The Aftermath
“The Pandavas perform last rites for the fallen, reflect on the true cost of victory, and prepare to return to Hastinapura, setting the stage for the women's grief in Stri Parva.”
Contains: Grief and loss, Funeral rites, Emotional trauma, Mature themes
Story Summary
With Ashwatthama cursed and the massacre complete, the Pandavas must face the aftermath. They perform last rites for the Upapandavas, Dhrishtadyumna, Shikhandi, and all the warriors who fell in the night attack. The grief is overwhelming—Draupadi has lost all five sons, and the Pandavas have lost their commander and allies. Victory feels hollow when measured against such loss. As they prepare to return to Hastinapura, they reflect on the true cost of war—not just the eighteen days of battle, but the night that followed, the massacre that took their children, and the price that victory demanded. The war is officially over, but the story is not yet complete. The women of Hastinapura await, and their grief will be the next chapter. Sauptika Parva ends, and Stri Parva—the Book of the Women—is about to begin.