MAHABHARATA-24
THE CHIRANJEEVIS (IMMORTALS) OF MAHABHARATA
Ashvathama and the massacre on the eighteenth night
“Ashvathamaa Balee Vyaso, Hanumamcha Vibheeshana:
Kripa: Parasuramaccha sapthaithe chirajeevina:”
Ashvthama. Bali, Vyasa, Hanuman, Vibheeshana, Kripa, and Parasurama are the immortals in our epics. Of them, Vyasa, Kripa, Parasurama, and Ashvathama have major roles in Mahabharata. We have had the brief story of Parasurama in a previous episode. The present one is about Ashvathama, the son of Drona.
“By telling a blatant lie, they had killed my father. More than his death, I now mourn your plight, Lord. I pledge to you, King. With Krishna watching, I’ll be doing away with all the Panchalas with all the means at my disposal. Please grant me your permission, King of Kings”.
Ashvathama told Duryodhana, who, having been defeated by Bhima in a grievous state, was groaning with pain (Shalya Parva 65 35–37).
Hearing this, Duryodhana asked Kripa: “Acharya, please fetch a pot of water”. When it was brought, he continued: “Hey, Guru. As per my orders, anoint Ashvathama as our next chief of the army. A Brahmin pursuing Kshatriya dharma needs the king’s permission to wage a war”.
The massacre
Thus consecrated as the chief of the army, Ashvathama, along with Kripa and Krithavarma, proceeded to the dense forest adjoining the camp of the Pandavas, on their chariot. The daylight had gone and dusk set in. Physically and mentally exhausted, they took shelter below a huge banyan tree, after making sure that it was a safe place, away from being detected by the enemies.
Soon, Kripa and Krithavarma fell asleep. Ashvathama could not, as he was boiling within with a vengeance, and he regurgitated the day’s events that culminated in the defeat of Duryodhana at the hands of Bhima. He has given a promise to the King. He should plan and execute it immediately. As he was considering various options available, he saw an owl flying in and perching on one of the spread-out branches of the tree.
A few moments later, something fell near Ashvathama. He cocked his head and found that it was a dead crow. Soon, another one fell. And then, the next, and the next. He gazed up and was startled to find that it was the owl that was killing the crows, one by one, by biting and piercing the neck and other parts of the birds’ bodies. Possibly, during the daytime, when it was resting somewhere, the crows might have disturbed and caused harm to the owl, he surmised. The tree could be the usual resting place for the crows at night, and quite a number of them succumbed to the attack by the owl.
Suddenly, it occurred to Drouni (Ashvathama) that the owl was giving him a strategic message. Of killing, under the cover of darkness, a large number of people while they were asleep.
He woke up Kripa and Krithavarma and said that they should proceed immediately to the camp of the Pandavas. Half awake from deep sleep, they discouraged him and said that during the daytime they would take a call on how to execute the plan. A determined Ashvathama rejected the suggestion and said he was going straight away, and hopped on to the chariot. With no other choice, his weary companions too followed Ashvathama.
As they reached outside the Pandavas’ camp houses, Ashvathama told the other two in a low voice: “I will go inside and slaughter them one by one with my sword. You guard this entrance. Anybody escaping my sword and trying to flee, should be finished by you instantly”. Ashvathama stepped in on the cat’s feet. All the soldiers were on sound sleep. He started the cruel and unethical killing spree by severing and piercing the head, trunk, and other parts of each of the warriors, who were caught unawares and unarmed. Those who woke up hearing the cries and tried to flee were killed by Kripa and Krithavarma waiting outside at the door.
The trio progressed in their massacre, finishing tent after tent. In one of the tents, Ashvathama found his mortal enemy, sleeping all alone. With heightened fury, he kicked him with all his might. “Who’s that?” a shocked Dhrishtadyumna tried to jump up and asked. “Your killer. Ashvathama”, he said stamping down the neck of Dhrishtadyumna and foiling his attempt to rise.
“Do kill me with your sword. Let me have the end of a brave soldier”, Dhrishtadyumna pleaded.
“No, you don’t deserve it. You are the cruelest, the one who mercilessly killed my father, your Guru, while he was meditating unarmed on the chariot. By grasping his hair and severing his neck, you killed him as a coward would do. You deserve only a ruthless death, scoundrel”. Saying so, Ashvathama repeatedly hit, kicked, and killed Dhrishtadyumna by stamping his neck on the ground.
Within an hour everything was over. Ashvathama went around like a mad man, his sword outstretched, and dripping with hot blood. He ensured that not a single soul was left out. Draupadi’s all five sons — Pradivindhyan from Dharmaputra, Suthasoman from Bhima, Sruthakarma from Arjuna, Sathaneekan from Nakula, and Sruthasenan from Sahadeva — were all done to death, as also Shikhandi. And the tents were set on fire.
“For auspiciousness, we should stay outside today”, saying so, Krishna had taken the Pandavas and Satyaki at the end of the previous day, after the war, to the shore of Oghavathi river, and therefore they were the only ones on the side of Pandavas, who escaped the massacre in that night.
Satisfied for having fulfilled the promise to Duryodhana, Ashvathama returned to where the King was lying, wading through pitch darkness. He was relieved to find that Duryodhana was still not dead. Shallow breath indicated ebbing life.
“King, Oh, King” Ashvathama called out. Duryodhana was unable to open his eyes, though he was slightly conscious. Ashvathama bent down close to his ears and said: “I did it, King. I wiped out them all, except for the Pandavas and Satyaki. None else is alive”.
It appeared that there was a glimmer of light on the face of Duryodhana. His lips opened slightly, and he managed to say in a whispering voice: “ What Bhishma, Drona, and Karna could not get me done, you three have accomplished. By your killing that rascal Shikhandi, I’m now like Indra. Good luck to you. We’ll meet at heaven”. Those were his last words.
Thus ended the great war of history. What was started with 18 Akshouhini armies, which ceremoniously marched towards Kurukshetra on the first day, by the time the 18-day battle was over, was left with just eleven people, seven on the Pandava side, including Krishna and Satyaki, and three on Kaurava side — Ashvathama, Kripa, and Krithavarma ( excluding Sanjaya).
It left a big question mark on the human consciousness, for generations to ponder: whether adharma, enmity, pride, covetousness, greed, revenge, and ruthless killing would solve any of the problems that we encounter in life?
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What’s in it for me?
1. Sharpen your power of observation. You may get many cues from Nature and your surroundings.
2.For every action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction.
3. Loyalty is a great virtue.
·4.Any war or enmity ultimately would lead to a lose-lose life situation.
·5.Tit for tat is not a good policy. An eye for an eye would lead to a world of the blind only.
(To be continued)
Dr. K R S Nair
website: krsnair.com
