Mahabharata-The War Ends
The Pandavas wanted to kill Ashvattama for the merciless manner in which he had killed their dear ones in the middle of the night. Sati Draupadi was devastated since all her sons had been killed by Ashvattama. The Pandavas wanted revenge and searched for him and finally found him in Sage Vyasa's hermitage. Bhima fought a duel with Ashvattama and the latter finally accepted defeat.
The war finally ended after eighteen days. Dhrithrashtra was devastated when he heard that Duryodhana had died. He was also furious
when he heard how Ashvattama had killed Sati Draupadi's sons. Vidura and
Sage Vyasa consoled Dhrithrashtra by saying that the war had to happen.
Sati Gandhari too was very sad but blessed the Pandavas, who had emerged
victorious.
Finally, the Pandavas went to the banks of the Ganga to perform the last rites of those who had lost their lives in the war.
The fall of Guru Drona
The fourteenth day of the battle of Kurukshetra was drawing to a close. Guru Drona was unhappy because neither could he capture Yudhisthira nor could he save Jaidratha. So he attacked the Pandava soldiers with more force than ever. Lord sri Krishna told the Pandavas that Guru Drona
could be killed by a trick. Lord Sri Krishna asked the Pandavas to spread the
false news that Guru Drona's son, Ashwatthama, had been killed. Bhima killed
an elephant named Ashvattama and shouted, "I have killed Ashvatthama."
When Guru Drona heard this, he was
full of sorrow. He asked Yudhisthira whether it was true; he knew that
Yudhsthira would never lie. Yudhisthira replied, "Yes, Ashvatthama is
dead, but the elephant not your son." But Lord sri Krishna asked the drummers to
beat the drums when Yudhisthira spoke the last part of the sentences, so
Guru Drone couldn't hear it. He sat mourning his son's death and
Dhrishtadyumna who had been born to kill Guru Drona, cut his head off .
