before, eager to welcome me.
Who is beasts began to make as the night
more blest, I, or you who, doomed to
linger here, mourning for slaughtered
friends in desolate homes, find the long
sought triumph but ashes in your mouth?"
said Duryodhana. And the gods showered
flowers down on the dying warrior and the
gandharvas played music and the sky was
illuminated. Vasudeva and the Pandavas
felt small.
"There is truth," said Krishna, "in what
Duryodhana said. You could not have
defeated him by fair means. This wicked
man was invincible in battle."
94. ASWATTHAMA
WHEN Aswatthama heard
Duryodhana lay mortally injured, and
learnt the details of the combat, his
righteous anger swelled like the sea. The
deception, practised by the Pandavas in
order to bring about his father's end, had
been rankling in his mind.
Now, when he learnt how Duryodhana
had been stricken down mortally against
all rules of chivalry, he went to the spot
where Duryodhana was lying and there
took an oath that he would that night send
the Pandavas to the abode of Yama.
Duryodhana, who was in the last physical
agony of departing life, was transported
with joy when he heard Aswatthama take
this oath. He immediately ordered those
who stood nearby to install Aswatthama
as Supreme Commander of the Army with
due ceremony and, when that was over,
said to Him: "All my hopes are in you."
It was sunset and the forest was in utter
darkness when under a big banian tree
Kripacharya, Kritavarma and Aswatthama
halted for rest. They were so greatly
fatigued that Kripacharya and Kritavarma
fell fast asleep as soon as they lay down.
But Aswatthama did not get sleep, for
sorrow, indignation and hatred burnt
within him. He was listening to the noises
that the nocturnal birds and prowling
advanced. He was turning over in his
mind how to execute his promise to
Duryodhana.
On the branches of the banian tree, under
which the three warriors were resting,
hundreds of crows roosted. They were all
quiet and asleep until a big owl came and
began to attack the birds one after another
and kill them. When Aswatthama saw the
nocturnal bird of prey tear the helpless
crows, he got an idea. The crows that
could not see at night flew round and
round helplessly and fell victims to the
owl that attacked them violently.
how "These wicked Pandavas and the Panchala
that killed my father and all their
supporters can easily be killed by us, if we
surprise them when they are sleeping in
their tents at night even as this owl is
attacking these blind crows. Thus can I
avenge the deeds of foul play they have
practised on us. I am deeply indebted to
this bird of prey from whom I have
received the teaching. There is no offence
in adopting plans to suit one's altered
circumstances. If we can lawfully attack
an enemy, when his army is tired or when
his forces are scattered, why then should
not we, who have lost our armies, attack
our enemies when they are asleep? There
can be nothing wrong in it. Indeed it is
only thus that we can punish and defeat
these Pandavas who have achieved
successes through foul play. We have no
other course open."
Aswatthama made up his mind and he
immediately woke up Kripacharya and
informed him of his plan. Kripacharya,
who heard it, was astonished.
"This can never be," said he. "It is wholly
wrong. To attack men who have retired to
sleep, has never been done before. It
would be an unprecedented crime against
the laws of kshatriya conduct.
Aswatthama, for whom are we fighting?