HISTORY OF

PART II.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE REVENGE OF ASWATTHAMA.

THE great war of Bhárata was now over.

The

INDIA. cause of the Pandavas had triumphed. Duryodhana was lying mortally wounded upon the plain of Kutriumph of the rukshetra, and of all his numerous followers only Three warriors three remained alive. But these three were still

Termination of the war and

Pandavas.

alone remaining

of the Kauravas.

of all the forces prepared to renew the struggle; a circumstance that tends to confirm the view that the war turned upon single combats, and that the forces engaged might have been counted by tens or hundreds rather than by millions or billions. Amongst these three men was one named Aswattháma. He was the son of the old preceptor Drona, and had fought, like his father, on the side of the Kauravas, but had hitherto made Vow of Aswat- no figure in the history. When however Drona was slain by Dhrishta-dyumna on the fifteenth day of the war, Aswattháma had sworn to be revenged on his father's murderer; and on the night of the last day of the war circumstances occurred which enabled him to fulfil his vow. Yudhishthira and his brethren were sleeping in the camp of the Kauravas, on the opposite side of the lake; but all their surviving followers and servants, together with their wife Draupadi and their five sons, were sleeping in

tháma, son of Drona, to be

revenged for the death of his

father.

INDIA. PART II.

their own entrenched camp in apparently the most HISTORY OF perfect security, having, as they supposed, not a single enemy remaining alive who was capable of working them any harm. The story of the revenge of Aswattháma is as follows:

eighteenth day

wounded and'

plain.

surviving war

visit him.

grief.

offers to slay the

Now it was on the evening of the eighteenth and last Night of the day of the great war that the Pándavas had left Duryodhana of the war. on the plain of Kurukshetra, and that Krishna had visited Dhritarashtra and Gándhárí at Hastinápur. And when Dur- Duryodhana yodhana was left by the Pándavas, he sat up in spite of his alone upon the wound, and cleansed his face from blood and dust, and bound up his hair. Meantime Aswattháma, Kripa, and The three Kritavarman perceived that the Pándavas had departed; riors of his army and they came out of their place of concealment, and presented themselves to Duryodhana; and when the people whom Yudhishthira had stationed to take care of the Raja, saw those warriors approaching, they ran away. And when Their great the three warriors came near to Duryodhana, and beheld his wretched condition, they rolled themselves in the dust and wept aloud. And Aswattháma said to Duryodhana :-" You Aswatthama know how Dhrishta-dyumna slew my father Drona, and how Pandavas that with like treachery Bhíma has worked this evil upon you: If now you will lay your commands upon me, I will very night go and slay every one of the Pándavas." yodhana then bade Kripa bring Aswattháma before and Kripa took Aswattháma's hand, and did as he was manded. Duryodhana then said:-"I now appoint you, head of Bhima. Aswattháma, to be Chief in my room." And Raja Duryodhana turned to the other two, Kripa and Kritavarman, and said:"Henceforth do you look upon Aswattháma as you have hitherto looked upon me." And Aswattháma kissed the ground, and uttered a prayer for the Raja; and the Raja said:"The time of my death has now arrived, and it is my wish that you go this very night and slay all the Pandavas and their army, and bring me the head of Bhíma, that on beholding it I may go out of this world with

night.

this Dur- Duryodhana

appoints As

him; watthama Chief com- and directs him

in command,

to bring the

HISTORY OF Out regret." So saying, the strength of Duryodhana again failed him, and he fainted away from weakness and pain.

INDIA. PART II.

The three war

yodhana upon

the plain.

After Duryodhana had thus appointed Aswattháma, son riors leave Dur- of Drona, to be Chief and Commander in his own stead, the three warriors took leave of the dying Raja and went their way. And they sat down under a tree to consult what they should do; and Aswattháma said: "I have already received the orders of the Raja to slay all the Pándavas this very night, and I must now do something or forfeit my head." And Aswattháma saw that a large number of crows were roosting in the tree; and presently an owl came, and killed the crows one by one, without alarming the others. Resolves to fall And Aswattháma said to his two companions :-ʻ "This owl

Aswattháma

sees an owl kill the sleeping

crows.

upon the Pán

davas in like

manner.

Kripa remonstrates.

Aswattháma persists in revenging the slaughter of Drona.

instructs me how to act towards my enemies if they be too numerous: It is to kill them by night one after the other, without making any noise that will disturb the rest: Give me your advice! Shall I go and fall upon our enemies, particularly upon Dhrishta-dyumna, who slew my father Drona?" Kripa replied: "You are well aware that Duryodhana will now certainly die, and we have already done very much in his service: My opinion is that we should betake ourselves to Maharaja Dhritarashtra and the Rání Gándhárí, and mention this scheme to them; and then if they order us to set about it we should do so, but that otherwise we should not move in the matter." And both Kripa and Kritavarman strongly urged Aswattháma, but he would not listen to them, saying:-"These people have slain my father, and I am confident that they will all be sleeping after their victory; and if I do not watch this opportunity for revenge, I am very sure I shall never meet with another; and the grief that now overburthens my heart will never be assuaged as long as I live: If I conquer in this effort it is well; otherwise if I am killed I do not care: So do not interrupt me, but leave me to my purpose: In the beginning of the war I ought not to have taken up arms at all, because I am a Bráhman; and I should have occupied myself in study and prayer: But now that I have launched my life upon the torrent of war, I must fight to some purpose: The least that

INDIA. PART II.

