Mahabharata – Chapter 8: The Kurukshetra War

The Kurukshetra War

With the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna's doubts were dispelled. He resolved to fulfill his duty. A conch shell sounded in the sky, and the drums of war began to beat once again on the land of Kurukshetra, heralding the final decisive battle.

The End of Bhishma Pitamah

For ten days, Bhishma Pitamah led the Kaurava army. His strength and valor were astounding. The Pandava army could not withstand him. The earth trembled, and the sky was filled with arrows. Arjuna's heart was troubled, as he had to fight against his own grandfather. Yudhishthira was worried; victory seemed impossible.

Yudhishthira said to Arjuna, "Arjuna, will we ever be able to defeat Bhishma Pitamah? My heart tells me this war is in vain." Arjuna replied, "Yudhishthira, Lord Krishna is with us. He has shown us the path of truth. We must have faith." Krishna whispered in Arjuna's ear, "To establish righteousness, you must defeat Bhishma. He knows how his end will come."

The Fall of Dronacharya and the Slaying of Karna

After the fall of Bhishma Pitamah, Dronacharya became the commander of the Kauravas. He too put immense pressure on the Pandavas. To defeat Dronacharya, Krishna told Yudhishthira a stratagem. Bhima killed the elephant Ashwatthama, and the rumor was spread that Dronacharya's son, Ashwatthama, had been killed. Dronacharya sought the truth from Yudhishthira. Yudhishthira softly said, "Ashwatthama is dead," but he uttered the word "elephant" softly, so that Dronacharya might not hear it. Dronacharya was distraught with grief for his son and laid down his weapons. Dhrishtadyumna slew him. After this, Karna took command. A fierce battle ensued between Karna and Arjuna. Karna's chariot wheel got stuck, and he got down to retrieve it. Arjuna then, under Krishna's guidance, slew Karna. With Karna's death, the last hope of the Kauravas also vanished.

Krishna reminded Arjuna, "Arjuna, your duty is to fight and destroy unrighteousness. Karna was a great warrior, but he sided with unrighteousness. You must not stray from your duty." Arjuna's mind was now free of doubt. He loosed arrow after arrow from his Gandiva, destroying unrighteousness. By Krishna's grace, the Pandavas achieved victory.

Victory and Destruction

The Kauravas were defeated in the Kurukshetra war. Duryodhana was killed, along with all his sons. The Pandavas achieved victory, but it was a very costly one. Millions of warriors had perished, and the earth was stained red with blood. After the war ended, Yudhishthira became king. He ruled with righteousness and justice. This victory brought a new era for the Pandavas, but it would forever remind them of the horrors of war. The next chapter will now tell the story of the Pandavas' reign and Krishna's departure to Dvaraka.