Jalapravesha Parva is the seventy-fifth Upa parva included in the ninth Maha parva named as Shalya parva. Vaishampayana continued narration to Janamejaya in reply to his queries as follows.
What is Hridapravesha?
Hridapravesha means the same as Jalapravesha. It means hiding under water.
What was advised by Krishna to Yudhishtira regaring Shalya?
तवैव हि जयो नूनं हते मद्रेश्वरे युधि । तस्मिन् हते हतं सर्वं दार्तराष्ट्र बलं महत् ॥
Krishna advised Yudhishtira, after killing the king of Madra, success would be yours. In the war, if Shalya, the king of Madra is killed, then all great powers of Dritarashtra would be ceased. On the seventeenth day, Yudhishtira killed Shalya.
What did Duryodhana and Yudhishtira do after the death of all Kaurava commanders one by one, on the seventeenth day evening?
On the seventeenth day evening, when the Madra king Shalya was killed by Yudhishtira, he was confident about the full success and hence met Krishna with his brothers. Yudhishtira consulted Krishna regarding the next actions.
Krishna told them to take rest for some time at a secret place. Hence they told their charioteers to go to safe places and have rest there at night but not to go to army camps for resting. In the chariot of Yudhishtira, the five brothers had gone to the pig sty near Oghavathy tributary river side. Very secretly, they had rest inside the pig sty after their evening prayers.
Duryodhana lost his confidence on the seventeenth day evening when the Shalya was killed. There was no hope of success and hence he escaped with his charioteer from the back side of his soldiers. None of his brothers were alive then but only Kritavarma was alive on his side.
Duryodhana did not consult with anybody regarding the next actions but decided to hide under water in the Vyshampayana Sarovar near the palace. Only a mace was in his hand, and he went walking in the evening under darkness. He also told his charioteer to go to a safe place and have rest there at night but not to go to army camps for resting.
Ashvathama was searching for Duryodhana but could not find him anywhere. In the late night, Duryodhana found Sanjaya going to the rescue camp and told him regarding his hiding under water and hurriedly went to the water tank.
Later, Kripa asked with Sanjaya about the whereabouts of Duryodhana. Sanjaya told the truth and went to the rescue medical camp for sleeping. Kripa told to Kritavarma later. Very secretly, Duryodhana tried to have rest inside the water at night later.
What did Satyaki had do?
Satyaki was looking after the medical camp security at night. He had arrested Sanjaya and tied him in the Pandavas camp where the Upapandavas were taking rest.
In the adjacent camps, Shikhandi and Dristadyumna were also sleeping with their charioteers. Satyaki had been away from the normal soldiers camp at night.
What were Duryodhana’s orders to his charioteer when Shalya had died?
Duryodhana lost hope for success and told his charioteer to escape from the back side of the army without others noticing him. The flag of the chariot was removed.
What did Bhima do?
Bhima had killed many elephants, horses and the remaining soldiers of Duryodhana.
What did Drishtadyumna do?
Satyaki brought Sanjaya near Drishtadyumna as a war prisoner. Vyasa appeared there and told not to kill Sanjaya having no weapon and being news reporter to Dritarashtra. Drishtadyumna being tired slept with his charioteer in his camp.
What did Satyaki do when Shalva attacked Dristadyumna’s soldiers?
Satyaki had saved all the soldiers of Drishtadyumna. Drishtadyumna had killed the elephant of Shalva. Satyaki had killed Shalva. Later, the soldiers slept inside their camps at night. Satyaki was alive, away from camp.
What did Shakuni do?
Shakuni had tried to escape from the war field. Sahadeva had killed him later.
Which chapter is inserted by the editors in the original Mahabharata?
The main difference of original Sanskrit Vyasa ‘Jaya’ and the currently available versions of Mahabharata is the significant chapter inserted in the various parvas regarding the fight between Kritavarma and Satyaki. There was no fight between Kritavarma and Satyaki in the original Vyasa ‘Jaya’ during the Mahabharata war.
Krishna had never supported violence. In the Mahabharata war, if Kritavarma was on the left opposite side of Krishna, then Satyaki was on the same side of Krishna but on the extreme right, and never faced each other. It was in the Mausala parva only at the end, but before the sinking of Dwaraka Island, inside the sea-water, Kritavarma and Satyaki had faced each other due the curse of Gandhari under influence of alcohol. Kripa and Kritavarma also had no role in the next Gadayuddha parva.
Why this upa parva is called as Jalapravesha parva?
In this Jalapravesha upaparva, the history about Duryodhana entering water in the Vyshampayana Sarovara is described. Duryodhana entered water and took rest for the seventeenth day night till the early morning of the eighteenth day. Ashvathama, Kripa and Kritavarma visited Duryodhana there but could not see him directly and only spoke loudly. It was a royal hiding place for Duryodhana under emergency.
What did Bhima do in the continued war?
Bhima had killed the remaining soldiers and many elephants & horses of the Kauravas.
What did Arjuna do in the continued war?
Arjuna was obedient to Krishna and killed many soldiers as directed by him.
What did Sahadeva do?
Sahadeva had chased Shakuni with his soldiers and killed them.
What did Sanjaya report on the eighteenth day evening to Dritarashtra?
अक्षौहिण्यः समेतास्तु तव पुत्रस्य भारत । एकादश हता युद्धे ताः प्रभो पांडु सृंजयैः ॥
Sanjaya had reported to Dritarashtra regarding the death of all the eleven Akshohini soldiers with their commanders, being killed by the Pandava and their brothers in the war. On that afternoon, Bhima had killed Duryodhana.
Who was alive on the side of Duryodhana on the seventeenth day evening?
