Kripacharya advises Duryodhana that they should surrender to Pandavas for the sake of peace. Atleast there will be peace in the kingdom now that all the Kauravas are already dead. Duryodhana refused as he still desired to be the king.

Shalya, even though on his way to join Pandavas, changed sides for flimsy reasons enticed by Duryodhana’s feast. He choose the side of adharma over dharma, merely for material joy. Therefore, even though he helped Pandavas by abusing Karna, he was killed by Yudishtira.

Bhishma had a boon that he could choose his time of death. Therefore, even though mortally wounded, he choose to wait till Uttarayana, considered an auspicious period.

Duryodhana knew Jalasthambana, which is the art of staying alive under water. Therefore he entered the Dvaipayana lake. He entered the Sarovar backwards to make it appear like the footprints are coming out of the lake. He thought people would get deceived that someone has walked out of the lake. When the elders come and tell Duryodhana that he should surrender instead of hiding, some hunters overhear the conversation. The Pandavas were searching for Duryodhana. The hunters tell the Pandavas where Duryodhana is hiding.

Yudishtira calls out Duryodhana and says surrender or fight. Duryodhana says he still wants to be king and is in the lake to take rest. He asks Pandavas also take rest and then resume the fight later. Yudishtira refuses to accept this. Duryodhana says that he is alone. Yudishtira says choose the weapon and the person who you want to fight with. This was foolish of Yudhistira as he had sworn to kill himself if any of his brothers get killed. Krishna tells Yudishtira that he is gambling again at the cost of his brothers’ lives.

Duryodhana chooses Gadha and then comes out. Then Bheema steps forward to fight before Duryodhana could choose the opponent. This was lucky as someone like Nakula would have been easily killed by Duryodhana and then Yudishtira also would have killed himself due to the vow that he had taken.

The fight between Bheema and Duryodhana was prolonged. This fight has many popular versions. Krishna signals to Bheema patting his thigh reminding him of the vow that Bheema had taken. Bheema had vowed to break Duryodhana’s thigh during Draupadi’s vastraharana. In the original version, Arjuna points the thigh to Bheema. You may recall that Duryodhana had mocked Draupadi during Vastraharana to come and sit on his thigh. In popular stories, Duryodhana had been protected by his mother’s boon that he cannot get hurt above the waist. There are other versions also. Gandhari was smearing Duryodhana’s body to make him invincible. In another version, Gandhari, since she had covered her eyes, had a powerful eyesight. If she removed the strap, she could make anyone invincible by looking at them. She had even burnt Yudishtira’s nails by simply looking at his feet. She was looking at Duryodhana to make him invincible. At that time Duhsala or Krishna in the disguise of Duhsala comes there. Duryodhana’s lower body was covered and therefore he was not protected. In the original version, Duryodhana jumps in the air and then Bheema hits both of the thighs.

Even when Duryodhana was alive, vultures and other animals started feasting on him. The earth is surrounded by oceans which have gems in their depth. The four oceans became the girdle of the earth. Duryodhana ruled that earth. After having enjoyed all the pleasures of the earth, he has fallen with a broken thigh. He is still alive and animals and vultures are feasting on him. Ashwathama, Kritavarma and Kripacharya go to Duryodhana and Duryodhana appoints Ashwathama as the commander of Kauravas.

Ashwathama wants to take revenge on Dristadyumna and the panchalas. At night, Ashwathama sees a nest full of babies of the crows. An owl comes and starts pecking on the young ones. Looking at this, he gets an idea. He goes to kill the Pandavas. All the upapandavas were sleeping and so was Dristadyumna. Ashwathama goes to the camp even though Kripacharya advises against this. He asks both Kripacharya and Kritavarma to wait outside. Ashwathama massacres Drustadyumna. He sets the camp on fire and all the upapandavas get killed. Now the entire next generation of Pandavas have got killed.

Among the Pandavas, Abhimanyu’s wife Uttarakumari was pregnant when Adbhimanyu died. Once born, he could become the king even though all the upapandavas had died.

The Pandavas come to the site of upapandavas camp. As soon as they come out of the chariot it catches fire. Krishna tells Arjuna that I was protecting the chariot from catching fire from the arrows of Bhishma and Drona. It would have caught fire on the first or the second day of the war itself. Now that the war is over, Krishna is no longer protecting the chariot and therefore it got burnt.

Draupadi learns that all her sons have been killed. Her elder brother has also been killed. Draupadi says that Ashwathama has a gem on top of his head and she wants that gem. Ashwathama was heading towards the Ashrama of Vyasa. Bheema chases him. Ashwathama has a Brahmashirastra which he aims at the Pandavas. Arjuna immediately responds with another Astra. If the two arrows had met, it would have been like a nuclear explosion. So Narada and Vyasa Maharishi ask Arjuna to withdraw the astra which he does. Ashwathama says he cannot withdraw the arrow once fired. The arrow hits the womb of Uttara thereby eradicating the Pandava clan. Krishna brings back the child to life who is born as Parikshit. The name implies it was tested (with the strongest of weapons). Janamejaya is the son of Parikshit to whom the entire story of Mahabharata is told.

Krishna curses Ashwathama that he will be alive for three thousand years, but with all the suffering. He was made Chiranjivitva but as a curse. This is because of the genocide and infanticide that he had done. He is not supposed to have attacked a warrior without a weapon, leave alone someone who is sleeping.

