The Upapandavas

 

Who exactly were they? All five sons of Draupadi are collectively referred to as the Upapandavas, born either during or after the Pandavas' thirteen-year period of exile. In this context, all the sons of the Pandavas are collectively addressed as the Upapandavas or Pandavaputras.

Except for the honourable exceptions of Abhimanyu, Ghatotkacha, Babhruvahana, and Iravan, not much is found written about these Upapandavas or Pandavaputras in Mahabharata, or in the vast body of literature written on the Mahabharata afterward—and if it does exist, it has at least not come across in my reading (considering my diligent study is not that vast, the above statement might perhaps be a bold statement).

Despite the above, the deaths of some of these Upapandavas appear to be highly dramatic and strayed from the principles of a righteous war (Dharmayuddha). Considering the gravity, volatility, drama, and far-reaching consequences of these episodes, very few events in the Mahabharata come close to them. For example, the house of lac (Lakshagriha), the game of dice and the disrobing of Draupadi, and the deaths of Bhishma-Drona and Duryodhana-Karna. If we alter the criteria slightly, the exhibition of weapons by Drona’s disciples, Karna’s challenge to Arjuna, and his lifelong friendship with Duryodhana could also be included. Therefore, one cannot resist the temptation to write about them.

Draupadi bore five sons to the five Pandavas. Their names and the meanings behind those names are as follows:

• Yudhishthira’s son – Prativindhya: One who, like the Vindhya mountains, can stand unyielding against enemy attacks.
• Bhima’s son – Sutasoma: Born after Bhima performed a thousand Somayagas (sacred rituals related to moon).
• Arjuna’s son – Shrutakarma or Shrutakirti: Named in memory of the many noble deeds Arjuna performed while traveling alone during his exile.
• Nakula’s son – Shatanika: Named after a great royal sage (Rajarshi) of the Kuru dynasty.
• Sahadeva’s son – Shrutasena: Named after Kartikeya, the generalissimo of the Gods, because he was born under the Krittika constellation.

The Pandavas had contracted other marriages as well.

Yudhishthira and Devika (the princess of King Govasena of the Shibi kingdom) had a son named Youdheya. He did not participate in the war. Following the death of Govasena in the Mahabharata war, Youdheya became the king of the Shibi kingdom.

Bhima and Valandhara (the princess of the Kashi kingdom) had a son named Sarvaga. He did not participate in the war. The reason being, during the Ashvamedha Yajna performed by the Pandavas after the great Mahabharata war, Bhima defeated King Subahu of Kashi. Impressed by his valour, Valandhara chose Bhima in her Svayamvara and married him. It is mentioned that Sarvaga later became the King of Kashi.

Bhima and Hidimba had a son named Ghatotkacha. He had a vital role in the war. His death was brought about by Karna using the Vasavi Shakti weapon.

Arjuna and Ulupi had a son named Iravan. Ulupi was the daughter of the Naga King Kauravya. Kauravya was born into the lineage of Airavata (the most powerful king of the Nagas).

Arjuna and Chitrangada had a son named Babhruvahana. Chitrangada was the daughter of King Chitravahana of the Manipura kingdom. Her father, Chitravahana, adopted Babhruvahana as the heir to the kingdom of Manipura. Babhruvahana grew up to become the king of Manipura.

Arjuna’s fourth wife was Subhadra, the sister of Shri Krishna. In accordance with Shri Krishna's wishes, Arjuna abducted Subhadra (Subhadraharana). Their son was Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu's sacrifice was a slaughter carried out by tossing all rules of righteous war to the wind.

Nakula and Karenumati (the daughter of Shishupala) had a son named Niramitra. He did not participate in the war. Niramitra must have been very young at the time of the war. Later, when he grew up, he became the King of the Madra kingdom. Since Nakula was the son of Madri, that inheritance passed down to him. In the Mahabharata, Nakula's son Niramitra is often confused with the prince of Trigarta, also named Niramitra, who was killed by Sahadeva in battle.

