Did the Pandavas go to the Heavens or Vaikunta after death?
A devotee asked like this:
“Today a question came to my mind. Krishna instructed Bhagavat Gita to Arjuna (dearest among all). But he did not secure salvation or went to Vaikunta or Goloka to join Krishna after death. Why some demons like Sisupal killed by Krishna got liberated?”
REPLY:
There are two different versions about this matter.
I too read in original Mahabharatha that Arjuna and other Pandavas, and even Duryodhana went to heaven after they left the earth.
(MUKTI or MOKSHA or DEVOTIONAL SERVICE ; WHAT IS THE TARGET OF DEVOTEES? READ HERE!)
But, Srimad Bhagavatam that is the bonafide Scripture about Krishna, says in Canto-1, Ch-15, Verss 47&48 that Pandavas went to Krishna’s abode.
“Thus by pure consciousness due to constant devotional remembrance, they attained the spiritual sky, which is ruled over by the Supreme Nārāyaṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa. This is attained only by those who meditate upon the one Supreme Lord without deviation. This abode of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, known as Goloka Vṛndāvana, cannot be attained by persons who are absorbed in the material conception of life. But the Pāṇḍavas, being completely washed of all material contamination, attained that abode in their very same bodies.”
How was this possible?
Srimad Bhagavatam Canto-1, Ch-15, Verss 28, 44, 50 also say that all the Pandava brothers followed Yuthistra’s decision of getting detached from material life and meditate upon Krishna. Verse 50 says that both Draupati and Subhadra too decided so and got liberated like Pandava brothers.
Now, it is my duty to give justifications to both the versions of Mahabharatha and Srimad Bhagavatam:
(1) Justification for the Version of Mahabharatha that the Pandavas went to Heavens!
Krishna chose Arjuna to perform a task of establishing dharma and also to preach Bhagavad Gita. You ask why he did not take Arjuna and Pandavas with Him though He gave Pandavas the opportunity to directly associate with Him. Even Yuthishtra, who was the symbol of dharma was taken to the hell just as a token visit and to the heavens.
It is said that everyone who associates with Krishna will get liberated from material planets and be taken to the Vaikunta planets.
Then, why should the pandavas go to the heavens?
We have to analyze the background in which Krishna came and performed lilas with Pandavas and I got the answer for that.
(Why and How did we fall down from Goloka? How to avoid it? READ HERE!)
Pandavas and Kauravas were kshatriyas and they were fighting to establish their position of rulers.
King Janaka too was a kshatriya, but he deserted his attachments and performed devotional service to Krishna. So, he got Moksha, ie Vaikunta Prapthi.
Arjuna and other Pandavas wanted to rule the country. Thus, they aimed for the position of king.
Though they fought for getting their share of lands, it is also a desire, of course, genuine/ permissible desire for every kshatriya (protectors of country). A kshatriya should protect his country from enemies.
Though it is an assigned duty for kshatriyas, it also involves a desire. When they rule, they have to enjoy the fruits and comforts as kings.
Any duty without enjoying the fruits elevate a person towards liberation. He will further adopt a devotional way of life detaching from material affairs. Hence that person can attain liberation and/ or Moksha, ie, a life in vaikunta planets.
(Why Pandavas did not protect Draupati when she was undressed by Dusshasana? READ HERE!)
Here, Pandavas fought as per the direction of Krishna and as a duty of a kshatriya. They ruled the country with all the comforts meant for kings.
Therefore, it will be very difficult to detach from material affairs totally for the kings. A very few kings in records like Janaka followed the spiritual way of life seriously and attained moksha.
Pandavas fought for their country that is the kshatriya dharma. They had all the comforts as kings. They followed dharma in ruling the country. Therefore, they were given a gift of heavenly life after death.
Anyone who follows dharma and has some material attachments attain a life in heavenly planets. This is the rule.
(12 THINGS TO FOLLOW TO GO BACK TO KRISHNA’s GOLOKA AT THE END OF THIS BIRTH ITSELF! READ HERE!)
Anyone who follows dharma and desert all material attachments attains mukthi.
