Week 7 Story: Duryodhana's Battle

Here I sit, in heaven, reflecting on the battle where I eventually lost my life. The whole time, I knew what destiny had in store for me, but I did not want to accept it. I knew the twelve years of exile were soon to be up for the Pandavas. I dreaded their inevitable return to me. I knew that the Pandavas would want the kingdom, and I was not willing to give it up. When the Pandavas finally showed up, asking for the kingdom, it was time to go to war. Krishna tried to peacefully settle the situation, but we all knew that this wouldn't work out. I was not ready to make peace with the Pandavas, and they weren't ready to make peace with me. Once Krishna returned to his kingdom, I knew my best chances at winning the war were to get him on my side. Krishna was always so powerful. I showed up at his kingdom, and Krishna was asleep. Then, to my disbelief, Arjuna came strolling in too. It was only fair that I got Krishna's help since I was first. However, Krishna defaulted to Arjuna for advice first. However, Arjuna turned down Krishna's army and instead took Krishna. This was the first time I felt confident in our chances. I thought Arjuna was foolish for neglecting to choose the army. Oh, how I wish I would have known better...

In a last-ditch effort, Krishna came to my palace and assumed the All-Form of Indra to threaten us to make peace with the Pandavas. I thought that he knew that the Pandavas would lose the fight, and was trying to get us to accept peace. I was wrong.

The battle broke out soon after. At first, our forces seemed level with the Pandava forces. I thought we would pull ahead. We had the numbers, and fierce warriors in Bhishma, Karna, Drona, and others. However, we soon fell behind, thanks to Bhishma. Bhishma was not aggressive enough. He failed to exploit the weaknesses of the Pandavas. I'm sure we would have made more progress if he had been a better warrior. I tried to pressure Bhishma into letting Karna take over, but Bhishma denied. Eventually, Bhishma decided he would make a push. I was happy to hear this, but knew a quickly planned battle would not go well for our forces against Arjuna. However, I didn't mind to see Bhishma relinquished from duty. Sure enough, Bhishma perished at the hands of Arjuna - as I expected. Bhishma was not a strong enough warrior or leader to win a fight with Arjuna. Then, I put Drona in charge. In retrospect, I wish I had put Karna in charge. Drona followed in similar footsteps as Bhishma, and faced the same fate. Around the time Drona fell in battle, we also lost many other formidable soldiers. At this point, I knew my forces were doomed to lose. We had hardly anyone left, and the Pandavas still had great forces. Arjuna slew Karna in a cowardly way, but what else could I expect from a Pandava? However, I couldn't live to see my kingdom in the hands of the Pandavas...

I went to hide in a lake - I thought that the Pandavas would assume I fled and would not hunt me down. However, Bhima found me. Bhima had it out for me. Sure enough, we did battle. I thought I would surely crush Bhima. However, he cheap-shotted me in the knee with his mace. What a cowardly way to end a battle. This was my fate. I'd rather be dead than see the Pandavas in power.

In the end, I do not regret doing battle with the Pandavas. I only regret not electing more powerful generals. Bhishma and Drona cost me the war. I should have taken Krishna on my side, he was more powerful than his entire army - even when not fighting. I should have won. The kingdom should still be mine.

Me and Bhima fighting to the death.
Image courtesy of Wikimedia

Author's Note:

Instead of rewriting one small story from the Mahabharata, I decided to rewrite the battle from Duryodhana's perspective. Throughout the story, I wondered what the story would be told like if told from Duryodhana's point-of-view. Would the Pandava's be cast as the bad guys? I wrote the story of the war from Duryodhana's perspective, and I felt that he was quick to cast blame to others and was excessively confident. He was quick to throw both Bhishma and Drona under the bus when things went south, and I think that he would blame the loss on the two of them. I felt that Duryodhana and his forces generally did not recognize their wrongdoings throughout the Mahabharata. For example, Karna did not hesitate to ask for safety while he fixed his chariot but fired upon Arjuna while he restrung his bow during their fight. I hope to have captured a sense of arrogance while accurately retelling events from the war from Duryodhana's perspective.

