2.1.3 The Kurukshetra war and the epic's places

Explained

Before the war. After the 13 years of exile, the Pandavas gathered at Upaplavya. Drupada's priest went as their first envoy, then Sanjaya came for Dhritarashtra, then Krishna himself. In the Kaurava hall Krishna showed his Vishvarupa when Duryodhana tried to seize him. Krishna also met Karna and told him he was Kunti's son; Karna stayed loyal to Duryodhana. Kunti then met Karna and got his promise to spare her sons except Arjuna, so that she would still have five sons (popular tellings add a second promise, to fire the Nagastra only once). Shalya, Madri's brother, set out to join the Pandavas but was won over by Duryodhana's hospitality on the way. Asked how long each would take to destroy the Pandava army, Bhishma and Drona said a month, Kripa two months and Karna five days. Rules were agreed: fighting stops at sunset, equals fight equals, and those who surrender, flee or are unarmed, and charioteers and musicians, are spared.

The war, day by day.

Bhishma's ten days. Karna refused to fight while Bhishma led, because Bhishma had slighted him. Bhishma could not be defeated in fair fight, so on the Pandavas' asking he told them how he could be brought down: he would not fight Shikhandi, who was born a woman. On day 10 Arjuna shot him from behind Shikhandi. Bhishma lay on the arrows; refusing soft pillows, he was given three arrows shot into the ground by Arjuna as a pillow, and Arjuna brought up water from the earth with an arrow. He waited 58 nights for Uttarayana, taught Yudhishthira (Shanti and Anushasana parvas, including the Vishnu Sahasranama) and died on Magha Shukla Ashtami (Bhishma Ashtami).

Drona's five days. Duryodhana wanted Yudhishthira captured alive.

• Day 12: the Samshaptakas (Trigarta warriors under Susharma, sworn to win or die) drew Arjuna away. Arjuna killed Bhagadatta of Pragjyotisha and his elephant Supratika; Bhagadatta's Vaishnavastra Krishna took on his own chest, where it became a garland.
• Day 13: Abhimanyu knew how to enter the Chakravyuha but not how to leave it. Jayadratha, by Shiva's boon, held back the other Pandavas. Inside, Abhimanyu killed Duryodhana's son Lakshmanakumara. To disarm him, Karna cut his bow from behind, Kritavarma killed his horses and Kripa his charioteers; the son of Dushasana struck the final blow with a mace. Arjuna vowed to kill Jayadratha by next sunset or enter fire.
• Day 14: Drona hid Jayadratha behind a Shakata, a Padma and an innermost Suchi array. Bhurishravas (son of Somadatta) seized the tired Satyaki by the hair; Arjuna cut off his arm from afar and Satyaki beheaded him. Krishna, by his yoga-maya, made a false sunset, so that Jayadratha came out; Arjuna cut off his head and sent it into the lap of his father Vriddhakshatra, who had cursed that whoever dropped his son's head to the ground would have his own head burst. That night Ghatotkacha killed the Rakshasas Alambusa and Alayudha; Karna then had to spend the Vasavi Shakti, saved for Arjuna, on Ghatotkacha, and Krishna rejoiced because Arjuna was now safe.
• Day 15: Bhima killed an elephant named Ashwatthama and shouted that Ashwatthama was dead. Drona asked Yudhishthira, who said "Ashwatthama is dead" aloud and "the elephant" (kunjarah) softly. Yudhishthira's chariot, which had always run above the ground, touched the earth. Drona laid down his arms and Dhrishtadyumna beheaded him. Enraged, Ashwatthama released the Narayanastra; Krishna told everyone to drop their weapons and bow, and it passed once Bhima, who at first refused, was pulled down too.
• Killed in Drona's command: Abhimanyu, Jayadratha, Bhurishravas, Ghatotkacha, Drupada, Virata and Drona himself.

Karna's two days. On Ashwatthama's suggestion Karna was made commander. His bow Vijaya, made by Vishwakarma, came from Parashurama. He chose Shalya, master of horse-lore, as charioteer to match Krishna; Shalya mocked him throughout. Karna wounded Yudhishthira, who then taunted Arjuna to give his Gandiva to another; Arjuna drew his sword, and Krishna taught that insulting an elder harshly is the same as killing him. Karna fired the Nagastra (the serpent Ashvasena, Arjuna's enemy since Khandava, in the arrow) at Arjuna's throat; Krishna pressed the chariot into the earth and it took only Arjuna's crown. Arjuna killed Karna's son Vrishasena. When Karna's wheel sank, he forgot the Brahmastra (Parashurama's curse); Arjuna killed him with the Anjalika arrow as he worked at the wheel, and a light from Karna's body merged into the Sun.

The last day. On Ashwatthama's word Shalya was anointed with Saraswati water. Shalya fell to Yudhishthira's spear (Shakti); Duryodhana killed Chekitana; Sahadeva killed Shakuni and Uluka; Arjuna killed Susharma. Duryodhana hid inside the Dvaipayana lake by holding the waters still (jalastambhana). Called out, he fought Bhima with the mace at Samantapanchaka; on Krishna's signal Bhima struck his thigh, fulfilling his vow and the curse of sage Maitreya. Balarama, back from his Saraswati pilgrimage and the teacher of both, was angry at the foul blow. When Krishna stepped down from Arjuna's chariot, it burst into flames: the weapons of Bhishma, Drona and Karna had already burnt it.

The night raid and after. Watching an owl kill sleeping crows, Ashwatthama planned a night attack. Dying Duryodhana made him commander. With Kripa and Kritavarma at the gate, he killed Dhrishtadyumna, Shikhandi and the Upapandavas. Chased by the Pandavas, he released the Brahmashira; Arjuna answered with his own and then withdrew it, but Ashwatthama turned his at the womb of Uttara. Krishna revived the stillborn child, Parikshit, and cursed Ashwatthama to wander for 3,000 years. Ashwatthama gave up the gem on his forehead, which went to Draupadi.

Weapons and banners.

The epic's places.