As per this answer, it is said that the Pandavas, Karna and Duryodhana went to heaven or hell.
What about others like Abhimanyu, Ghatotkacha? Were they reborn?
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Sign up to join this communityAs per this answer, it is said that the Pandavas, Karna and Duryodhana went to heaven or hell.
What about others like Abhimanyu, Ghatotkacha? Were they reborn?
Actually the stay in heaven is too brief. After that Karna joined Surya. Bhima was one of the Maruts. Bhishma was one of the Vasus. Drona a part of Brihaspati. Twins joined Ashwinis. Arjuna attained Vaikunta. Abhimanyu joined Soma (Chandra dev). Gandhari, Dhritarashtra etc. became Gandharvas. All are liberated.
The Mahabharata, Book 18: Svargarohanika Parva: Section 5:
Bhishma of mighty energy and great effulgence attained to the status of the Vasus. Eight Vasus, O chief of Bharata’s race, are now seen. Drona entered into Brihaspati, that foremost one of Angirasa’s descendants. Hridika’s son Kritavarma entered the Maruts. Pradyumna entered Sanatkumara whence he had issued. Dhritarashtra obtained the regions, so difficult of acquisition, that belong to the Lord of treasures. The famous Gandhari obtained the same regions with her husband Dhritarashtra. With his two wives, Pandu proceeded to the abode of the great Indra. Both Virata and Drupada, the king Dhrishtaketu, as also Nishatha, Akrura, Samva, Bhanukampa, and Viduratha, and Bhurishrava and Sala and king Bhuri, and Kansa, and Ugrasena, and Vasudeva, and Uttara, that foremost of men, with his brother Sankha—all these foremost of persons entered the deities. Soma’s son of great prowess, named Varchas of mighty energy, became Abhimanyu, the son of Phalguna, that lion among men. Having fought, agreeably to Kshatriya practices, with bravery such as none else had ever been able to show, that mighty-armed and righteous-souled being entered Soma. Slain on the field of battle, O foremost of men, Karna entered Surya. Shakuni obtained absorption into Dwapara, and Dhrishtadyumna into the deity of fire. The sons of Dhritarashtra were all Rakshasas of fierce might. Sanctified by death caused by weapons, those high-souled beings of prosperity all succeeded in attaining to Heaven. Both Kshattri and king Yudhishthira entered into the god of Righteousness
https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m18/m18005.htm
Soma’s son of great prowess, named Varchas of mighty energy, became Abhimanyu, the son of Phalguna, that lion among men. Having fought, agreeably to Kshatriya practices, with bravery such as none else had ever been able to show, that mighty-armed and righteous-souled being entered Soma.
Those heroic and mighty car-warriors, Ghatotkaca and others, who were slain in the great battle, attained to the status, some of gods and some of Yakshas.
So Abhimanyu was Varchas and entered Soma. It says Ghatotkacha and others attained to status of either gods or Yakshas.
https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01158.htm
Indeed, it was the illustrious Indra who created (by lending a portion of himself) the mighty car-warrior Ghatotkacha as a fit antagonist of Karna of unrivalled energy, in consequence of the dart he had given unto Karna (and which was sure to kill the person against whom it would be hurled).'"
Ghatotkacha too was a portion of Indra actually and Indra created him to so that Karna is forced to use that dart against Ghatotkacha, thus saving Arjuna.
So, Ghatotkacha attained to the status of Indra