Bibliography:

"Indian Myth and Legend" by Donald A. Mackenzie [Online]

"Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists" by Sister Nivedita
"The Story of the Great War". By Annie Besant 

 

Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata, Part D

Characters

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The Conclusion of the Mahabharata

In the previous reading part, I wrote about the beginning of the war between the Kauravas and Pandavas. I left off with Duryodhana trying to relieve Bhishma of his duties, and that's right where we pick up. Once again, Duryodhana tries to get Bhishma to let Karna take over, but Bhishma denies the request. However, Bhishma also announces that he will either die on the battlefield or defeat the Pandavas that day. Ultimately, Bhishma ends up fighting with Arjuna, and after hours of battling, Bhishma is slain and both sides of the battle are at his side as he passes away. Following Bhishma's death, Drona takes over for the Kaurava's side. Drona promises to capture Yudhishthira and Arjuna promises to defend Yudhishthira. Then, Arjuna's son, Abhimanyu, was brutally killed by the Kaurava forces, and Jayadratha was the killer. Arjuna vowed to slay Jayadratha in the next day, or Arjuna would not have gone to heaven. The Kauravas became aware of Arjuna's vow, and did their best to hide Jayadratha. After going through many of the Kaurava soldiers, Arjuna eventually located Jayadratha right before nightfall. After some strategic planning with Krishna, Arjuna tricked the Kauravas into thinking it was already night and that Jayadratha would be safe. Arjuna then killed Jayadratha. Then, Bhima's son, Ghatotkacha, was slain by Karna, using Indra's dart. The next day, Duryodhana was wanting Drona to hand over the army to Karna. Like Bhishma, Drona stated that he would either slay Arjuna the next day or die trying. However, the Pandavas tricked Drona. Drona's power came from his son being alive. The Pandavas slayed an elephant named Ashwatthaman, Drona's son's name, and stated that Ashwatthaman was dead. Drona fell for the trick, and ultimately perished. Next, Arjuna and Karna fought. An arrow of Karna's struck the bowstring on Arjuna's bow, and Karna would not wait for Arjuna to restring his bow. However, Karna's chariot wheel got stuck and Karna requested a ceasefire for the time being. Krishna then stated that Karna had killed Arjuna's son, and Arjuna immediately fired an arrow that killed Karna. Then, one by one, the Kaurava army was decimated. Soon, Duryodhana and Ashwatthaman were the only two notable warriors left. Duryodhana was slain by a blow to the knee from Bhima. The war starts to wrap up with Arjuna killing Ashwatthaman and grief being everywhere. Nearly everyone has lost a family member in the war, and some had family members on each side of the battle.

Arjuna slays Karna as Karna fixes the wheel of his chariot.
Image found on Wikimedia

Bibliography

"Indian Myth and Legend" by Donald A. Mackenzie [Online]

"Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists" by Sister Nivedita

Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata, Part C

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Information:

War between the Pandavas and Kauravas started in this section of reading. The reading started out with the Pandavas, once again, wandering through the forests since they had lost possessions due to gambling. However, the time spent in the forest was worthwhile as Arjuna became more powerful while on a journey where he met Shiva amongst many other gods and received many gifts. Soon, the Pandavas' twelve years of exile were up, and they returned to wage war with the Kauravas. Krishna wanted the argument to be settled peacefully, and Krishna retreated to his kingdom peacefully and asked to be left out of the war. Then, Arjuna and Duryodhana set out to ask for Krishna's help. Duryodhana arrived slightly before Arjuna, but they arrived on the same day. When they arrived, Krishna was asleep. Both Arjuna and Duryodhana sat by Krishna's bed, and when Krishna awoke, he offered to grant one his army, and one himself. Arjuna got first choice because he was younger, and Arjuna chose to have Krishna, who was not allowed to fight, be on his side. Duryodhana was pleased to get the full army. Arjuna asks Krishna to drive his chariot, and Krishna agreed. While armies were being put together and getting ready for war, the Pandavas tried one last time for peace. When no immediate answer was given, Krishna went to the Kauravas to attempt to get the Kauravas to agree to peaceful negotiation. When Krishna became aware that the Kauravas were plotting to capture and harm him, Krishna showed his true form as Vishnu, in the All-Form that contained many other gods as well, all of the Kauravas and their men except Duryodhana trembled in fear. Krishna then tried to negotiate Karna to the Pandavas' side by telling Karna that he is the brother of the Pandavas and that the Pandavas would proudly elect him king as the eldest brother. However, Karna politely rejects by saying that he wants to stand by the Kauravas, his friends, even though it is certain to fail. Karna says Arjuna and he must meet on the battlefield as destiny intended. Kunti then tells Karna that he is her son, and begs for him to join the Pandavas. Once again, Karna declines. However, Karna promises to only do battle with Arjuna, and to spare the other four Pandavas. As the battle begins, the Kauravas and Pandavas trade-off with victories, eventually the Pandavas take the upper hand. Bhishma, the leader of the Kaurava forces, tells Duryodhana that they will surely lose, and Duryodhana wants Karna to take over as leader. However, Bhishma is not yet ready to relinquish his duty as leader of the forces.

Arjuna and Krishna ride in Krishna's chariot. Image from Wikipedia

Bibliography

"The Story of the Great War". By Annie Besant 

"Indian Myth and Legend" by Donald A. Mackenzie [Online]