(pg. 133) Dhritarashtra wants to give Krishna a ton of gifts. Vidura advises him not and that he should give him what Krishna is coming for: peace and justice. Duryodhana heard Vidura's advise and tells them that he is going to make Krishna their prisoner because he believe once Krishna is confined the Pandavas will collapse and become his salves.
(pg. 140) Krishna spoke at the assembly. Dussasana agreed with Krishna and the elders. Duryodhana spoke, believing he had done not wrong and then walked out. Krishna advised the king not to go to war with the Pandavas and to restrain his son. Gandhari summoned her son Duryodhana and tried to talk some sense to him, but he just walked out while she was still speaking. Duryodhana then spoke to Sakuni, Dussasanan and Karna, telling them that it was time to capture Krishna and make him prisoner. Satyaki told Krishna of this and said that he and his troops would protect him, but Krishna refused and said that they could try and seize him if they wished. Dhritarashtra and Vidura spoke to Duryodhana in attempt to dissuade him from his evil plan.
(pg. 141) Krishna appeared in his god form when they tried to capture him. He told Karna to join him in his chariot on his way back and Karna obeyed. Krishna tried to sway him but Karna told him that he was indebted to Duryodhana.
(pg. 145) The Pandavas chose to make Dhrishtadyumna supreme commander of their army. They are preparing for war.
(pg. 146) Description of Duryodhana's army preparing for war. Their supreme commander was Bhishma. The battle was on Kurukshetra Field.
(pg. 147) Both sides are ready to fight at dawn. Arjuna was in his chariot and saw his kinsmen, his guru, his uncle, grandfather, and cousins and broke down crying saying he could not fight them and that it wasn't worth it. Krishna began to comfort Arjuna and then appeared in his God form and did not return to his mortal form until after Arjuna stated that his weakness had passed.
(pg. 148) Before the battle began, Yudhishtra went up to Drona and Bhishma and bowed before them, touching their feet. After that he returned to his post, pit back on his armor, and gave the signal for attack.
*(pg. 149) Decription/Summary of the battle. Could write this from a soldiers point of view.
(pg. 151) More detailed description of the battle. Abhimanyu fights Bhishma, then Arjuna fought Bhishma. Dona and Dhrishtadyumna were engaged in deadly combat until Bhima came and rescued Dhrishtadyumna.
(pg. 153) Krishna became annoyed that Arjuna was not destroying Bhishma and so he said he would kill him himself. Arjuna pleaded for him not to.
(pg. 154) Description of the battle on the 2nd day. Brim killed 8 of Duryodhana's brothers.
(pg. 155) Description of the battle on the 6th day. Arjuna was battling Bhishma when Bhishma fell on arrows. This caused both sides to stop fighting. He announced that the could lie on his bed of arrows for many days until it was time for him to die. On his death bed, Bhishma told Karna to go back to the Pandavas and end their strife. Karen declined the advise. Bhishma died.
(pg. 156) Duryodhana decides that they should capture Yudhishtira and orders Drona to make that a priority. Dona informs Duryodhana that they cannot capture Yudhistira as long as Arjuna is there and suggest that they distract him. They had another chief distract Arjuna by making a suicide squad which was a challenge Arjuna had to accept.
(pg. 158) The 13th day of battle. Suicide squad challenged Arjuna again. Dona created a lotus formation. Abhimanyu was required to break the formation. Abhimanyu attempted to breach the formation but was ultimately killed by the Kauravas.
(pg. 159) Bhima battled Karna and some of Duryodhana's brothers. Bhima killed 12 of Duryodhana's brothers. Karen destroyed all of Bhima's weapons, even his chariot, charioteer, and horses, leaving Bhima basically defenseless. Bhima had to run from shelter to shelter because of this and had to defend himself with whatever article he could lay his hands on. Karen taunted him. The temper of both armies increased. They no longer respected the conventions of war. Fought at night.
(pg. 160) Ghatotkacha was attcking and harassing the Kauravas and caused great damage to their armies. The Kauravas asked Karna to destroy him. Karna used a magical spear and killed Ghatotkacha.
(pg. 161) Krishna declares that they must destroy Drona and that Drona's only weak spot was his son Aswathama. Krishna said that they should lie to Drona and tell them that his son was dead so they could defeat him. Arjuna and the others declined telling the lie and refused to take part in the deceit. Yudhistira said that he would do it. Bhima smashed the skull of an elephant named Aswathama so as to give some truth to the lie. Drona heard Bhima yell that he killed Aswathama and asked Yudhistira about it. Yudhistira said yes. Bhima then told Drona that he had degraded himself because instead of teaching of knowledge and peace like the brahmin he was supposed to be, he acted out of war and violence as a warrior like a kshatriya. This greatly hurt Drona. He sat down in his chariot and Dhrishtadyumna cut off Drona's head.