Sahadeva and Vijaya had a son named Suhotra. He, too, did not participate in the war. Vijaya was the daughter of King Dyutimat of the Salva region in the Madra province. There was also a king named Suhotra in the Puru (Lunar) dynasty, who is mentioned in the Mahabharata. Aside from sharing the same name, there is no connection between the two.

Ghatotkacha

Let us begin with Ghatotkacha, the eldest among the Upapandavas. On the 14th day of the war, Arjuna killed Jayadratha to avenge the killing of Abhimanyu. Because Ghatotkacha was a demon (Rakshasa), the rules of righteous warfare did not apply to him, and the battle raged on even after sunset.

Displaying incomparable valour with his illusionary warfare (Mayavi Yuddha), he perilously decimated the Kaurava army. Seasoned warriors like Dronacharya, Karna, Kripacharya, and Duryodhana himself could not hold their ground against him. When this was their plight, what can be said of the others?

Admittedly, Ashwatthama stood firm against Ghatotkacha's might. He tried desperately to contain Ghatotkacha, but met with no success. The Kauravas found themselves with nowhere to run as Ghatotkacha continued his relentless slaughter of the enemy forces. To aid Duryodhana, Bhagadatta advanced upon Ghatotkacha with his elephant army, but even that elephant division could not withstand him. The demon prince Ayudhan, a mighty warrior fighting on Duryodhana's side from a chariot drawn by gigantic donkeys, was also sent to the abode of Death by Ghatotkacha.

Upon realising that Iravan had been killed in his battle against Alambusha, Ghatotkacha pounced on Alambusha with the speed of wind. An unprecedented battle began between the two. Since both were experts in illusionary warfare, they rained down various weapons upon each other's armies assuming various forms, illusions. Due to this mystical warfare, the Kaurava army—completely bewildered as to how to face the arrows and showers of stones falling from the sky with no visible adversary fled the battlefield in despair. The plight of the Pandava army was somewhat similar. Their commanders were appealing to them to stand and fight. Bhima, the other Pandavas, Satyaki, and other warriors led the Pandava army forward, taking advantage of the opportunity to cut through the Kaurava ranks.

Amidst the roaring chaos of this conflict, the chariots of Alambusha and Ghatotkacha flew high into the air, collided, and a duel ensued. Ultimately, Ghatotkacha dragged Alambusha out of his chariot and hurled him from the sky to the ground. Alambusha's body was literally torn to pieces, and that mighty demon king fell dead on the battlefield.

Terrified by blood-curdling screams, sweat-inducing monstrous forms, and the onslaught of weapons from invisible warriors, the Kaurava army scattered in all directions. Now, Duryodhana had no choice left but to approach Karna.

Approaching Karna, he literally begged him to destroy Ghatotkacha by any means necessary. Karna knew exactly what Duryodhana was hinting at. He refused to use the Vasavi Shakti weapon on Ghatotkacha. In his heart, Karna was certain that he could not defeat Arjuna without the Vasavi Shakti. It was a weapon he had obtained from Indra in exchange for his immortality-granting armour and earrings (Kavach-Kundala), and he had preserved it specifically for the decisive battle against Arjuna. He explained this to Duryodhana.

To this, the King replied, "My friend, we will face the situation of fighting Arjuna only if we see tomorrow's morning. Given the speed at which Ghatotkacha is destroying the Kauravas, I do not think any of us will be left alive tomorrow to fight Arjuna. Therefore, the only option before you right now is to kill Ghatotkacha, this very moment and save the Kauravas. Whether you do it with the Vasavi Shakti or by some other means is your choice."

