The result helped a pumped-up India avoid the prospect of suffering only the second series whitewash at home since losing five ODIs to the West Indies between October and December 1983.
It also thwarted Misbah-ul-Haq's attempt to enter history books as the only Pakistan captain to make a clean sweep of a series on Indian soil.
India defended the modest 168-run target as they kept taking wickets regularly against their over-cautious opponents, who were dismissed for 157 in 48.5 overs.
Misbah was top-scorer with 39. Opener Nasir Jamshed, who had hit two successive hundreds in the series, made only 34 while Umar Akmal contributed 25 and Mohammad Hafeez 21.
To give an idea of Pakistan's struggle after 35 overs, they had stuttered to only 113-4.
Earlier, Saeed Ajmal bowled India out in 43.4 overs with his best one-day bowling performance. The off-spinner picked up figures of 5-24.
Skipper MS Dhoni, who was a doubtful starter because of a sore back, was the main scorer again with 36.
India won the toss, but may have regretted electing to bat as they lost their first three wickets for 37 runs in 10 overs.
Pacer Mohammad Irfan took the first wicket he had Indian opener Ajinkya Rahane (4) caught behind by wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal in the fifth over.
Irfan then had Gautam Gambhir caught by Umar Akmal at backward point.
Irfan bowled a short delivery wide outside off and Gambhir (15) reached out for it but the ball lobbed up for a simple catch to Akmal.
India lost their third wicket when Junaid Khan had Virat Kohli (7) caught by Younis Khan at second slip.
Hafeez clean bowled Yuvraj Singh with a beauty of a delivery to reduce India to 63-4. Yuvraj hit 4 fours in his run-a-ball 23.
Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni then tried to rebuild the innings putting on 48 runs but Ajmal broke the stand trapping Raina for 31. Next ball he got rid of R Ashwin in the same way.
R Jadeja, however, survived the hat-trick ball.
Dhoni, who had yet to be dismissed in the ODI series, finally fell when Umar Gul had the Indian captain caught at point.
Ajmal then returned to remove B Kumar and Ishant Sharma. He also wrapped up the innings getting Jadeja caught at long-on for 27.
Pakistan won the first ODI by in Chennai by six wickets and earned a convincing 85-run victory at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Earlier, both sides shared the two-match T20 internationals.
This is the first bilateral series between the two countries since the Mumbai terror attack in 2008.
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