Ashwatthwama's treachery²⁰

In the battle of Kurukshetra, Ashwatthwama and his father, Dronacharya, took the side of the Kauravas. When the Pandavas killed Dronacharya, Ashwatthwama was enraged. He was smitten with grief and anger and wanted to kill all of the Pandavas immediately. He begged Duryodhana to give him a chance to be the commander of the Kaurava army. Duryodhana gave him the chance.

It had been agreed that at night they would not fight. But Ashwatthwama, his maternal uncle, Kripacharya, and a few others that night entered the tent of the sleeping Pandavas. Ashwatthwama killed Draupadi’s five sons. Then he and the others quickly ran away.

What they did was unthinkable. At night they were not supposed to fight; yet Ashwatthwama and his soldiers came like cowards and killed five innocent human beings.

Ashwatthwama went back to the Kauravas’ tent and bragged like anything. Kripacharya and the soldiers who had secretly accompanied him also bragged. They said, “It does not matter how we kill, but that we kill. Who cares whether we use divine means or undivine means? Our objective is to kill. These are our enemies and although we promised that we would not fight at night, in war who cares for rules or promises? Our main promise is to kill our enemies. So we have fulfilled our main promise. Who cares to keep the other promise about only fighting during the day?”

All of those who went into the Kauravas’ tent danced with joy because of their victory.