Sahadeva - Part 5 (a), Kurukshetra war and thereafter

Did you know that Sahadeva and his Pandava brothers along with their common spouse Draupadi who were stripped of all their possesions and humiliated, had taken a vow in the Hastinapur Court to kill Shakuni, which Sahadeva did in the Kurukshetra war of the epic Mahabharata?

Sahadeva, the youngest of the Pandava brothers, after the completion of the 13 year exile period and the last year in Ajñātavāsa (Incognito) in the kingdom of Virat, felt in his psychic power that a war against Kauravas, which Pandavas wished to avoid, was round the corner, and he also looked forward for the war. In fact, Sahadeva wanted to fight and end the Kauravas . He did not concur with the views of his brothers Yudhishthira, Bheema, Arjuna and Nakula who wanted to mentor peace with Kaurava’s Duryodhana; he had said that he will continue to fight the Kauravas till death. He was determined to kill Duryodhana and Shakuni in the war for their decietful act of the dice game and shameful act of humiliating Draupadi in the Hastinapur Court by trying to disrobe her.

Yudhishthira made numerous diplomatic efforts to retrieve his kingdom of Indraprastha peacefully but in vain. The Kaurava chief Duryodhana refused to return Yudhishthira's kingdom. In a final attempt at securing peace, Krishna, had tried to negotiate with Duryodhana, the Pandavas' final proposal of giving up all claims to Indraprastha and Hastinapura in exchange for five villages. Duryodhana had scoffed at this proposal and said he will not even give a needle point of land to the Pandavas. Then, Yudhsithira was convinced by Krishna to wage war. Then both sides decided Kuruskhetra as the venue for the war and started preparing for the war by gathering their army and allies.

Sahadeva with his reknowned skill of astrology, and his amiable gentle nature was acceptable to both Pandavas and Kauravas as a proper connecting llink. He was liked by the Kauravas and in fact by Duryodhana in particular, who consulted him to fix the right thithi ( lunar day) to start the war which should end in his favour. In this context, Prince Duryodhana, on the advice of Shakuni met Sahadeva in Pandavas camp at Kurukshetra. In exchange Duryodhana wanted the twin brothers, Nakula and Sahadeva to switch sides with them, and that he would make them kings in exchange, even Sahadeva as king of Indraparstha. Nakula refused flatly. Sahadeva though declined Duryodhna's offer and called it preposterous, but disclosed the muhurtha and thithii (date) for the Kuruskhetra was inspite of knowing that Kauravas were their enemy, as Sahadeva was known to be very honest in his profession. Yudhishthira had supported his brother Sahadeva's action. It is also said that in the war strategy meeting convened by Bhishma in Hastinapur court, Duryodhana had suggested the name of Sahadeva to be consulted for fixing the date of the Kuruskehtra war as he was very proficient in Astrology. Sahadeva thus choose 11th lunar day (ekadashi) of the fortnight of the waxing moon in the month of Margashirsha and everybody in the Kauarava court seconded this choice.

Prior to the war, Krishnas, sitting next to Sahadeva in forest near the battle field, had asked Sahadeva as to what should be done to stop the war. Sahadeva then reportedly bluntly said that Shri Krishna and Maharaja of Gandhara (Shakuni) should be given the death sentences. He also told Krishna that the Pandavas and Kauravas should be sent to the jungle (forest) or jailed for life, and the King of Anga, Karna, named the emperor of Aryavarta (Hastinpur and Indraprastha).

Before the war began, Sahadeva met Gandhari, mother of Kauravas and assured her that the Pandavas will ensure that it would not be fought unfairly.

For the war, Sahadeva chose the swan as the symbol of his flag to fly on his chariot. When he as a young student was undergoing a 2 year stint of teaching, away from Drona's gurukula (school), under the divine Brihaspathi. He travelled with his guru in southern India and had mastered the art of civic administration, astronomy and astrology, diplomacy and economy of nations. At then edn of this sojour of training, he had told his guru Brihaspathi of choosing white Swan as his flag as it was a metaphor for spiritual advancement. Even at that stage, he had foreseen the possibility of Hastinapur Kingdom geting divided.

Sahadeva was eager to participate in the war as he was greatest swordsmen of Mahabharat like his brother, Nakula, but he was also very good at the axe. Sahadeva had his Conch (Shanka) called Manipushpaka to blow at the war.

Sahadeva was shocked to see that his maternal uncle who was supposed to join the Pandvas had joined hands with the Kauarvas as he was trapped by Druyodhana when Shalya was marching with his army towards to Kurukshetra.

The Pandavas gather their armies while camping at Upaplavya in Virata's territory. Contingents arrive from across the country. As the Pandava and Kaurava armies are facing each other on the Kuruksherta battle field, Sahadeva with his divine vision, views the Kaurava formatiom and makes a mental note of everyones position. The Kaurava army stood facing west and the Pandava army east.

Note: To be continued in the next episode titled: "Sahadeva - Part 5 (b), Kurukshetra war".

Narasipur Char