THE GREAT KURUKSHETRA WAR - EIGHTEENTH DAY

At the end of the 18th day, only twelve warriors survived the war-the five Pandavas, Krishna, Satyaki, Ashwatthama, Kripacharya, Yuyutsu, Vrishakethu, the son of Karna and Kritvarma.

Balarama was enraged at the unchivalrous behavior of Bhima and bursted out, "You have done the most heinous crime in the history of the holy mace, the most manly weapon ever wielded by any warrior. I will not tolerate this atrocity." So saying, Balarama advanced on Bhima wielding his plough. Sri Krishna stopped Balarama and tried to pacify him, saying, "You must take into account the atrocities perpetrated on the Pandavas by Duryodhana earlier. Duryodhana said to Sri Krishna, "I do not blame the Pandavas at all. You are the evil genius behind all their misdeeds. You must be ashamed of your conduct." Sri Krishna said to Duryodhana, "King of Kings, you are uncharitable to me. In fact I came to you as an ambassador of peace. You should blame yourself for choosing war."

The Pandavas and the princes left for their encampments, together with their soldiers. Kripacharya, Kritavarma and Asvatthama, the three survivors of the Kaurava camp met Duryodhana lying fatally wounded on the battlefield after the nightfall. Asvatthama could not control his emotions and said, "I will kill all the Pandavas with their armies in the presence of Sri Krishna. Please give me permission to go." Duryodhana was delighted at the words of Asvatthama. He said, "Son of the greatest master of the bow, you are not the person to utter empty words. You are my last hope." The three heroes drove away their chariots, towards the east where the Pandavas set up their camps.

The charioteers stopped the chariots near a pond to give rest to the horses. Kripa and Kritavarma who spent restless days and nights for over a fortnight fell asleep. But Asvatthama whose head was reeling under contemplation of revenge perceived an owl surreptitiously surrounding the crows, living on the tree. The crows which could not see during the night time fell easy prey to the nocturnal invader. Asvatthama woke up his uncle and his colleague Kritavarma and unfolded his plan. He said, "I have learnt a great lesson from this owl. Let us attack the Pandavas and the Panchalas durng this night and kill them." Kripacharya replied, "My dear nephew, it is dastardly plan. Your vision is temporarily clouded by emotional disturbance. It is the height of cruelty to kill sleeping people. It is against all canons of chivalry. A soldier is not a murderer. A kshatriya will never do such a thing. We are Brahmins. We ought not even contemplate such things. The greedy Duryodhana deserved his fate. There is nothing we can do now." But Asvatthama was bent on wreaking revenge. He said, "Father too loved the Pandavas. But they killed him by the vilest subterfuge. Bhishma who showered affection on them in season and out of season was the victim of foul play. They killed Karna likewise. Their latest exploit is hitting Duryodhana below the navel. I want to repay my debt of gratitude to my king and my father. I am going to translate my plan into action to night." So saying, Asvatthama started on his chariot.


Kripacharya and Kritavarma too followed him in their chariots. Kripa said to Asvatthama, "My dear nephew, I have told you my opinion but we will not leave you. I once again ask you to reconsider your decision. You have an unblemished record, you are reckoned among the great heroes. Let us sleep tonight. Tomorrow we will fight with them. Let us not embark upon this dark project which is darker than darkness. Your venture is immortal and unjust." Asvatthama replied, "Dear Uncle, the Pandavas have opened the flood gates of immorality and injustice. They have butchered my father, killed Bhurisrava, Karna and Duryodhana unjustly. If it is sin to kill sleeping warriors, I do not mind going to any hell, I do not mind to be reborn as a wriggling worm or a ferocious beast. Tonight I will kill Dhrishtadyumna and the Pandavas together with all the Panchalas. Let my father’s soul rest in peace. I must convey the good tidings to my king before he breathes his last." Kritavarma and Kripa said that they would follow him. Violence is a vicious circle. Immortality is a chain reaction, one transgression leads to another. The brute in man may assert itself under the influence of revenge and a desire for retaliation in spite of exceptional accomplishments, exemplary learning and nobility of birth.