If the same person surrenders to Krishna after deserting material attachments and live a life with penances, he attains moksha and goes to Vaikunta planets.
Another reason can be that Krishna might have wanted the Pandavas to rule their country, get the fruits in heavenly life, after that, take rebirth and serve the mankind. Hence, Krishna might have sent them to heavens.
It is the will of Krishna. That is why, I have been writing in my articles that we should not even pray to go back to Krishna. Because, Krishna may wish to further utilize our services in any planet.
In this way, Krishna might have wished to utilize the services of good souls Arjuna and Pandavas further after their life in heavens.
Another reason may be that Pandavas, Karna & Draupati were the children with the qualities of heavenly persons like Indra, Vayu, Surya, Agni, etc. So, after death, they might have reached those respective destination in the heavenly planets like Vayu loka, Indra loka, Surya loka, etc.
These reasons alone can be the justifications for Pandavas getting directed to the heavens after leaving this planet, as per Mahabharatha’s version.
(2) Justification for the Version of Srimad Bhagavatam that the Pandavas got life in Krishna’s abode!
Had the Pandavas won the country by following kshatriya dharma and after that deserted all the attachments with the material life and performed serious penances, they would have attained Moksha,, ie gone to vaikunta planets.
Srimad Bhagavatam confirms that they did so. They did purification penances after deserting their material duties as said by Srimad Bhagavatam Canto-1, Ch-15, Verss 28-31:
“Sūta Gosvāmī said: Thus being deeply absorbed in thinking of the instructions of the Lord, which were imparted in the great intimacy of friendship, and in thinking of His lotus feet, Arjuna’s mind became pacified and free from all material contamination.
Arjuna’s constant remembrance of the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa rapidly increased his devotion, and as a result all the trash in his thoughts subsided.
Because of the Lord’s pastimes and activities and because of His absence, it appeared that Arjuna forgot the instructions left by the Personality of Godhead. But factually this was not the case, and again he became lord of his senses.
Because of his possessing spiritual assets, the doubts of duality were completely cut off. Thus he was freed from the three modes of material nature and placed in transcendence. There was no longer any chance of his becoming entangled in birth and death, for he was freed from material form.”
Thus, as per Srimad Bhagavatam, the Pandavas got life in Krishna’s abode.
Thus, we need to accept both the versions with their justifications.
Why Duryodhana too got heavenly life?
Duryodhana too had material attachments and he was killed in war field. As per the kshatriya dharma, anyone who is killed in the war field by anther soldier will get a happy life in the heavens, not the moksha. On this basis, Duryodhana too went to heavenly life after getting killed.
(MUKTI or MOKSHA or DEVOTIONAL SERVICE; WHAT IS THE TARGET OF DEVOTEES? READ HERE!)
Why Ravana, Kamsa, Sisupala & Hiranyakasipu got liberated?
There is a blessing by the Lord that anyone who has got the fortune of getting killed DIRECTLY BY THE LORD HIMSELF will get liberated and in some cases, they even go to the kingdom of Vaikunta.
Getting killed by the Lord Himself is not an easy fortune. In fact, Ravana and Hiranyakasipu were the most fortunate people that though they did adharmic acts, they had the rarest opportunity to face the Lord directly and get killed by the Lord Himself.
Moreover, They had come from vaikunta by the curse of rishis. So, as per the conditions of that curse, they are supposed to go back to Vaikunta by getting killed by the Lord Himself.
When such demonic people were killed by the Lord, the divine power of the Lord Vishnu/ Krishna/ Rama/ Narasimha cleanse the demonic qualities of that person.
Krishna cut Sisupala’s head with Sudarshan Chakra; Krishna also directly killed Kamsa.
Though they were demonic in nature, they too were always thinking of Krishna till they died. They were always thinking how to trick and kill Krishna. Since they too were thinking Krishna till they were directly killed by the Lord Himself. And, they also got the fortune of getting killed by Krishna that gives them liberation and in some cases, give moksha.
Hope you are clear whether the Pandavas went to the Heavens or Vaikunta after death!
(How to go back to Krishna at the earliest? READ HERE!)