Before this command from Duryodhana, the bounden Karna could do nothing, and he unleashed the Vasavi Shakti upon Ghatotkacha. The Vasavi Shakti did its job flawlessly, and that great warrior fell dead on the battlefield. Having completed its task, the Vasavi Shakti returned to Indra. Consequently, Arjuna’s life was spared. Even though they won that night's battle, Karna’s state became that of a defeated man. The outcome of his eventual battle with Arjuna had practically been decided.

A number of questions arise following Ghatotkacha's sacrifice for his uncles, which cost Karna his ultimate weapon and paved the way for the Pandavas' victory. Was he sacrificed on the battlefield because he belonged to the Anarya (non-Aryan) clans? Or because, being the eldest, he might claim a right to the kingdom in the future? Or was he deemed fit for sacrifice simply because he was a demon? Why does the grief over Ghatotkacha's death not feel as poignant as the grief over Draupadi's sons?

Abhimanyu

Next in line to Ghatotkacha was Abhimanyu. Rare is the person who does not know of his heroic death and his story.

On the 13th day of the great war, Drona formed the wheel formation (Chakravyuha) to fulfil his promise to Duryodhana of capturing Yudhishthira alive. Drona’s plan to capture Yudhishthira alive had absolutely no chance of succeeding as long as Arjuna was by Yudhishthira's side. Despite relentless efforts since taking over the command of the army, Dronacharya had not been able to capture Dharma (Yudhishthira). The Samsaptakas took care to draw Arjuna away from the main battlefield once again. (The Samsaptakas refers to King Susharma of Trigarta, his brothers, and their army. Trigarta and Arjuna shared an ancient enmity dating back to the Rajasuya Yajna, and they had taken a solemn oath together). Their oath dictated that either Arjuna would die at their hands, or they would die fighting, but they would never turn their backs. Taking this oath, these fierce soldiers had performed their own funeral rites while still alive. In short, none of them were going to return alive (much like a suicide squad of modern-day extremists).

Only three warriors possessed the knowledge and power to break into the Chakravyuha and successfully exit it: Shri Krishna himself, Arjuna, and Krishna's son Pradyumna (who was not fighting on either side in the Mahabharata war and, like Balarama, had gone on a pilgrimage). Pradyumna was Abhimanyu's Guru in the science of weapons. Abhimanyu knew how to enter the Chakravyuha, but lacked the knowledge of how to come out of it.

Inside the Chakravyuha arranged by Dronacharya, the Kauravas’ warriors and their army began a massacre of the Pandavas’ forces. In the absence of Arjuna and Shri Krishna, the responsibility of confronting Drona fell upon the other Pandavas, Satyaki, Panchala prince Dhrishtadyumna, Shikhandi, and others. Despite their tireless efforts, the formation could not be breached, while the Pandavas suffered heavy losses instead. Yudhishthira was aware of Drona's promise to Duryodhana, and he harboured a justified fear that if the war continued this way in Arjuna's absence, Drona would reach him by sunset. Left with no choice, Yudhishthira had to ask Abhimanyu to breach the Chakravyuha. When asked, Abhimanyu clearly stated his limitation. He said, "I will certainly breach the Chakravyuha and enter it, but I do not know how to exit. If that happens, I will be left isolated facing all the Kauravas’ warriors."

To this, Yudhishthira, Bhima, Nakula, Sahadeva, the Panchala brothers, and Satyaki all assured him, "Once you breach the formation, we will enter right behind you. It is our responsibility to ensure you are not left alone." In any case, in Arjuna's absence, it was expected that Abhimanyu’s powerful uncles would protect him.

Abhimanyu breached the Chakravyuha and entered. Just as Yudhishthira, Bhima, and the other Pandavas’ warriors tried to enter through the same opening, Jayadratha, the king of the Sindhu kingdom, blocked their way. Even after a ferocious battle, the Pandavas’ warriors failed to break through. Jayadratha achieved this success due to a boon he had received from Lord Shiva. To put it briefly, when the Pandavas were in exile, Jayadratha found Draupadi alone, abducted her onto his chariot, and fled. The Pandavas, primarily Bhima and Arjuna, pursued him, decimated his army, and humiliated him completely. They forced him to apologise and rub his nose in the dust before Draupadi. To avenge this insult, Jayadratha performed severe penance to Lord Shiva and expressed his desire to kill Arjuna. Lord Shiva, pleased with him, said, "This is not possible; I myself could not defeat Arjuna. But in return, you will be able to hold back the other Pandavas for a single day." The ultimate consequence of this boon was that Abhimanyu was left entirely isolated inside the Chakravyuha.

