In the previous episode, we had witnessed an introduction to the “Shalya Parva”, which talks about the eighteenth day of the war. Now that Karna has died, the next “Senapati” of the Kaurava Army is going to be King Shalya. So in this “Shalya Parva”, there are three “Upa-Parvas”, starting from “Shalya-Vadha-Parva” wherein King Shalya is going to be killed. He’s not going to last very long as the others like Bhishmachaarya, Guru Dhronachaarya and Karna did. Thus, the very first “Upa-Parva” itself is going to talk about how King Shalya is going to get killed. Subsequently, we are going to see the next “Upa-Parva” called “Hrada-Pravesha Parva” wherein Duryodhana is going to enter into a lake and hide inside it. Third and the final one is the “Gadha-Yuddha Parva” which is going to talk about the “Grand Finale” of this entire Mahabharata war at Kurukshetra – Bheemasena vs. Duryodhana. Both of them are going to engage in an intense “Gadha-Yuddham” and towards the end of it, Duryodhana is also going to be killed. With this, the “Shalya Parva” is going to come to an end. So with this prelude, we shall enter into the main “Shalya Parva” and witness the continuation of what happened after Karna’s demise.
Now as usual, Sanjaya commences his accord to King Dhritarashtra. We can see this happening during the beginning of every “Parva” that describes the war at Kurukshetra. Sanjaya is the one who is giving the updates of what is happening on the battlefield to King Dhritarashtra, isn’t he? So he says thus, “Oh King Dhritarashtra! As the eighteenth day of the war commences, King Shalya is made the “Senapati” and he leads the army (whatever is left over after seventeen days of heavy destruction). The Paandava army is also equally depleted. However, the five Paandava brothers are as fresh as they were during the first day of the war. During the course of the fight, King Shalya is not able to withstand the intensity and is getting killed by Yudishtra by the afternoon itself! After King Shalya’s demise, the Kaurava army is devoid of a leader! People started fighting with each other randomly and it is a ghastly sight at the Kurukshetra battlefield! Oh King Dhritarashtra! Let me tell you even more a ghastly truth to you – Duryodhana is now left alone to defend himself! Now that King Shalya is also dead, the remaining people who are alive are Sage Kripachaarya, Krita Varma, Ashwatthama and Sudarshana along with Duryodhana himself!” It is to be remembered that Sudarshana is one of Duryodhana’s brothers who has managed to escape all these days during the war. There is one more person by the name Yuyutsu, and he has escaped too! Yuyutsu was not born to Gaandhaari and hence Bheemasena did not want to kill him. As per the pledge, Bheemasena had vowed to kill only those hundred brothers of Duryodhana, isn’t it? Hence, Yuyutsu is not in Bheemasena’s hit-list and he escaped.
Saying all these in the introduction itself, Sanjaya continues further thus, “Oh King Dhritarashtra! Unable to withstand all these killings around him, Duryodhana got scared for the first time in these eighteen days. He doesn’t have anyone else in the kitty, to take the lead as the “Senapati” anymore. Hence, he decides to hide himself from the rest of the people. Thus, with the help of his “Maya-Bhalam” (Illusionary power), he jumps into a huge lake, goes to the depth of it and sits there without coming out!” As Sanjaya says thus, King Dhritarashtra asks back – “Oh Sanjaya! What happened after Duryodhana jumped into the lake? Did he manage to escape? Is he safe now?” As King Dhritarashtra asks thus, Sanjaya doesn’t know how to give an answer. He musters up his courage and says thus, “Oh King Dhritarashtra! Duryodhana did come out of the lake upon Bheemasena’s call for a grand “Gadha-Yuddham”. Duryodhana was not able to resist Bheemasena’s call. He came out and had an intense fight with Bheemasena, but in the end, Bheemasena was able to get the better of your son Duryodhana! Thus, Duryodhana died in the hands of Bheemasena and with this, Bheemasena fulfilled his pledge that he had undertaken on that fateful day when the gambling game took place in this very courtroom!”
Saying thus, Sanjaya continues further thus, “Oh King Dhritarashtra! The destruction was not restricted only to your son. Others like Shikhandi, Drishtadhyumna, Upa-Paandavas, etc. are also dead! Nobody is alive right now, except for three people on the Kaurava side and the five Paanndava brothers on the other side! This is a complete annihilation that has happened at the Kurukshetra battlefield! Saying thus, Sanjaya could not hold back his tears from his eyes! So with this, we shall conclude Sanjaya’s introduction to the “Shalya Parva” and in the next episode, we shall continue witnessing what happened during the eighteenth day of the war in detail! Stay tuned!
The Indian Dharma 