एकाकी भरतश्रेष्ठ ततो दुर्योधनो नृपः । नापश्यत्समरे कं चित्सहायं रथिनां वरः ॥
Only the king, O the best of Bharata, Duryodhana was on the back of the battle field. For helping, nobody was seen with him. Since his charioteer was not there, he started to run towards eastern side holding his mace to reach Vaishampayana Sarovara.
In the night, he had seen Sanjaya and disclosed him he would be hiding under water. He ordered Kripa to safeguard the throne of Hastinavati inside the Palace. He ordered Kritavarma to safeguard the Hastinavati Palace since his father Dritarashtra was living there. Duryodhana was helpless on the seventeenth night.
What did Yuyutsu do on that night as per the orders of Yudhishtira?
Yuyutsu by the order of Yudhishtira had escorted and carried away all the ladies, children and old people from the camps to their Palaces. The bed sheets and pillow covers were also carried to Hastinavati Palace for their rest at night. But he slept in his home. It was then, on the eighteenth day, it was declared that war has ended by Yudhishtira.
Who arrested Sanjaya and why?
Sanjaya was on his chariot and entered the battlefield where war had not ended. Hence as per war protocols, Satyaki had arrested him and taken as war prisoner.
What did Ashvathama do when Duryodhana was not traceable?
Initially, Ashvathama had searched for Duryodhana. He knew Sanjaya was arrested. With Kripa and Kritavarma, he visited the war prisoners. Sanjaya had been freed by Kritavarma. Ashvathama had put fire to many camps of the soldiers of Pandavas and later visited the Kauravas camp.
Then, he got the news of the hiding of Duryodhana under water from Sanjaya. With Kripa and Kritavarma, he visited Vaishampayana and called Duryodhana loudly to get permission to kill all Parndavas with Shikhandi and Drishtadyumna in the same night.
On the other side of the water tank, some hunters were drinking water being tired and thirsty. The hunters were getting commissions from Bhima. Among the Pandavas, Bhima was a non-vegetarian and was eating meats of hunted animals during the war times to get additional energy to kill demons.
The hunters secretly heard the conversations of Kripa, Kritavarma and Ashvathama and immediately went to the place where Bhima was there. They reported about the hiding of Duryodhana to Bhima and presented their meat to Bhima.
The hunters got rewards from Bhima and left the place to sleep in their homes. But Bhima wished to intimate the underwater hiding of Duryodhana to Yudhishtira when Yudhishtira was speaking with the charioteer of Drishtadyumna. The charioteer reported the violent killing of Shikhandi, Drishtadyumna and Upapandavas by Ashvathama to Pandavas.
What did Yudhishtira instruct to Nakula?
In the Souptika parva on this website, details regarding the instructions of Yudhishtira to Nakula would be available. Later Kunti, Uttara Kumari and all the wives of Upapandavas were brought there by Nakula using speed chariots.
What did Bhima and Arjuna do then?
In the Souptika parva on this website, details regarding the fight of Bhima and Arjuna with Ashvathama would be available. Later, Arjuna used Brahmastra towards Ashvathama and Bhima had captured him.
Yudhishtira had left him with good advices. Kripa had gone to Hastinavati Palace on his horse. Kritavarma had gone to Dwaraka on his horse. Ashvathama had totally surrendered before Krishna and Yudhishtira, later by horse riding gone to Badarikashram unarmed.
What did the Pandavas do on the late night of the seventeenth day?
Yudhishtira had consulted Krishna. All the Pandavas with Krishna had come near the Vyshampayana Sarovar on the late night of the seventeenth day and they loudly called the hiding Duryodhana. Duryodhana replied from the inside of his hiding place.
More details regarding the fight of Bhima and Duryodhana with Balarama as referee would be available in the Gadayuddha parva. Bhima killed Duryodhana on the afternoon of the eighteenth day but Balarama had gone to Dwaraka then. In the late night, Pandava brothers were inviting Duryodhana loudly.
How did Sanjaya really reach the Kauravas’ army camps on that night?
Ashvathama had put fire to the army camps. The charioteer of Drishtadyumna had escaped from the back side, rode on his horse and reported to Yudhishtira at night. Kritavarma was outside the tent and released Sanjaya.
At once, Sanjaya had run to the medical camp crossing Vyshampayana Sarovar and met with Duryodhana. Later, Kripa was holding a lamp for light and met with Sanjaya. After telling the whereabouts of Duryodhana, Sanjaya had entered one safe camp and slept there.
What did the watchmen of army camps of Kaurava do?
The watchmen of army camps of Kaurava had recognized Sanjaya and allowed him to sleep in the camp for that night safely. So Sanjaya saved his life.
What did Vidura do?
Vidura was near Dritarashtra consoling him. They were waiting for the arrival of Sanjaya. After receiving the war reports from Sanjaya on the eighteenth day night, he had gone to his home and reported to Kunti and slept at night peacefully.
Why was Balarama away from the war?
Balarama had taught the mace fight to Bhima and Duryodhana. Krishna had already announced Duryodhana as unbeatable in the world in a mace fight. But Balarama desired to have a peaceful life and went on pilgrimage, so away from war.
In the next Saraswatha Parva, more about his pilgrimage would be described. Balarama was believed as the rebirth of Adishesha and then the most powerful. He was also the owner of Naryani Sena, an army regiment of Dwaraka. Krishna would not fight in the war holding any weapons. Balarama also went away from the war.
Next post, Mahabharat: Saraswatha Parva would be more interesting.
Mahabharat: Gadayuddha Parva would be presented separately in another article.
What are the benefits of reading this story?
On reading this story, children would gain more memory power, great moral strength in their lives in future; creating a sense of self-reliance, leading to peace and progress.
It is humbly prayed for the blessings of God Krishna upon us.
Readers may share this story with children, friends and family.
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