Pandavas didn’t get moksha; Ravana, Kamsa, Sisupal & Hiranya got. Why?
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?”
REPLY:
Yes. I too read in original Mahabharatha that Arjuna and other Pandavas, even Duryodhana did not get Moksha, but went to heaven after they left the earth.
(MUKTI or MOKSHA or DEVOTIONAL SERVICE ; WHAT IS THE TARGET OF DEVOTEES? READ HERE!)
Why Pandavas did not get moksha?
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 not given the moksha and taken to Goloka or Vaikunta planets.
It is said that everyone who associates with Krishna will get liberated from material planets and be taken to the Vaikunta planets. It did not happen here.
I analyzed the ground situation 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.
Did Arjuna and Pandavas desert their desire to rule the country? No. They 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 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 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 they 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. But, there is no record in Mahabharatha that they detached from material attachments. In other words, they ruled the country with all the comforts meant for kings.
Therefore, they were not detached. In fact, for the kings, it will be very difficult to detach from material affairs totally. 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.
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.
Anyone who follows dharma and has some material attachments attain a life in heavenly planets. This is the rule.
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 wanted Pandavas to rule their country, get the fruits in heavenly life, after that take rebirth and serve the mankind. Hence, Krishna 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.
Why Duryodhana did not get moksha?
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 moksha?
There is a blessing by the Lord that anyone who has got the fortune of getting killed DIRECTLY BY THE LORD HIMSELF will get the moksha and 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.
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 moksha
Hope you are clear about why Pandavas didn’t get moksha, whereas Ravana, Kamsa, Sisupal & Hiranya got.
(How to go back to Krishna at the earliest? READ HERE!)