Duryodhan and Five Golden Arrows

The story of Duryodhan and the five golden arrows from the Mahabharata is an instructive tale. The Mahabharata war was between dharma (righteousness) and adharma (unrighteousness). Lord Krishna was on the side of the Pandavas, but he had decided not to wield any weapons in the war. However, his Narayani army fought for the Kauravas. The tide of the war shifted frequently, sometimes favouring the Kauravas and other times the Pandavas. Although Krishna did not physically take up arms on the battlefield, he guided Arjuna as his charioteer. Drupadi's brother, Dhrishtadyumna, was the commander of the Pandava army, while Bhishma, son of the Ganges, led the Kaurava forces. Despite their full strength, the Kauravas could not harm the five Pandavas.

Duryodhan's Doubts About Bhishma

For ten days, Bhishma dominated the Pandava army, killing thousands of soldiers daily. However, Duryodhan harboured doubts about Bhishma, suspecting that he deliberately favored the Pandavas and refrained from killing them. Driven by these suspicions, Duryodhan visited Bhishma's tent late one night. He found Bhishma in deep contemplation and was surprised to see Duryodhan entering his tent at such an hour. Bhishma inquired about the reason for his visit.

Questioning Bhishma’s Duty

Duryodhan angrily accused Bhishma of neglecting his duties due to his affection for the Pandavas. He expressed frustration that despite ten days of battle, Bhishma had not defeated the Pandavas, suggesting that Bhishma was merely pretending to fight. Deeply hurt by Duryodhan's words, Bhishma asked what he desired. Duryodhan demanded the death of the Pandavas and asked Bhishma to use his divine powers.

Bhishma Prepares to Kill the Pandavas

Using his skills, Bhishma created five infallible golden arrows and enchanted them, vowing to kill the five Pandavas the next day. Duryodhan, although pleased, still doubted Bhishma’s commitment. He requested Bhishma to hand over the arrows, promising to return them on the battlefield to remind Bhishma of his duty. Reluctantly, Bhishma gave the arrows to Duryodhan, who left the tent satisfied.

The Pandavas Learn of the Arrows

A Pandava spy overheard the conversation and informed King Yudhishthira about the golden arrows. With Krishna's guidance, Arjuna was reminded of a past incident where he had saved Duryodhan from the Gandharvas, after which Duryodhan promised to grant him a favor. Krishna instructed Arjuna to use this promise to obtain the arrows.

Arjuna Confronts Duryodhan

Arjuna approached Duryodhan and reminded him of his promise. Initially, Duryodhan refused to hand over the arrows, but upon recalling his vow, he reluctantly gave them to Arjuna. Thus, the Pandavas were saved, and the war continued, eventually leading to the Pandavas' victory.

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