#14 Āśvamedhika Parvan & Āśramavāsika Parvan

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The Āśvamedhika-parvan and Āśramavāsika-parvan are the two parvans which form the concluding layers of the Mahabharata.

The 14th parvan, Āśvamedhika, commences with the emotional imbalance of Yudhiṣṭhira after the catastrophic war. He considers himself sinful and seriously wants to get purified. All celebrated personalities including Kṛṣṇa, Vyāsa and even Dhṛtarāṣṭra console and convince him that it was
not his action but the fate. Still, sacrifices like Aśvamedha could be instrumental in purifying him.

The 15th parvan Āśramavāsika, throws light on emotional condition of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who considers himself responsible for the Mahabharata war. Though advised by multiple wise men, he had not stopped Duryodhana from his plans. Therefore, Dhṛtarāṣṭra expresses his desire to retire to the
forest to get rid of that heinous sin.

Thus, both the Parvans depict the deep ache in the minds of the members of the Kurukula after the destructive war. We may call these Parvans as the beginning of the end of the great epic, the Mahabharata!

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