Why did Lord Krishna give another life to Parikshit? Was it the only way? Why didn't Pandavas plan another child?

Question

According to Mahabharat, after the epic Kurukshetra war, only Parikshit was the final successor of the Kuru dynasty and while he was still in Uttara's womb, Ashwathama killed him using a Brahmastra.

With the death of Parikshit, Pandavas lost their hope about future. And Lord Krishna had to give him another life to secure the purpose of the Kurukshetra war and the millions killed in the war.

Now my questions are:

• Each Pandava has one or more than one wife other than Draupadi and all of their sons were also killed in the war. But was it not possible for them to have more children again?
• What was the technical/medical/mythical/social problem for Pandavas to not reproduce more children?
• Why did Krishna break the law of nature by giving life to a dead person?

Answer 1

Why did Krishna break the law of nature by giving life to a dead person?

Abhimanyu's son was supposed to continue the race as few boons were conferred in that way:

1. Boon to Soma by Gods or indeed demand by Soma:

[Soma to Gods:] And my son shall compel all foes to retreat before him. The boy of mighty arms having penetrated the impenetrable array, shall range within it fearlessly and send a fourth part of the hostile force, in course of half a day, unto the regions of the king of the dead. Then when numberless heroes and mighty car-warriors will return to the charge towards the close of the day, my boy of mighty arms, shall reappear before me. And he shall beget one heroic son in his line, who shall continue the almost extinct Bharata race.' Hearing these words of Soma, the dwellers in heaven replied, 'So be it.'

2. Boon by a Brahmin to Abhimanyu's wife

Vaishampayana said, "Understanding that that weapon was thrown (into the wombs of the Pandava women) by Drona's son of sinful deeds, Hrishikesha, with a cheerful heart, said these words unto him: ‘A certain brahmana of pious vows, beholding Virata's daughter who is now daughter-in-law to Arjuna, while she was at Upaplavya, said, "While the Kuru line will become extinct, a son will be born to thee. This thy son for that reason, will be called by the name of Parikshit."

3. The below is in conflict to above boons as Drona's son wanted to destroy the foetus

Unto Govinda, that foremost one of the Satvata race, while he was saying these words, Drona's son, filled with wrath, replied, saying, ‘This, O Keshava, that thou sayest from thy partiality for the Pandavas, shall not happen. O thou of eyes like lotus-petals, my words cannot but be fulfilled. Uplifted by me, this weapon of mine shall fall on the foetus that is in the womb of Virata's daughter, upon that foetus which thou, O Krishna, art desirous of protecting.'

So, it became an example of boon deadlock where

• one brahmana and gods gave a boon that a son will be born
• but another (Aswatthama) released brahmashira to kill the foetus itself so that son can't be born.

Many instances like this are mentioned in the Is there any mention of boon deadlock in scriptures? post where solution was like this

• first let the person die and then revive again to keep the truth of both the boons/curses/divyAstras

So, Lord Krishna handled the boon deadlock in this way:

The holy one said, "The fall of this mighty weapon will not be fruitless. The foetus will die. But being dead, it will live again and have a long life! As regards thyself, all wise men know thee for a coward and a sinful wretch! Always engaged in sinful acts, thou art the slayer of children. For this reason, thou must have to bear the fruit of these thy sins. For 3,000 years thou shalt wander over this earth, without a companion and without being able to talk with anyone. Alone and without anybody by thy side, thou shalt wander through diverse countries, O wretch, thou shalt have no place in the midst of men. The stench of pus and blood shall emanate from thee, and inaccessible forests and dreary moors shall be thy abode! Thou shalt wander over the Earth, O thou of sinful soul, with the weight of all diseases on thee. ~Mahabharata: Sauptika Parva: Section 16

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Also, such acts were not considered against the nature. We have many instances (Resurrection stories in Hindu scriptures?) similar to this (when dead one's life was brought back):

• Lord Shiva gave life to Ganesha after his head was severed (~Shiva Purana)

• Lord Shiva gave life to Daksha after his head was severed (~Shiva Purana)

• Sage Bhrigu gave life to his wife after her head was severed (~as discussed in this post)

• Sage Bhrigu/Lorad Parshuram gave life to Jamadagni after his head was severed (~ as discussed in this post)

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Each Pandava has one or more than one wife other than Draupadi and all of their sons were also killed in the war. But was it not possible for them to have more children again? What was the technical/medical/mythical/social problem for Pandavas to not reproduce more children?

As the boon was that Abhimanyu's son will continue the almost extinct Bharata race. So, there was no point of this question that why Pandavas could not produce other children.

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Related Post(s)

Where can we find the description of how Maharaja Parikshith (as a baby) was saved by Sri Krishna?

Is there any mention of boon deadlock in scriptures?

Resurrection stories in Hindu scriptures?

Answer 2

Krishna is above all. He has the capacity to do anything & everything. He can make & break anything. But my friend your knowledge is not complete about Krishna. He is not breaking anything for his sake. But he can do anything for the sake of his Bhakta. He is paramanand , never cry for anything for his personal need, But crying madly for his bhakta. Really it is the fate of the bhakta to get such a loving God. When Rama deprived of the throne everybody was crying except Ram. But same Ram cried uncontrollably when Sita is lost & when Lakshman was killed in the war field showing the super excellent character of the God. When parikhit was dead it was the request of the pandava, his own bhakta,& other thing is that biologically pandavaa were not in a position to reproduce the child again.

Answer 3

To answer this question you have to travel back up-to the start of the clan yadav and puru. Yayati the father of Yadu (father of yadav clan) and Puru (father of puru clan) asked their children to exchange their youth with him. Yadu refused to do that and said you already have lived your youth so doing that will be against my dharma. While Puru being obedient agreed to exchange his youth with his father. Thus Yayati cursed Yadu that he or any of his descendants will never become a king. To prove this curse as wrongly given; also indian mythology says that disobeying elders on right terms(DHARMA) is not wrong, Lord Krishna gave rebirth to Parixita (from yadu clan) and he became one of the greatest kings of all time.