Home | Biographies

A-J | K-M | N-S | T-Z | Others | Previous

1. Drone's Personal Life
2. Drone in Mahaabhaarat War

Drone in Mahaabhaarat War
After Bheeshm fell down on the 10th day of the Mahaabhaarat war, the 11th day, Drone was appointed as Chief Army Chief of the Kaurav army. Drone changed the Bheeshm's tactics of war. he planned to capture Yudhishthir, though he underestimated the strength or cleverness of Krishn. However, he could not capture Yudhishthir by his own tactics, but was able to kill Drupad. At this Dhrishtdyumn vowed to kill Drone.

The 12th day, Drone killed a lot many soldiers but still victory was far from sight. Duryodhan blamed Drone for failing in performing his duties - to capture Yudhishthir. Although Duryodhan invited Bhagdatt (Narakaasur's son) to capture Yudhishthir, still Drone failed to capture him.

So next day, the 13th day, he called for a special meeting and asked his best commanders to keep Arjun away from the battlefield, because he was the only one who knew how to break through his Chakra Vyooh. He gave the task of organizing this to Jayadrath. Drone was sure of his victory as no one knew to break through the Vyooh except Arjun and Krishn, and Arjun would not be in the battlefield itself.

When Yudhishthir came to know about the Chakra Vyooh, he looked for Arjun, but Arjun was nowhere to be seen, so he consulted his other brothers and Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu said - "I can enter the Chakra Vyooh, but I don't know how to come out." Then Yudhishthir asked Bheem, Nakul, Sahadev to follow Abhimanyu and he himself was supposed to stay outside the Vyooh.

As Abhimanyu entered the Vyooh, Jayadrath ordered to quickly close the Vyooh entrapping Abhimanyu inside the Vyooh, and his uncles locked out the Vyooh. (What happened next? To read it in detail see Abhimanyu). Abhimanyu fought with a great bravery with seven great warriors like Duryodhan, Shakuni, Karn, Jayadrath, Ashwatthaamaa, Kripaachaarya, and Dronaachaarya. But for how long? Soon he lost his Rath, Saarathee, weapons and got severely wounded. He fell down. Drone said to other warriors not to attack on a defenseless warrior, but Jayadrath didn't listen to this. He hit him with his foot and killed him with his sword. It was the black day in Mahaabhaarat war.

When Arjun heard about the death of his son, he vowed to kill Jayadrath by sunset of next day. When Jayadrath heard about Arjun's vow, he got frightened and got ready to run away from the battlefield. Drone and Duryodhan consoled him and assured him of his safety.

So next day, the 14th day, Drone again created a Vyooh in which he kept Jayadrath in the center. Arjun could not reach him the whole day, but at last he killed him before sunset (for detailed description read Jayadrath). Duryodhan again blamed Drone for not taking care of Jayadrath, therefore he should step down. Drone promised to end the war next day by killing Arjun.

Death of Drone
It was very difficult, rather impossible to kill Drone and until Drone dies Paandav could not win the war. So Krishn had to find some way to remove him from the battlefield. So He consulted Paandav and suggested the way to win Drone. He said - "Drone once promised to himself that he would stop fighting if his only son Ashwatthaamaa was killed in the battlefield." Ashwatthaamaa was invincible. So Krishn somehow had to make Drone believe for that, that "Ashwatthaamaa was killed". Yudhishthir would have to tell this lie to him. As Yudhishthir never told any lie, Drone would believe him. So he will stop fighting and Dhrishtdyumn will get a chance to behead his head."

So next day, the 15th day, Drone started attacking Arjun. Arjun also fought with his Guru very bravely. Yudhishthir was hesitant to lie to his Guru Drone, so Bheem acted promptly. He killed an elephant with the same name (Ashwatthaamaa) and shouted "Ashwatthaamaa died, Ashwatthaama died". Drone could not believe this. He told he would not believe unless Yudhishthir said it. So he asked Yudhishthir - "Is is true that Ashwatthaamaa died?" Yudhishthir said - "Yes, Ashwatthaamaa died." without any clarification that it was not his son but was an elephant. Immediately Drone dropped his arms, and sat on his chariot. He knew that his time had come. His al weapons had left him one by one. So he also left his mortal body through Yog. Dhrishtdyumn also shot arrows at him to kill him, but by that time he was already dead. ONly 5 people could see him going to Vishnu Dhaam - Sanjaya, Arjun, Ashwatthaamaa, Krishn and Yudhishthir - and nobody else. In fact all ordinary people were unconscious about all this including Dhrishtdyumn. Everybody fie on Dhrishtdyumn as he still dragged his lifeless head and separated it from his trunk. After doing this he shouted with joy. At the age of 85 he was battling like a 16 year old boy only for your sake. (MBH, G-6-War-26).

At the end of the day when Ashwatthaamaa heard of the death of his father, he got very furious and vowed to kill Dhrishtdyumn to avenge his father's killing.

Note
In Mahaabhaarat war he was the second Chief Army Chief of Kaurav army, after Bheeshm fell on the 10th day, on 11th day. He held the front for five days and died by a rumor "Ashwatthaamaa died" spread by Yudishthir and Bheem. In fact it was not his son but an elephant with the same name. Everybody knew that Ashwatthaamaa was immortal, I don't understand that why did he believe this rumor, although Yudhishthir said it, but how does it matter, when if he was immortal? Anybody has any ideas?

Home | Biographies

A-J | K-M | N-S | T-Z | Others | Previous