According to Gregorian Calendar, day 14 of Mahabharata war falls on October 29. Kauravas changed to complete face of this war after brutally and inhumanly killing Abhimanyu on Day 13 by breaking each and every rule of the war.
After Abhimanyu’s death, Arjun vowed to kill Jayadhrata before the sun-set the next day.
Across the Kurukshetra, Drona’s horses flit here and there as the Brahamana forms the three vyuhas.
Facing the Pandava force is the ShaktaVyuha. Behind the Shakata, Drona forms the lotus, Padma Vyuha, a subtle variation of the chakra in which Abhimayu died.
Near the last of the petals of the Lotus, like a stem, Drona deploys the Kaurava Maharathikas in their chariots, the final and the most powerful line of defense. He arrays them straight as a needle, a suchi, one after the other, with the Jayadratha at the eye of the needle, which faces away from the field.
While searching for Jayadrath on the battlefield, Arjuna slew an akshauhini. Arjuna smashed the first of Drona’s vyuhas in minutes. He also breached Padma Vuyha killing innumerable kaurava solders incluing Kritavarma, Shri Krishna’s cousin.
Bheemkilled 56kauravas till Day 14. Finally, in late afternoon, Arjuna found Jayadratha guarded by the mighty Kaurav army. Lord
Krishna raised his Sudarshan Chakra to cover the sun to fake a sunset. Arjun fought a powerful battle with Jayadrath and decapitate Jayadrath with Shivastra, Pasupata which removed his head like a bud from plant, and throws it straight hundreds of miles away onto the lap of his father who was meditating, because if Jayadhrata’s head falls on the ground, it would have blasted and killed millions of people there.
Bheem while fighting kauravas had to also fight Vikarna, the third eldest Kaurava, but Bhima didn’t want to kill hi, because Vikarnawas the only Kaurava who defended the Pandavas during the Draupadi Vastraharan. Bhima and Vikarna showered arrows at each other. Later Bhima threw his mace at Vikarna, killing him, but Bhimwas devastated and mourned his death saying he was a man of Dharma and it was a pity how he lived his life.
Arjuna kills Vrishasena, the son of Karna to avenge Karna killing Abhimanyu. The battle continued past sunset. When Ghatotkacha, the son of Bhima slaughtered numerous warriors, attacking while flying in the air.
Karnafought against him and both fought fiercely until Karna released the Shakti, a divine weapon given to him by Indra. Ghatotkacha increased his size and fell dead on the Kaurav army killing an akshouhini of them.
This was again planned by Shri Krishna because he knew Karna would have to use Shakti on Ghatotkacha to kill him, thereby saving Arjun’s life in the upcoming days when Arjun would have to fight Karna.
By: Archa Dave