That day, Abhimanyu displayed unprecedented valour. Kauravas’ warriors surrounded Abhimanyu and unleashed a volley of arrows at him. However, not a single arrow could reach Abhimanyu; his arrows intercepted theirs mid-air. That young hero was justly dealing with everyone according to their measure. The list of legendary Kauravas’ warriors who were forced to retreat before him was very long: Duryodhana himself, Karna, Dushasana, Shakuni, Shalya, Bhurishrava, Kratha, Somadatta, Ashvaketu, the prince of Magadha, Kripa, Drona, his son Ashwatthama, Kritavarma, and so on. The Kauravas’ warriors slain by Abhimanyu were also numerous; to name a few: Shatrunjaya, Chandraketu, Mahameghna, Suvarchas, Suryabhas, King Brihadbala of the Kosala kingdom, and Duryodhana's son Lakshmana.

Not a single arrow could pierce Abhimanyu’s golden armour. Conversely, Abhimanyu's arrows found the exact gaps, pierced the enemies' armour, and destroyed them. Drona could not help but praise Abhimanyu: "He truly looks like Arjuna's son, a master archer (Savyasachi) just like him. It does not surprise me that his armour cannot be pierced. I myself taught his father how to wear armour, and he taught it to Abhimanyu. One must take care that the joints of the armour remain invisible to the enemy." Hearing this, Karna, Duryodhana, and others flew into a rage. They questioned Drona, "Acharya, enough of praising the enemy, tell us the way to defeat him. Not a single car-warrior or Maharathi among us can stand before him. The only two options left are either death at Abhimanyu's hands or turning our backs to retreat from the battlefield."

Drona showed the way: "Even if your arrows do not reach his body, his weapons can be struck down. Gather together and disarm Abhimanyu."

Drona, Karna, Duryodhana, Brihadbala, Kripa, Ashwatthama, and Kritavarma surrounded Abhimanyu. Karna, the son of Surya, broke his bow. Drona killed his chariot horses, and Kripa killed his charioteer, Sumitra. Deprived of his chariot, Abhimanyu began fighting with a sword. Drona, shooting arrows from his chariot, shattered the sword. Karna smashed his shield to pieces. Surrounded by so many, some naturally shot arrows at Abhimanyu from behind. The Kauravas’ warriors were mounted on chariots while Abhimanyu was on foot; the Kaurava warriors were armed while Abhimanyu was practically unarmed.

Lifting a chariot wheel, he rushed at the Kauravas. He looked like Lord Krishna himself wielding the Sudarshana Chakra. Wounded by numerous arrows and weapon strikes, Abhimanyu looked like a blooming tree of flame of forest (Palash tree) in searing summer. The chariot wheel in his hands was also shattered to pieces. Grabbing a massive mace, Abhimanyu rushed at Ashwatthama’s chariot. He killed the horses of the chariot, sent two warriors assisting Ashwatthama to the abode of Death, and dispatched Shakuni's son Kalakeya along the same path. Dushasana's son (Drumasena?) charged at him with a mace. At one moment, both warriors collapsed to the ground from each other's blows. Dushasana's son stood up first, and while Abhimanyu was still trying to rise, struck a heavy blow with his mace on Abhimanyu’s head. Abhimanyu collapsed, dead on the battlefield. The Kauravas raised a single shout of victory. It felt as though the sun set out of grief for Abhimanyu. The war halted for the night on the 13th day.