Kripa proposes

till morning, and Pandavas fairly.

I can do is to revenge my father's blood upon his enemies, HISTORY OF and if I do not accomplish this, what can I say for myself?" Kripa replied:-" Since you are so sore upon your father's death, I pray you to remember that it is wrong to fall upon to wait our foes unawares: Stay now till morning, and we will all then to fight the three go and fight the Pándavas fairly, and see to whom the great god Siva will give the victory: Let us sleep now, and to-morrow set our faces to the battle." Aswattháma said: -"Rage will not let me sleep, but you may go to sleep and welcome." Kripa answered :-"I only advise you that it is a most enormous crime to slay people in their sleep; for the rest, do as you please." Aswattháma said :-" What you Aswat have counselled is very true, but however much I strive with myself, I cannot let the slaughter of my father go unpunished; and if I can but accomplish the death of Dhrishtadyumna, let what may come to pass, be it going to heaven or going to hell."

Aswattháma re

fuses.

tavarman, pro

camp of the

Pandavas in the

Kauravas.

When Aswattháma had done speaking, he rose up and Aswatthama, followed by harnessed his horses to his chariot, and he put on his armour Kripa and Kriand drove off; and when Kripa and Kritavarman saw that ceeds to the advice had no effect upon him, they both followed after him. Pandavas. And Aswattháma went straight to the camp of the Pándavas. Now Raja Yudhishthira and his four brethren were at that Absence of the time in the camp of the Kauravas, where they had found camp of the much spoil, and had taken up their quarters for the night; but their five sons by Draupadí, and all the other Chieftains of the army, were in their own camp, sleeping soundly in their several quarters in perfect security, and Draupadí also was sleeping in the camp. Now the camp of the Pándavas The single gatewas surrounded by a deep trench, so contrived as to have only one gate or entrance; and there was no way of entry on any other side. And when Aswattháma came to the Aswattháma gate he saw that his two friends were following behind; and friends to guard he requested them to stay and guard the entrance, whilst he he enters the went in and worked his revenge. He then passed through the gate without seeing any one; and went straightway to the quarters of Dhrishta-dyumna; and he saw Dhrishta- Surprises dyumna sleeping in splendour with all his women sitting na and slaugh

way.

leaves his two

the gate whilst

camp.

Dhrishta-dyum

ters him.

INDIA. PART II.

HISTORY OF about him. And the women were thunderstricken at the approach of Aswattháma, and he went and kicked Dhrishtadyumna on the head, and awoke him from his sleep. Then Dhrishta-dyumna beheld Aswattháma standing before him with a drawn sword, and he cried out :-" What cowardice is this to fall unawares upon a naked man!" And Aswattháma struck him on the head with the back of the sword Screaming of the and broke his skull. Then the women began to scream and general confu- Aswattháma rushed out, and no one knew who he was; but the people of Dhrishta-dyumna, who had come out with drawn swords on hearing the alarm, seeing a man rush out from the quarters of their Chief with a naked sword, ran hastily after him. And Aswattháma killed a great number of them, and in their confusion many of them killed each other.

women, and

sion.

The five sons of

the Pandavas

slain by Aswattháma.

ter amongst the

followers and

Pandavas.

of the

Now it so happened that Draupadí had come into the rush out and are camp that very night with her five sons whom she had borne to the Pándavas. And the young men were roused by the noise and alarm, and hearing that some one had killed Dhrishta-dyumna, who was the brother of their mother, they armed themselves and ran out to revenge him. And Aswattháma fell upon the five sons of the Pandavas one after the other, and cut them down and slew them one after the other. Fearful slaugh- And all the camp was in horrible confusion, and the people, Servants are as they rushed out from their several quarters, fell upon each other in their alarm, and fathers slew their sons and sons their fathers, and no man knew what was done either by himself or by the others. And every one who tried to escape by the gate of the camp was cut down and slain by Kripa and Kritavarman, whom Aswattháma had posted there. And Aswattháma found a great pile of firewood in the camp, and he set it on fire, and by the light of the flame he discovered and slew very many. And the horrors of that night surpassed all that had occurred during the eighteen days of the war, for Krishna and the Pándavas were sleeping far away in the quarters of Duryodhana, but all their followers and servants innumerable had been left behind in the camp of the Pánda

Aswattháma

escapes with

the heads of the

five sons of the vas. Pandavas.

And Aswattháma cut off the heads of the five sons of