and flooded the ashrama of Vashistha. Vashistha was lost in meditation and had no sense. He floated away into the ashrama of Vishwamitra. Vishwamitra was pleased. He decided to get a sword and kill his enemy.
When he went to get the sword, the river started thinking. It is because of me that Vashishtha will die. I feared being cursed and thus brought Vashistha over. Let me become cursed but let me save the life of the sage.

Thinking thus, the river pushed Vashistha back into his ashrama. When he returned, Vishwamitra was furious to see what had happened. He cursed Saraswati to become bloody.
The waters of the river turned red. The ghosts and spirits were happy and blessed the sage for having provided them a source of blood.

The sages refused to bathe in the waters of the river. They went to Brahma and asked him to help. Brahma asked them to please Shiva.

On the banks of the river, the sages worshipped Shiva. Making a Shiva linga from the earth they worshiped that with flowers, milk, honey and butter.

Please Shiva appeared before them, riding on his bullock with the trident on his hand. The sages asked him to restore the waters of the rivers and Shiva did that.

This is a great pilgrim spot. Whoever bathes in this atones from the sin of the killing of brahmanas.

The rakshasas who had been feeding on the waters came crying. The sages said From today you will be offered the last part of the sacrifices. Feed on that and be satisfied.

Balarama kills Suta

Janmajeya asked Why did Balarama go on a pilgrimage?
The sage -

In the forest Naimisha, Shaunaka and the other sages were reading and reciting the Mahabharata. The sage Suta was reciting the epic and the other sages were listening. Balarama arrived there. All sages except Suta greeted Balarama and offered him a seat. He thought that the sages were always praising and listening to him and he was above all. Thus he did not greet Balarama.
Balarama was hurt and he said he would teach Suta a lesson.
Suta said he was in the process of reciting the Mahabharata and it would be a sin to leave this incomplete.
Balarama was angry. In his anger, he jumped up with his sword and cut off the head of the sage.
All were aghast. The killing of a brahamana was a grave sin. Suta was a learned sage and killing of his was not proper.
Balarama was ashamed at his deed.
Knowing this, Vyasa arrived there. All sages greeted him and received him. They told Vyasa what had happened.
Balarama said He had committed a mistake and wanted to atone for the sin.
Vyasa said Then lead the life of a celibate and go and visit all the pilgrim places. Perform sacrifices and feed brahmanas. Give gifts to the poor.
Saying this Vyasa left.
Suta's son Sauti was there. Balarama went to him and asked him to perform the last rites of his father. Balarama arranged for the ceremony and the gifts. After the ceremony he made Sauti sit in the place of his father to recite the Mahabharata.
After this, Balarama left for his pilgrimage. He had left when the Pandavas and Kauravas had been involved in the game of dice.

Janmajeya asked the sage - What pilgrim spots did Balarama visit?

Yudhistira taunts Duryodhana

Yudhistira said Why do you hide in the water, o King. Having the caused the death of your near ones, you are now hiding. Do not think you can escape in the waters.

Duryodhana could not stand this. He said You are many and I am alone. I will fight one person among you. I will fight Bhima with the mace.

Yudhistira said Then rise fast and fight Bhima.

Duryodhana rose from the waters with his mace. Seeing this, Bhima came forward with his mace.

At this same time, Balarama, who had been on a pilgrimage, arrived there. 

Pandavas find Duryodhana

The sage said to Janmajeya -

Duryodhana hid in the lake and the Pandavas kept looking for him. Not finding him, they returned to their camp. Yudhistira was not satisfied. If Duryodhana had escaped, he would come back again and fight for the kingdom.

At the lake the three warriors called out to Duryodhana to come out and fight and not run away. Ahwatthama promised that he would make a massacre of the Pandavas.

Duryodhana said Wait for a day. We will start tomorrow.

A hunter in the forest went to the lake to drink water and heard the conversation. He reported back to Yudhistira about the whereabouts of Duryodhana. Along with Krishna and an army, the Pandavas went where Duryodhana was.

Hearing the noise of the approaching army, the Kuru warriors asked Duryodhana what to do.

Duryodhana said he would hide under the water and wait for the night. In the night they would defeat the Pandavas. Hearing this the three warriors and hid themselves while Duryodhana went and hid in the water.

At the shores of the lake, Yudhistira asked Krishna how was Duryodhana hiding under the water. Krishna said Duryodhana knew mantras to control his breath.

Krishna asked the Pandavas to insult Duryodhana. He would not be able to stand that and would come out.