Asvatthama entered the Pandava camp. Kripa and Kritavarma stopped and stood at the gates. Asvatthama experienced a strange feeling when he was about to commence the ghastly massacre at the midnight. He saw an apparition, which materialized into the form of Siva, the god of Universal destruction and death. Undaunted, Asvatthama moved forward imploring his benediction. Siva presented him with a sword. Asvatthama first attacked Dhrishtadyumna and killed him, cutting his body into pieces. The soldiers on watch and ward duty raised an alarm but they were done to death. The sons of Draupadi and Sikhandi who woke up attacked Asvatthama but he killed them all. There was utter confusion in the camp. Asvatthama followed by Kripa and Kritavarma went to Duryodhana to break the news to the dying king. He threw away his bow and arrow on the ground, jumped from the chariot to the ground and embraced Duryodhana placing his head on his lap. Duryodhana opened his eyes with difficulty. Asvatthama told him, "King of Kings, I have come to comfort you with good news. I have killed Dhrishtadyumna, Sikhandi and the sons of Draupadi and destroyed the remnants of the Pandava armies completely. Only seven of the opposite camp, the Pancha Pandavas, Satyaki and Sri Krishna are alive and I will put an end to them also in the near future. They were not there but I will hunt after them.

Duryodhana pulling up his energy to the last ounce said to Asvatthama, "Great soul, you have given me the greatest delight in the hour of my death. My hearty congratulations to you. Kripacharya and Kritavarama, you have achieved what the great Bhishma, and the venerable preceptor could not achieve. We had great hopes on Karna. Salya was acclaimed as greater hero than Karna. But they fell struck down by cruel fate. But you have achieved the impossible. I am happy; I hope to meet you sometime afterwards in future in heaven. Adieu. So saying breathed his last.

The three warriors ascended their chariot and went away from the battlefield unobserved by anybody in the twilight before the dawn.After the sunrise, the charioteer of Dhrishtadyumna went to Yudhisthira and said to him "Great King, last night Asvatthama aided by Kripacharya and Kritavarma attacked our camp and the soldiers cavalry and elephants perished. Once the Pandavas came to know about the fire created by Asvatthama in the camp, they along with Sri Krishna and Satyaki returned to their camp. Bhima want to wreak vengeance on Asvatthama. The Pandavas and Sri Krishna went in pursuit of Asvatthama.

They reached the hermitage of Veda Vyasa and bowed to him. They located Asvatthama donning the attire of a hermit. He besmeared his body with ashes and held a rosary in his hand and sat amongst the disciples of Veda Vyasa. Bhima said to Asvtthama in angry tones, "You pseudo hermit, what a change! Foulest of the Brahmins, how can you cover up your sins by simply changing your robes? Come to the battlefield." Asvatthama did not reply but took a blade of grass and charged it with the mantra of the divine missile, known as the Brahmasiras, chanting, "May this annihilate the Pandava race." The missile rose blazing forth fiery radiation like a thousand volcanic eruptions. Sri Krishna said to Arjuna, "It will destroy you, your brothers and everything connected with you. You must counter it with the same astra." Arjuna hurled the Brahmasira astra to counter it. Veda Vyasa stood between them and said, "These ultra modern missile will result in universal destruction and are capable of wiping out life from the globe altogether. Already the earth is trembling. The oceans are disturbed and the whole atmosphere is contaminated with radiation. You must withdraw them in the interests of humanity at large." Arjuna accepted the proposal and withdrew his missile. Asvatthama tried to do it unsuccessfully and bent his head low in shame.

Veday Vyasa said to the Pandavas, "I should like to effect a compromise between you. Take away the precious gem from Asvatthama’s turban as a token of his submission and leave him." Asvatthama grudgingly surrendered the gem to the Pandavas who spared his life. Bhima gave the gem to Draupadi and consoled her saying that the hero Asvatthama was dead and only a walking corpse was residing at the hermitage of Vyasa. Darupadi gave the gem to Dharmaputra to wear it in his diadem as a heroic memento. She said, "I do not want that Mrs. Drona should weep for her son as I do ; let Asvatthama be alive."