After destroying the Samsaptakas, Arjuna returned to the grief-stricken Pandavas’ camp and learned of the sacrifice made by the 16-year-old Abhimanyu to protect Yudhishthira. It was a slaughter of an unarmed Abhimanyu carried out collectively by numerous Kauravas’ warriors, including Drona, Kripa, and Karna. The events that followed fall outside the scope of this article.

Iravan

After this came the birth of Iravan, the son Arjuna fathered with the Naga princess Ulupi. When Yudhishthira and Draupadi were in private, Arjuna accidentally entered their chambers, and consequently accepted a period of exile for self-purification. Wandering the lands, Arjuna reached the banks of the Ganges. One day, while he was bathing in the river, Ulupi took him away to the Naga realm (Nagaloka). Ulupi requested Arjuna to accept her. Upon learning about her lineage, Arjuna consented to her request. Iravan grew up in the Naga realm and fought on the side of the Pandavas in the war. He killed Shakuni's Gandhara brothers and caused immense damage to the Kauravas’ army through fierce fighting. He was eventually killed by the demon king Alambusha, who was fighting on the side of the Kauravas. The battle between Alambusha and Iravan was a unique conflict featuring the use of illusionary powers versus Naga battlefield skills. Alambusha tried several times to defeat Iravan by assuming mystical forms, but Iravan thwarted all those attempts and attacked him along with his Naga companions. Ultimately, Alambusha gained the upper hand in the illusionary combat.

This is the version that appears in the Mahabharata. However, a completely different folklore is famous in South India. According to it, Iravan sacrificed himself before Goddess Kali on the eighth day of the war for the victory of the Pandavas. Before that, his last wish was to get married. Therefore, Shri Krishna assumed the form of Mohini and married him. The next day, he sacrificed himself, and Mohini lived on as his widow. Even today, this sacrifice is dramatically re-enacted in Tamil Nadu during the 18-day Koovagam festival, marking the conclusion of the festival. According to another folklore, Shri Krishna granted a boon to Iravan so that he could watch the victory of the Pandavas even after death. His severed head watched the entire war. Even today, Iravan's head (as an icon) is seen installed as a guardian on many temples in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The transgender community considers Iravan as their deity, and many festivals are still celebrated in the name of Iravan.

Babhruvahana

Taking leave of Ulupi, Arjuna crossed the Mahendra mountain and reached the kingdom of Manipura along the sea coast. The moment he saw Chitrangada, the beautiful daughter of King Chitravahana of Manipura, Arjuna desired to win her and expressed his wish to the King. Chitravahana inquired about Arjuna and told him the story of his lineage. One of Chitrangada's ancestors, King Prabhanjana, was childless. He performed severe penance and pleased Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva granted him a boon that he and his descendants would be blessed with a single child, who would naturally inherit the throne. In accordance with that rule, Chitravahana raised Chitrangada as a Putrika (a daughter treated as a son), and she was the heir to the kingdom. When Arjuna expressed his desire to marry Chitrangada, Chitravahana narrated the entire story and placed a condition: the child born to them would remain the heir to the kingdom of Manipura, and Arjuna could not take the child with him. Adhering to that condition, after Babhruvahana was born, Arjuna left him behind and returned to his brothers. Babhruvahana grew up to become the King of Manipura.

The great war ended. Yudhishthira became King and decided to perform the Ashvamedha Yajna. The sacrificial horse set out, followed by the army with four divisions viz. elephants division, chariots or car-warriors, cavalry & infantry  (Chaturanga Sena) of the Pandavas under the leadership of Arjuna. The horse moved along, crossing kingdom after kingdom. Some kings made futile attempts to stop it, but they could not hold their ground before the highly valiant Arjuna. Following Yudhishthira's commands, Arjuna spared them, accepted tribute, and let them go. The Ashvamedha horse, crossing rivers, streams, mountains, and valleys, left one kingdom after another behind and reached the kingdom of Manipura. Arjuna and the army arrived there following the horse.

