Week 7 story: Entering Eternity

 Yudhishthira was taken to the city of eternity and bliss. He looked at the beauty before him, everything was breathtaking. He could roam the earth for eternity and never find nor jewel or sight to match the marvelous sight before him.  Then he noticed a familiar figure seated upon a throne, it was the wicked Duryodhana. He noticed all the Kauravas were here but could not find his other brothers or his wife. 

Indra appeared before him and put his hand on Yudhisthira's shoulder. Indra said, " Here you shall stay forever, eternal bliss. Unbind your earthly tethers and achieve perfect, Yudhisthira. Your brothers have fallen short, you will not find them here."

Yudhishthira said, " I cannot remain here with the people who have done me great wrong. I belong where my brothers and our wife. " 

A celestial being then appeared before him and took him where brothers and wife remained.  He entered the forest of the nether regions. The leaves were as sharp as the mightiest of weapons and the path complexly covered with knives. He had never seen such a dark place where the mutilated corpse served as decorations. The damned forced to torment in eternal fire and the air smelled of horror. Shapes of horror surrounded him and then he came across the boiling river.  The boiling river led Yudhishthiras eyes to the a placed covered in thorns served to torture the souls that found themselves in such a place. He gazed at the horrors, unable to speak a word. 

Yudhishthira turned his back immediately on such horrors but then he heard familiar voices calling unto him. It was his brothers and wife pleading him to stay to comfort them in their despair. 

Yudhishthira said to the celestial being, " Apart from me fore I must remain here to comfort the suffering of my brethren and Draupadi. "

As he said this the gods appeared and the scene of horror disappeared, for it was just an illusion to test him. Then he was taken to bathe in the heavenly Ganges. Having bathed in its sacred waters, he went off his mortal body then became celestial. His body felt light and never better, like if it was completely new.Then rejoicing, the celestial city of Indra called Swarga. When he entered he was welcomed by his brethren, Draupadi, and all who had loved him on earth.

 

 

The journey to hell

Author's Note: I was inspired by one of our readings this week where Yudhishthira is taken to heaven and tested. I really enjoyed reading this story so I did not really change it, I just put it in my own words and descriptions. Thanks for stopping by!

Source. Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913). [500 words]