curse of matrix

i see so much struggle around me that i wonder where is it all headed? is it all a great, big illussion that all humans are cursed to live in??
i am reminded of a story from mahabharta: when the king of hastinapur (he was probably named shantanu) put across his marriage proposal to ganga (the river goddess); she agreed but on one precondition : that the king would never ever question her on whatever she does.
shantanu agreed, assured that he was going to have no ordinary person, but ganga herself as a life mate.
they were married and soon, the king was delighted to be informed that he was going to be a father. moments after the royal couple had their first child, ganga picked up the infant and went beside the river bank and drowned the baby to its death!!
quite naturally the father was shocked beyond belief, but he kept quiet, bound by his pledge, or else his lovely wife would leave him immediately.
the same cycle went on for other offsprings as well, till the last one, when the king could not bear the trauma any longer and with a heavy heart broke his pledge..well aware that he would find an answer to the primary concern of his life, but would have to live the rest of his life without the companionship of his beloved wife.
ganga, the river godess, then told him that in reality, all of their previous children were actually the inhabitants of the kingdom of the gods- the indralok. however,they had been cursed to visit the mrityu lok, as a reprimand for some mistake that they had made. however, when they pleaded for forgiveness, they were suggested a solution, that although they would have to take birth as mortals but would be spared the rest of the curse, because ganga who was going to be their mother would end their life as soon as they were to be born. however the last child, was not spared from the curse, and he was to pre- destined to lead a human life and live the whole punishment.
this child grew up to be bhishma.