The moment the highly powerful Babhruvahana heard this news, he hastened along with assembly of Brahmins to welcome Arjuna, his father. Arjuna stopped him with a gesture of his hand and questioned—in fact, rebuked—him. He said, "This behaviour of yours does not befit a Kshatriya King. When you have strength in your arms, why are you welcoming me with a platter of ceremonial lamps and flower garlands? Challenge me by stopping the Ashvamedha horse, and prove yourself worthy as my son, as the son of Partha."

As the two armies stood facing each other and the father was verbally lashing his son, Ulupi—Arjuna’s wife and Babhruvahana’s stepmother—emerged by breaching the earth. She immediately expressed agreement with the views of Arjuna, her husband. She said to her son, "Son, true manhood and the duty of a warrior (Kshatradharma) lie precisely in stopping the Ashvamedha horse and fighting its guardians—no matter who the commander of the incoming army is, even if it is your own father. If there is any doubt in your mind, I, as your mother, am removing it. Fight the war and prove yourself, and along with that, prove your father too."

Babhruvahana emerged from the spell of paternal affection and challenged the Gandiva-wielding Arjuna. An unprecedented battle began between the father and the son; it was like a battle between an object and its reflection. It was a musical-like duel of an arrow answering an arrow, a weapon counteracting a weapon, and a blow responding to a blow. Neither side was retreating. Arjuna broke Babhruvahana's bow; without wasting a single moment, Babhruvahana picked up another bow and continued shooting arrows. In this fierce clash, Babhruvahana placed an infallible arrow on his bow. He drew the bowstring all the way back to his ear, and in the blink of an eye, that arrow pierced Arjuna. The arrows of the invincible archer could not stop it, and piercing Arjuna's golden armour, the arrow went straight into his heart. The vanquisher, the invincible one who had defeated even Lord Shiva, the son of Pandu collapsed on the battlefield, slain by his own son. A deathly silence spread over the battlefield. It took a brief moment for Babhruvahana to comprehend what had happened. The moment the chilling truth dawned on him, the grief-stricken son fainted.

Like a wildfire, this news reached Chitrangada in the palace. The grief-stricken Chitrangada came running to the battlefield. Should she rejoice over her son's victory or mourn her husband's death? She also heard about Ulupi's intervention. She began blaming her for causing the death of her own husband. Chitrangada declared, "If my husband Arjuna does not come back to life, I will fast unto death (Prayopaveshana) at his feet and give up my life." She sat on the battlefield, holding Arjuna's head in her lap. When Babhruvahana regained consciousness and saw this sight, the guilt-ridden son also decided to fast and give up his body as penance.

Ulupi told both of them not to do any such thing. "I will bring Arjuna back to life. There is a mystical gem (Mani) in the Naga realm; with its touch, he will come alive." The moment Ulupi placed the celestial gem she possessed on Arjuna's chest, Arjuna sat up rubbing his eyes as if waking from a deep sleep, and asked what all this was about.

Ulupi now revealed everything. In the Mahabharata war, Bhishma's fall occurred at the hands of Arjuna. But at that time, Bhishma was not fighting Arjuna; shooting arrows from behind Shikhandi, Arjuna had placed Bhishma on a bed of arrows, leading to his death. According to his birth story, Bhishma was one of the Ashtavasus (eight celestial deities). The Vasus were enraged by this act, and rightfully so. They cursed Arjuna, closing his path to heaven. Arjuna did not know about this, because the moment the Vasus had expressed this desire, it had received consent from Mother Ganga.

When Ulupi's father Kauravya learned about this curse, he rushed to the Ashtavasus, pleased them, and requested a counter-curse/remedy (Ushapa) for his son-in-law, Ulupi's husband Arjuna. The Vasus granted the remedy: "If Arjuna meets his death at the hands of his own son, he will be liberated from this curse." Using the divine gem available with the Naga king, Ulupi had orchestrated all of this. For the fulfilment of the Ushapa, Arjuna died at the hands of Babhruvahana, and due to this divine gem, she got her husband back as well.

