The Duel between Radheya and Ghatotkacha
By the fifteenth day of the war, all norms of fighting had been thrown to the winds. Charioteers who were weaponless were slain, as also combatants who lay on the ground, wounded and helpless.
Veterans were beheaded while they were immersed in meditation on the battlefield. Deception, betrayal and lying had become the norm. But, above all, the rule that all fighting must cease at sunset was blatantly violated. So when the sun set on the fifteenth day and darkness descended all over the battlefield, duels still continued to rage during the night. Soldiers now fought with swords or bows in one hand and burning torches in the other. In the darkness of the night, all fighters looked like wraiths risen from a cremation ground. They looked like beasts in a dark forest prowling for their prey. Since it was often not possible to distinguish between friend and foe, soldiers from the same army clashed with each other.
Even as the battle continued deep into the night, Drona was still engaged in an unprecedented assault on the Pandava army. He advanced steadily towards Yudhishthira, whom he was determined to seize, even though he was being guarded by Dhrishtadyumna.
But when he closed in upon him, Drona was amazed to see that Yudhishthira displayed great martial skill in defending himself. Each time Drona shot an arrow at him, it was successfully averted. The duel became deadlier and fiercer. Dhrishtadyumna, however, had so far not intervened in this single combat because he was happy to see Yudhishthira defending himself with great courage and skill.
Just then, Arjuna and Krishna appeared on the scene after slaying Jayadratha. Seeing that Yudhishthira was unnecessarily risking his life, Krishna said to him, ‘Why are you fighting the Acharya, who is a far superior archer? Leave him to Dhrishtadyumna, who is the one ordained by the gods to kill him. You should instead be engaged in battling with Duryodhana – one king against another. And here is some great news for you – Arjuna has just slain Jayadratha!’
Excited to hear that Arjuna had carried out his pledge, Yudhishthira allowed himself to be taken away elsewhere. Dhrishtadyumna now challenged Drona to a single combat. Duryodhana, who was standing close by, felt alarmed as he knew that Drona was destined to die at the hands of King Drupada’s son. So he ordered several of his warriors to come to the rescue of his commander-in-chief.
In this melée, Radheya emerged as the brightest star on the Kaurava side. Relentless was his bow as he sprayed his arrows all around, putting to death countless Pandava soldiers. Seeing this gruesome massacre of his army, Arjuna felt incensed to challenge Radheya, but Krishna held him back because Radheya still held his Sakti, the deadliest weapon gifted to him by god Indra, but which was to be used only once. So he advised Arjuna to fight Drona instead, knowing that neither of them would wound the other fatally. At the same time, Krishna wanted to halt Radheya’s devastating assault on the Pandava army. So, the only choice now open was to induct into the battle Bheema’s son Ghatotkacha, whose rakshasa power could withstand Radheya’s assault.
Ghatotkacha was, therefore, summoned. When he arrived, Krishna said to him, ‘Dear child, only you can be our shield against Radheya, who is out to destroy our army. I am sure that your rakshasa power will get the better of him.’
Ghatotkacha replied: ‘I will do anything to serve my uncles, O Lord. Then began a duel believe Radheya and Ghatotkacha.’
As this fight continued deep into the night, the two armies also shot arrows at each other. It looked as if comets were shooting from one end of the sky to the other.
Seeing the monstrous rakshasa harassing Radheya, Duryodhana was unnerved. So he asked his brother Duhsasana to go to his rescue.
Just as Duryodhana was talking to his brother, he saw a stranger draw close to him. It was the son of Jatasura, a rakshasa who had been killed by Bheema.
‘Here is an opportunity for me to avenge my father’s death, O prince,’ said the young rakshasa. ‘Will you let me fight on your side?’
Duryodhana thought Jatasura was a godsend. As this rakshasa challenged Ghatotkacha, Radheya was greatly relieved. The two combatants seemed to be locked in a wrestling bout. Each rolled over the other or lunged into his adversary’s chest and stomach. Thinking that this fight had continued for a long time, Ghatotkacha pulled out his sword, soared into the sky like a giant bird, swooped down upon his adversary and chopped off his head. Picking up the severed head, he walked up to Duryodhana and said, ‘Here is a present for you. And if you can wait a little while, I will bring you another gift – Radheya’s head.’ The threat shattered Duryodhana’s confidence in Radheya’s ability to defeat this rakshasa.
But soon Duryodhana saw that Radheya was putting up a stiff resistance in his duel with Ghatotkacha. It was awesome to see Bheema’s son flying up to the sky, his hands spread like some dreadful bird’s wings. Then he dropped on the ground and brandished his mace over Radheya’s head. As Radheya shot his arrows, Ghatotkacha assumed various forms to evade the assault. So, in spite of all the arrows shot at him, none could hit him. This held Radheya in a state of suspense and confusion.
Just then, something flashed through Radheya’s mind. How about using the Sakti weapon gifted to him by Indra? But he also recalled the god’s warning: ‘Don’t forget that you will be able to use this weapon only once, and against one person only. Thereafter, it will turn ineffective, forever.’
Radheya had held the Sakti in reserve to kill Arjuna, his ultimate target. But Duryodhana now pleaded with him.
‘Help me, O friend,’ he implored. ‘This demon is devastating my army. I also fear that he may even kill you. Please do something to save the situation.’
Radheya then went into deep introspection. He knew that it was a matter of life and death. But he was also aware that if he used the Sakti against Ghatotkacha, he would not be able to defend himself against Arjuna’s Gandiva. So what if he was killed by Arjuna, he said to himself, for hadn’t his life been utterly futile? For a moment, he compared himself with Bheeshma – two lives consigned to lost causes. Let him, therefore, pay his debt to a dear friend by serving him, even at the expense of his own life.
Reluctantly, he took out his Sakti, caressed it fondly and then shot it at Ghatotkacha, who was then hovering in mid-air above him, like a vulture. At once the sky burst into intense heat and light, as if its womb had been ripped apart. The next moment, Ghatotkacha dropped to the ground, dead. While there was jubilation in the Kaurava army, the Pandavas, particularly Bheema, stood transfixed with shock and grief.
Krishna, however, smiled to himself over the thought of Arjuna escaping death at the hands of Radheya. His main concern now was eliminating Drona whose survival, he knew, would continue to remain a source of dread to the Pandava army.