(pg. 162) Karna was made Commander-in-Chief. Bhima attacked Dussasana. He ripped off his arm, throwing the limb in Duryodhana's face, sucked the blood gushing out of Dussasana's body, thus fulfilling the vow he made when Draupadi was being dragged be for an assembly. Karna then decided to attack Arjuna. Karna's chariot wheel became stuck in the ground. He begged for them to wait until his chariot would work again, but Krishna said that Karna never had any honor so why should they. Arjuna then used the Gandiva and cut off Karna's head.
(pg. 163) Duryodhana was advised to sue for peace but he said no. Salya was made commander in chief. Yudhistira personally led forces against Salya and defeated him.
(pg. 164)Bhima destroyed the last remaining son's of Dhritarashtra. Bhima decided to go after Duryodhana. Duryodhana used mystic powers to hide at the bottom of a lake. Yudhistira and his brothers found him Duryodhana said he was not hiding but trying to cool down the fire within him. He then came out of the water and told him that he would fight all of them one by one and that they must have enough chivalry not to fight him as a pack. Yudhistira then mentioned how the Kauravas all at one attacked Abhimanyu.
(pg. 165) Yudhistira told Duryodhana that he could pick one of them to fight. Bhima and Duryodhana began to fight, both being equally skilled with the mace. Krishna asked Arjuna if Bhima had forgotten that he had vowed to smash Duryodhana's though during the station when Draupadi had been dragged through the assembly. Bhima overheard this and then smashed Duryodhana's thigh.
(pg. 166) They decided to just leave Duryodhana there. As they were leaving, he called out to Krishna but Krishna shut down his insult saying that he brough this upon himself and should use his last minutes to repent. Duryodhana was defiant until the end.
(pg. 167) The Pandavas returned to Hastinapura.
(pg. 168) Gandhari lashed out at Krishna and Krishna told her everything that had happened was fated to happen. The Pandavas, Vidura, Sanjaya, and Dhritarashtra camped outside of the city for 1 month period of mourning.
(pg. 169) Narada and Yudhistira discussed those who were lost in the war and the grid. Yudhistira then discussed his feelings about Karna and asked Narada why the unfortunate events occurred too Karna even though he was really a Pandava.
(pg. 170) Narada explains why Karna's chariot wheel got stuck and why he could not shoot the Brahastra.
(pg. 171-174) Yudhistira speaks to Arjuna about his overwhelming grief and need for repentance. He told Arjunato be king and then began to describe his vision of living a recluse life. Arjuna told him that it was his duty to be king. Yudhistira still continued to repeat his vision. Him then became angry about it and told him that if he gave up all his kingly duties the entire war would have been for nothing. The twins gave their opinion. Draped added in by saying Yudhistira should not ignore what she and her brothers have been saying. Arjuna then spoke of the duties of a king and the circle of life. Yudhistira let everyone express their opinions and then rejected them. Vyasa then intervened and told him that he has no choice but to become king. Yudhistira continued to lanentate and grieve excessively. Krishna lost his patience and told him that he needed to get it together for those suffering out of obedience to his orders and to forget his own tried. Yudhistira suddenly realized how reasonable all of their arguments had been and decided to become king.
(pg. 175) They arrived in the city in a celebration. There was a description of how everyone was seated in the palace. Yudhistira announced that they all must still respect Dhsitarashtra because he is still in the head of their country and the whole world belongs to him.
(pg. 176) Yudhistira makes Bhima second in command. Tells what each person is now in charge of.
(pg. 177-179) Yudhistira went and spoke to Bhishma who was still lying on his bed of arrow heads. They spoke about the duties being king for several days and afterwards Bhishma breathed his last breath. Yudhistira cremated Bhishma's body on the banks of the Ganges where his soul was received by the deity and returned to the celestial rely. Yudhistira ruled for 36 years. Dhritarashtra decided to retire into the woods with Ganshari and Kunthi. Yudhistira visited them until one day they died in a forest fire. Krishna's clan destroyed each other in a civil war. Depressed by certain events, the Pandavas decided to leave the world one by one including Draupadi. Vidura merged his should with Yudhistira. Yudhistira is gifted with the power to reach heaven in his physical body. Abhimanyu's child is the only one left and eventually becomes king and continues the Pandava lineage.
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| Krishna pleading to avoid war (Source) |
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