In the previous episode, we had witnessed Ashwatthama simmering with anger, even as Sage Kripachaarya and Krita-Varma are fast asleep under a huge tree in the Kurukshetra battlefield. As Ashwatthama is wide awake, he sees an eagle coming from nowhere and killing all the kids of a crow in its nest, which is built on the same tree. Upon seeing this, Ashwatthama strategizes that just like how the eagle is killing all the crow kids during sleep, he should also kill all the Paandava brothers while they are fast asleep! With this intention and resolution, he wakes up Sage Kripachaarya and Krita-Varma from their deep sleep and expresses his strategy to them. Ashwatthama quotes a shloka, which narrates how success can be easily achieved over an enemy – By attacking them when they are asleep, by attacking them when they are consuming food, by attacking them when they are amidst travel, etc. Ultimately the point that Ashwatthama is trying to convey here is that, if the enemy is attacked at a time when he doesn’t anticipate it, victory is assured! Hence, Ashwatthama is going to attack the Paandava brothers when they are fast asleep, and when they least anticipate!
Upon hearing this, Sage Kripachaarya gets angry on Ashwatthama. He replies back by saying that Ashwatthama conveniently picked up one shloka which says all these, but left the next shloka which also says that such acts of cruelty on the enemy are completely against the “Raaja-Dharma” and “Yuddha-Neeti”. Sage Kripachaarya questions Ashwatthama as to why he is not looking into this subsequent shloka here. Sage Kripachaarya goes on to scold Ashwatthama for around 25 shlokas here. I’m not going into this at the moment, but towards the end, Sage Kripachaarya says thus, “Oh Ashwatthama! Let us do one thing! Let us go and consult with the seniors in our family and check whether this is in favor of “Dharma” or against it. Once we get the clarity, you may go ahead and do whatever you want to!”
As Sage Kripachaarya says thus, Ashwatthama immediately fumes with anger. He replies thus, “Oh Sage Kripachaarya! You’re not understanding the urgency of the situation. I do not care whether this is an act of “Dharma” or “Adharma”. Where were you when my father was tricked into believing that I’m dead? Where did you go when my father’s head was chopped when he was weaponless and alone in the battlefield? Why didn’t you talk all these logics of “Adharma” then? Oh Sage Kripachaarya! At this moment, I’m not interested in all these useless dialogues and consultations. I’m just going ahead with my plans and by tomorrow morning, Duryodhana should get the news that Yudishtra and Co. are dead!”
As Ashwatthama decisively says thus, Sage Kripachaarya has nothing more to add. He just remains silent and Ashwatthama starts off for the pursuit from that tree. He slowly walks towards the tent area where Yudishtra and Co. are sleeping. As this happens, Ashwatthama instructs both Sage Kripachaarya and Krita-Varma thus, “I’m now going to enter into their tents and unleash my fury upon them. At any point if someone wakes up and tries to escape out of the tents, both of you should block them and ensure that they do not flee away anywhere! As you hold them back, I shall kill all of them, even if they are trying to escape!” As Ashwatthama says thus, both Sage Kripachaarya and Krita-Varma have no other option but to obey his words. It should be remembered that Ashwatthama is now the “Senapati” and the words of the “Senapati” are final. Hence, both of them follow Ashwatthama’s footsteps and are waiting outside the tents. Gradually, Ashwatthama makes an entry into the tent area and comes closer to the place where all of them are sleeping. As he gets closer and closer to the tents, there is a huge demon-like person who is protecting the entire set of people who are fast asleep. If Ashwatthama has to unleash his agenda, he has to first kill this demon before entering. Ashwatthama tries to attack the demon with his sharp arrows, but the demon is too powerful to break all of them! Ashwatthama tries to plunder the demon with his sharp swords, however, the demon is too strong enough to throw away all his swords! Similarly, whatever Ashwatthama does to kill the demon, he is not able to succeed! This demon-like person is none other than an embodiment of all the “Dharma” that Yudishtra & Co. have performed all through their lives till date! The “Dharma-Devata” is protecting the Pandava brothers from Ashwatthama’s wrath!
So, given that this “Dharma-Devata” is acting as a stumbling block for Ashwatthama to proceed further, how is he now going to strategize? What is Ashwatthama going to do now? Let us wait and witness this interesting proceeding in the next episode! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 