In due course, the Ashvamedha horse returned to Hastinapur, and the sacrifice was completed flawlessly. Babhruvahana, Chitrangada, and Ulupi were all accorded proper honours.

The Fate of Draupadi's Sons

As mentioned above, Youdheya, Sarvaga, Niramitra, and Suhotra find very little mention, at least in the Mahabharata.

Now, regarding the sons of Draupadi. Her five sons were Prativindhya, Sutasoma, Shrutakirti / Shrutakarma, Shatanika, and Shrutasena, respectively. All five sons were highly valiant Maharathis. Descriptions of the battles they participated in and the warriors they faced on different days are spread throughout the accounts of the Mahabharata war. In most descriptions, they are seen supporting one another. If one was deprived of his chariot, his brother would take him into his own chariot and keep the battle going.

Among the major duels was Prativindhya versus the demon king Alambusha. Alambusha's chariot had ghosts harnessed to it, was covered with bear skins, and on the crest of the chariot sat the king of vultures, flapping its wings and screaming. Ashwatthama, Shakuni, Dushasana, and Chhitrasen (one of the Trigarta kings) were other notable warriors they faced. Prativindhya slew Drumasena. As stated earlier, he was assisted in this by Shrutakarma, and Shrutakarma killed Chitrasena. Sutasoma fought against Karna's son Vikarna. While fighting against Karna's sons Satyasen and Sushen, Nakula's chariot horses and charioteer were killed. Sutasoma took  Nakula whose chariot was shattered, into his own chariot, and the enraged Nakula slew both Satyasen and Sushen. While fighting against the Kaurava brothers, Draupadi's sons are seen fighting with absolute unity. Jayatsena and Dushkarma, the Kaurava warriors, were killed at the hands of Shatanika. Shatanika also slew Shala (Bhurishrava's brother), the son of Somadatta. In the battle between Shatanika and Karna's son Vrishasen, when Shatanika's bow broke, his brother took him into his chariot. (King Virata's brother was also named Shatanika; confusion can arise due to the identical names with Draupadi's son). Shrutasena confronted Shalya and Sudakshina of Kamboja.

In short, Draupadi's sons emerged successfully tried and tested through the great war. But that joy lasted only for a short time. After the war, Ashwatthama, acting like Death personified and aided by Kripa and Kritavarma, launched a midnight raid on the Pandava camp. He slaughtered all five sons of Draupadi as they stumbled out of sleep, without their armour, fighting with whatever weapons they could grab at that moment.

The dispute that arose in the Mahabharata was between stepbrothers. In the case of the Pandavas' sons (the Upapandavas), there were both full siblings and stepbrothers; it wouldn’t have taken long for a rift to widen among them. When a war like the Mahabharata could not be averted and the immense massacre could not be stopped despite the presence of a righteous master like Yudhishthira, experts in various fields like Bhishma, Drona, and Kripacharya, and Shri Krishna himself—it is extremely difficult to say to what heights a dispute among the Upapandavas would have escalated after their time. What kind of ominous alliances and mega-alliances would have formed is something that perhaps even the great sage Maharishi Vyasa could not have imagined.

The seeds of the Second World War were sown in the First World War. Nothing of that sort happened in the war of the Mahabharata era. The creator of the Mahabharata, Sage Krishna Dvaipayana (Vyasa), seems to have taken precisely this care while writing the epic—ensuring that this domestic feud (fratricide) would not leave an opening for future conflicts. He seems to have taken care that this power struggle between the sons of two brothers, which caused the genocide and the Mahabharata, would not repeat itself. The lineage was left with a single heir to the kingdom in the form of Abhimanyu's son, Parikshit.