Suta then narrated the events in the Pandavas' family after the war. "When
Asvatthama launched the brahmastra against little Parikshit, who was still in
his mother's womb, the child saw Krishna coming to save him, and from
that time onwards, he felt a deep desire to find the Lord. Therefore he was
called Parikshit ("he who examines") because every time he met a person he
watched him intently in the hope of recognizing the Lord who saved him.
Parikshit was the heir to the throne, and his birth was celebrated with great
festivities. The learned brahmanas calculated his horoscope and praised his
wonderful natural qualities.
Yudhisthira had now become the emperor of a vast kingdom, and
performed another three great yajnas for the benefit of the subjects, also
inviting Krishna and other relatives from the Yadu dynasty. In that period,
uncle Vidura - brother to Pandu and Dhritarastra - returned from his long
pilgrimage and was welcomed by great affection and joy by all his relatives.
Vidura had left Hastinapura before the war, disgusted by the evil
stubbornness of Duryodhana and by his plans to destroy the Pandavas.
Now the circumstances had changed, and Vidura saw the possibility to
convince Dhritarastra, Duryodhana's father, to raise his consciousness
above the material attachments, greed and pride that had ruined his entire
family, and to properly prepare for his imminent death.
Vidura's words were in perfect timing: the old regent, who had been born
blind, was increasingly fragile in health. He had also lost all his children and
was in a very embarrassing situation, honored and royally maintained by
those he had persecuted and tried to kill for many years. So Dhritarastra
took a decision, and without saying anything to anyone he left the palace
together with his faithful wife Gandhari, to retire to the Himalaya and
engage in austerities to control his senses. When Yudhisthira found that his
uncle Dhritarastra had gone, he felt a great pain and guilt, thinking that the
old regent had lost all his sons because of him. At that time Narada Muni
arrived to pacify him, and after reminding him that everything happens
according to God's plan, he informed him that Dhritarastra and Gandhari
had left with Vidura to go to Saptasrota, where the sacred Ganges divides
into seven streams, to engage in the austerities of yoga and become free
from bodily attachments.
