The War – Day 13 (Part 3)

The last episode ended with the tragedy of Abhimanyu’s death. The heroic son f Arjuna and nephew of Krishna was the victim of a highly unethical combat. All the veteran Kauravas joined hands and killed the young Pandava when he was trapped inside their vast army. Then, without shame, they celebrated victory by singing and dancing around the body of their victim. Noble souls among them shed tears looking at the body of the young prince who lost his life after fighting so valiantly.

The Pandavas heard the loud applause from inside the enemy’s ranks and guessed what would have happened. Soon, news came confirming their worst suspicion. Their hero had been killed. Arjuna and Krishna were still away fighting against the suicide army of Trigarthas. The sun had just reached the western horizon.

Yudhishthira’s sorrow

The senior Pandava was grief stricken. He lamented. “This young boy was sent by me to make a breach in the Kaurava formation which none of us knew how to do. Now he lay dead in the battle field. All the great warriors on my side failed to follow him as promised. How can I meet Arjuna? How can I console Uttara, Subhadra and Draupdai? It is better that we all perish along with Abhimanyu. I have no desire to fight this war any more. I not covet kingship any more”.

Veda Vyasa

Sage Veda Vyasa arrived there at that moment. He consoled the Pandava explaining death as a certainty for all living beings. The best that a Kshatriya (the warrior class) could hope for was death in the battle field. Abhimanyu had achieved that in the most honourable manner. He had already reached heaven reserved for veteran warriors.

Veda Vyasa, then, went into the nature of death itself. When the world was first created by Brahma (the creator) there was no death. Life multiplied on earth so fast that it became intolerable for mother earth. It was, then, that he created the goddess of death. The sage proceeded into the story of the goddess (Mrityu).

He also narrated very briefly the story of sixteen kings as told by sage Narada to king Akampana. All of them, like Bharata, Bhaggeratha and Yayati were eminent rulers, but, all died at the end as life was short for all living beings.

The sage told Yudhishthira that it was futile to indulge in mourning the dead. With those words Veda Vyasa disappeared from the scene.

We come to the end of the chapter “the killing of Abhimanyu (Abhimanyu Vadha Parvam)” with this episode. Arjuna was yet to return to the camp. We shall learn about it in the next chapter.