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Dhritraashtra and Mahaabhaarat War
When Paandav had completed their term of exile of 13 years, they sent Krishn as a Peace Messenger (Shaanti Doot) to Dhritraashtra, but he himself was unable to take any decision because of his son's love. And his son never wanted to give land to Paanadav even equal to the tip of a needle. So the war was the only solution. So in the end Mahaabhaarat war broke.

This war lasted for 18 days. All great warriors from Duryodhan side were killed in this war. Since Dhritraashtra was blind, Ved Vyaas gave Sanjaya (his Saarathee) the Divine sight to see the battlefield sitting in the palace, and tell him its account. All people including Duryodhan were killed. Gaandhaaree tried her best to save her son but at that time also he did not listen to her.

Dhritraashtra and Bheem-After the War
Everybody knew that Bheem vowed to break the thigh of Duryodhan, and so he did and killed him. He even killed Dushaasan also and brought his chest's blood for Draupadee. He vowed to kill Dhritraashtra's all the 100 sons, which he did. When the war was over and Paandav came to greet their great parents, Dhritraashtra's heart was filled with poison towards Bheem because he killed his eldest son and that also in unjustified way. Krishn knew this, so He had already made a life-size brass statue of Bheem. Because he also knew that Dhritraashtra would not be satisfied only by touching feet by all other Paandav, but he would like to embrace Bheem. And at that time he would have so much strength in his body that even brass statue could be broken.

When Paandav, Krishn and Vidur came to see Dhritraashtra and Gaandhaaree, all Paandav touched Dhritraashtra's feet introducing themselves and he blessed them. Krishn presented Bheem in the last. Dhritraashtra was getting restless to embrace him so he asked "Where is Bheem?" And then Bheem touched his feet and moved at one side. Dhritraashtra came forward saying "I want to embrace you Bheem, where are you?" and spread his arms. Immediately Krishn gave the brass statue in his arms. He pressed the statue so hard that it really cracked inside his arms and thus Bheem was saved. Everybody was greatly surprised to see this, but this was the truth. Then Dhritraashtra got very sad after crushing Bheem to death "Oh, I have killed my dear brother's son." Then Bheem again came forward and greeted him and said, "Great Uncle, I am here." Then he embraced him properly.

Thus Dhritraashtra neither got the kingdom nor the peace of mind. Later Yudhishthir requested both of them to live with them only in the palace. He daily used to go to greet him in the morning before going to royal court.

In the last after living with Yudhishthir for some time, on Vidur's advice, one fine morning he went to forest with Gaandhaaree and Kuntee without telling anybody. When Yudhishthir went to him to greet him, he didn't find them he repented for his mistakes whatever he committed when they were with him. But Vidur Jee said - "It is not because of your behavior, but now his Time has come. On 7th day from today he will got to Swarg and Gaandhaaree will also follow him." Once Yudhishthir went also to forest where they were living and as Vidur said they got burned in a jungle fire on the 7th day.

Why Dhritraashtra Was Born Blind and Lost His 100 Sons?
This story has been stated in several flavors. I write it here all the flavors I have known.

(1) Once Krishn asked Dhritraashtra - "Why are you born blind? What caused it? What Karm did you incur by which you are born blind?"
Dhritraashtra replied - "Hey Krishn, By my Yaugik powers whatever I can see, that I have not committed any Karm which should make my blind me since birth." Krishn then gave him some help to see further in his previous lives (more than 100 lives), and then he found out, that in his 106th birth, previous to the present one, he did such an action which resulted in making him blind in this life.

[Fate or Destiny is the fruit of those Karm we have done in our previous lives, thus they are fructified now, and maybe in future too if some Karm have been left out, then.]

(2) In another flavor, the story goes in the same way but with the difference that when Dhritraashtra asked - "What did I do in my previous life so that I had to lose my 100 sons." Krishn replied - "In that life you were a hunter. Once you went for hunting and killed many birds sitting on a tree. You could kill 100 birds, and rest flew away. That is why you had to lose your 100 sons in this life."
"But then why did I get this punishment in this life only, not before?"
Krishn said - "You took so many lives to collect Punya so that you can have 100 sons in one life."

(3) When Dhritraashtra lost his 100 sons and he himself died, he met God. He asked God - "Prabhu I don't remember having done any Aparaadh (sin) in this Janma (life) or last 100 Janm, so why did I have to bear the burden of having to undergo the pain of my 100 sons dead, till I was alive?" God replied - "Yes, You have not done any thing wrong during your last 100 Janma, but 100 Janma before you were a king and liked tasty food very much. One day your regular cook was on leave and the new cook who came in place of him, knew that if he did not serve you tasty food he would be given punishment and kicked out. So not knowing how to make you satisfied he killed a baby swan and cooked it. You ate it and relished it very much. So from next day onwards the cook went on killing baby swans and cooking them for you till the number reached 100. After that your old cook came back. So you had to bear the Karm Phal of those 100 baby swans being killed and eaten by You."

Dhritraashtra said - "But Prabhu if I did it 100 Janma before, then why bear the fruits of it in this Janma? Why was I not given the punishment in that same Janma itself?"
Prabhu replied - "Because you had to take as many Janma and do as much Punya so as to be eligible to give birth to 100 sons."

[Now, whether above story is true or not, but teaches us that our all Karm have to bear their fruit, good or evil, and the fruits will be reserved for us till we get ready to be eligible to enjoy/suffer, today or tomorrow or in future.]

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