Pandavas come and meet Gandhari and Dhritarashtra. The women rush to the battlefield to find that all their men had died in the battle. Dhritarashtra is overcome with pain. He says he wants to embrace Bheema, but his intention was to crush Bheema. Earlier, Duryodhana had created a statue of Bheema to practice fighting. Realisizing Dhritarashtra’s intention, Krishna places that statue in front of Dhritarashtra. The statue shatters to pieces as Dhritarashtra hugs it and Dhritarashtra’s chest is wounded as a result.

Krishna advises Yudishtira to take advice from Bhishma who is awaiting death. Shanti Parva contains the advice given by Bhishma to Yudishtira. 13,000 slokas of Shanti Parva convey this episode. Anushashana Parva also conveys this episode. However the 700 slokas of Bhagavad Gita are more popular over this advice as Krishna’s teachings are practical. Krishna had lived the life that he preached. This is opposed to the theoretical knowledge of Bhishma and Yudishtira. Vishnu and Shiva Sahasranama also come in these episodes. Eventually, at the turn of Uttarayana, Ganga herself comes and takes back Bhishma with her. Ganga water is given to people at deathbed. Ganga is Trilokapavani, she will take you to all three lokas. Bhagirathi on earth, Mandakini in Akasa and Vaitarani in patala loka

Yudishtira performs Ashwamedha Yaga. Babruvahana is the son of Arjuna through Chitrangada. Babruvahana stops the horse of Ashwamedha Yaga as per the popular story. But in original version Arjuna comes there and fights with Babruvahana and loses. He dies and is revived by Sanjeevani mani. All Dharmic people are united in Yudishtira’s rule.

Kunti, Gandhari, Dritarashtra, Vidura and Sanjaya go to vanaprastha. Kunti was never able to see the welfare of her children. Kunti assumes the duty of taking care of the elder brother of her husband. Once Pandavas come to see them. They see the older people going into the forest to fetch water. Yudishtira learns that Vidura is performing nirjala Tapas. He was about to give up his life. Yudishtira stares at Vidura and the entire prana shakti comes out of Vidura’s body and enters Yudishtira. They learn that Kunti, Gandhari, Dritarashtra and Sanjaya perish in a forest fire. You may recall that many incidents of fire are a part of Mahabharata, like fire in the lac palace, Draupadi born out of fire, upapandavas perishing in fire etc.

In Dwarka, Samba wanted to poke fun at the Rishis. He took the form of a pregnant woman. His friends asked the Rishis if the child will be a boy or a girl.

The rishis curse Samba, who acted like a pregnant woman, that a pestle will be born to him. They also cursed that his clan will fight and kill each other with the pieces of the pestle. A pestle is born to Samba. As soon as the pestle is born, Vasudeva throws it into the ocean to avoid the curse. However, the ocean throws the pestle back to the shore where the pieces grows as reed. Ominous signs were appearing in Dwarka and therefore the Yadavas come to Prabasa. They start teasing each other. They start fighting and kill each other with the reeds that were created out of the pieces of the pestle. You may recall that Gandhari had cursed Krishna that his children will also die just like Gandhari’s children had been killed.

Krishna rushes back to Dwarka and tells Vasudeva that the pandava clan is dead and he should take care of the kingdom. A white serpent (Adi Sesha) appears and swallows Balarama. Krishna was resting behind a tree. A hunter mistakes the feet of Krishna for a deer and shoots an arrow. The arrow hits the leg and Krishna dies.

Dwarka is slowly swallowed by sea. Arjuna takes away everyone towards Hastinapura including the great-grandson of Krishna, Vajra. On the way robbers snatch away the belongings. Arjuna tries to fight but he is not even able to string the bow. He gets defeated by cheap robbers. This happens mainly because he is now bereft of the companionship of Krishna and Dharma had declined.

Vajra, the great grandson of Krishna, is coronated as the King of Indraprastha. Arjuna’s grandson Parikshit is coronated as the King of Hastinapura.

The Pandavas start climbing up the Himalayas. This process of climbing Himalayas is called Swargaarohana. One by one everyone starts falling. First Draupadi falls as she was fond of Arjuna. Then Sahadeva falls as he thought he is very wise. Then Nakula falls as he thought he is very handsome. Then Arjuna also falls as he was super confident. Then Bheema also falls and Yudishtira tells him that it is because Bheema was a glutton. A dog had been following them all along. Yudishtira had forgotten his promise to kill himself if his brothers die. He sees Duryodhana already in heaven. He says he wants to be with his brothers and is taken to Naraka where his brothers are screaming in agony. Yama, his father tells him that Yudishtira had to get a brief taste of Naraka Darshana for misleading Drona about Ashwathama. Duryodhana also had a brief taste of heaven for the small punya he had done. Eventually Pandavas come to heaven and Duryodhana goes to Naraka. Mahabharata ends with Swargaarohana Parva.

You should always give your mind to Dharma and Shanti. One should never spread hatred and jealousy like Duryodhana. Dharmic people like Pandavas went to heaven. Adharmic people fought within themselves and died. Bad people went to Narakaloka. Dharmic kings like Parikshit and Janamejaya ruled the Dharmic nation of Bharata. We should study a small part of Mahabharata everyday, any of the books like Essential Mahabharata or Rajaji or Amar Chitra Katha. Bhagavad Gita is the essence of Mahabharata. Both Ramayana and Mahabharata are staircases to heaven.