Mahabharatham Chapter - 15

Mahabharata – Chapter15

The Ashramavasika Parva describes the period after the Kurukshetra war when the elder members of the Kuru dynasty renounce royal life and retreat to the forest.

After Yudhishthira ascends the throne, Dhritarashtra, along with Gandhari and Kunti, feels deep sorrow, detachment, and guilt over the destruction of their lineage. Seeking spiritual peace and atonement, they leave Hastinapura to live as ascetics in the forest, accompanied by Vidura.

The Pandavas visit them and receive counsel on dharma, renunciation, impermanence, and the consequences of attachment and hatred. Dhritarashtra practices severe austerities and gradually attains inner calm, while Gandhari continues to endure her grief with strength and restraint.

The Parva culminates in a tragic forest fire in which Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, and Kunti perish, symbolizing the final release from worldly suffering. Yudhishthira mourns deeply, but is reminded that all life is transient and bound by karma.

This chapter emphasizes themes of renunciation (vairagya), forgiveness, spiritual liberation, and the inevitability of time (kāla), marking a solemn transition from worldly rule to philosophical reflection in the epic.