Reading Notes 7.2 Mahabharata, Part D

Final leg of the Mahabharata:

Krishna's Attempt

• Yudi wants to plea one last time to prevent war
• Dhritara becomes informed that Krishna is coming as an emissary and wants to throw a lavish reception 
• Vidura tells that Krishna doesn't want the reception he only wants justice and peace
• Duryo plans to take Krishna captive
• Krishna updates Kunti of her sons
• Duryo's mom, Gandhari tries to change Duryo's plans - fail
• Duryo realizes he can't capture Krishna once he manifests into his divine form
• Before leaving Krishna speaks with Karna about Karna's parentage and urges him to abandon Duryo, but Karna says NO
• Karna promises Kunti that'll he'll spare her 4 sons and attack only Arjuna

War

• Krishna advises to make Dhrishtadyumna, Draupadi's brother commander of Yudi's troops
• Bhishma is commander of Duryo's troops
• Battlefield = Kurukshetra
• Arjuna not fond of the fact that he is to fight is guru, Drona
• Krishna reminds Arjuna of Bhagavad- Gita saying of duty and detachment
• Krishna manifests to cosmic being 
• Arjuna ready to fight

End of Bhishma

• Dhrishtadyumna attempts to kill Drona, to avenge father's humiliation...Drona escapes
• Arjuna begs Krishna not to slay Bhishma, even though he was mad at Bhishma for attacking Krishna
• Ghatotkacha, demon son of Bhima and Hidimba, arrives
• Amba, reincarnated as Shikhandin, recognized by Bhishma 
• Bhishma can't attack Shikhandin..thus he dies when Arjuna shoots at Bhishma from behind
• Karna takes place of Bhishma 
• Drona = commander of Druyo's army
• attempts to capture Yudi and somehow make Arjuna go away from battlefield
• Arjuna is lead away..Abhi tricked 
• Abhi breaks enemy formation, but doesn't know how to escape..killed by Jayadratha, Druyo's brother-in-law
• Arjuna vows to kill Jaya before next day is over
• Jaya hides all days, but he thinks sun is setting, because of Krishna's illusion
• Arjuna slays Jaya in daylight
• Karna kills Ghatotkachka with an invincible weapon

Bloody Massacre

• Krishna tells of how to kill Drona, through his son Ashwatthaman
• Bhima kills Ashwatthaman the elephant and shouts, " I have killed Ashwatthaman!"
• Drona asks Yudi if it's true, he says yes...but under his breath whispers Ashwatthaman the elephant...
• Drona paralyzed with dispair at losing his son, beheaded by Dhrishtadyumna while in his trance
• Bhima kills Duhshasana, Druyo's bro...drinks his blood
• Karna gets killed by Arjuna, Karna forgets the mantra for utilizing his Brahmastra weapon
• Shalya made commander after Karna's death
• Yudi kills him
• Sahadeva kills Shakuni
• Druyo hides out at the bottom of the lake, emerges and wounds Bhima on his thigh
• Druyo says Krishna killed all of the warriors via deceit...Krishna says no it was karma

In despair

• Battle is over, Pandavas back in Hastinapura
• Dhritara is furious at Bhima, wants to kill him, squashed the statue Krishna had erected thinking it was the real Bhima
• Gandhari curses Krishna
• Pandavas, Vidura, Sanjaya, Dhritara, and women perform rituals for dead
• Yudi tell sage Narada that he feels no joy over this victory
• Narada tells Yudi of the curses Karna held
• Karna's guru Parashurama cursed him for having deceived him 
• he made him forget the important mantra for the weapon at a crucial time
• Karna once killed hermit's cow
• hermit's curse caused the chariot wheel to be swallowed by mother nature
• Yudi would rather be a begger, wanted to make Arjuna King...finally relented and accepted Yudi became king
• Yudi visits dying Bhishma who tells him about kingship and dies
• Yudi cremates on shores of Ganges
• Dhritara, Gandhari, and Kunti live in forest now
• Krishna's people destroy themselves, Dwarka under water
• Krishna's feet mistaken for birds gets him killed
• One by one Pandavas dies, Yudi is left
• Yudi goes to heaven in his bodily form
• Parikshit, child of Abhi, grows to be king, continuing Pandava line

Krishna on the battlefield

Bibliography. Mahabharata by R.K. Narayan, online pdf.