The Great War (The Mahabharatha II) Quiz

Answer: Narayani Sena (army)

Before the war, Duryodhana and Arjuna came to Krishna to ask for help. Duryodhana came first, but saw that Krishna was asleep. He sat down on a couch near Krishna's head. Arjuna arrived and, seeing Krishna asleep, remained standing at Krishna's feet. When Krishna awoke he saw Arjuna first and greeted him.

Then Duryodhana said that he had come before Arjuna and said that he wanted Krishna's help in the war. But Krishna said that he had seen Arjuna first and thus Arjuna had the right to ask first. Arjuna asked for Krishna himself to aid him in the war and that left the huge Narayani Sena for Duryodhana, who accepted it gladly.

Answer: Shalya

Shalya was the brother of Madri, the mother of Nakula and Sahadeva. He had set off from Madra (his kingdom) to aid the Pandavas, but Duryodhana slyly arranged for Shalya's rest and comfort all along the way. When Shalya arrived in Kurukshetra, Duryodhana told him about how he had served him. Shalya was shocked and was forced to grant Duryodhana something in return for his services - and Duryodhana asked Shalya to side with him in the war.

Answer: Krishna

Krishna was the initial guide in Barbareeck's life. Barbareeck was invincible in war and had three arrows given to him by the Goddess Kamakhya. Using a single arrow, Barbareeck could wipe out all enemies in his sight. But Barbareeck had sworn to aid the weaker side in war.

This posed a threat to the Pandavas itself because if Barbareeck wiped out a large portion of the Kaurava army on the first day of the war, they would be weakened and thus Barbareeck would be forced to join them due to his oath. So Krishna asked Barbareeck for his head as 'Guru Dakshina'. Barbareeck as a disciple was obliged to obey. Today Barbareeck is worshipped as a form of Krishna in Khatu, Rajasthan.

Answer: Dushasana

Sanjay was telling Dhritarashtra about all the events on the battlefield. Dhritarashtra particularly wanted to know who started the war by shooting the first arrow. It was Dushasana (and one of the better warriors like Arjuna or Bhishma).

Answer: Uttar

Uttar was the Prince of the kingdom of Virat, where the Pandavas had taken refuge in their 13th year of hiding. He was killed by Shalya.

Answer: Laxman

Not much is said about Duryodhana's son in the Mahabharatha. His name was Laxman (the same as that of Rama's brother in the Ramayana).

Answer: 10,000

Before the war began, Bhishma promised Duryodhana that he would kill 10,000 soldiers and warriors on the Pandava side each day but would not kill any of the Pandavas. It was said that Bhishma was invincible till a bow was in his hand and arrows in his quiver.

Answer: 10

The most dramatic day of the war was the 10th day. Bhishma had caused havoc in the Pandava army for the first nine days, slaughtering whomever he wished. None were able to stop him, not even Arjuna. On the 9th night (after the war had ended for the day) Yudhistira went to Bhishma, asking him how the Pandavas could stop him. Bhishma himself told Yudhistira the method of his defeat.

He said that he had vowed to lay down his weapons if a woman confronted him in the battlefield. Yudhistira went back to his camp and told everyone the news.

Then Krishna declared that Shikhandi, the eunuch, would confront Bhishma the next day. Now Shikhandi was actually Amba, the Princess of Kashi, in his previous birth and Bhishma had insulted him then. On the 10th morning, Shikhandi rode on Arjuna's charriot.

When Bhishma saw Shikhandi, he immediately recognised Amba in him. He put down his bow and Arjuna firing from behind, laid Bhishma down on a bed of arrows. Because Bhishma had the power to control his death, he remained alive.

The war for that day was called off. The greatest warrior of that age had fallen.

Answer: Satyaki

Satyaki was a Yadava just like Krishna. He is said to have broken 101 bows of Drona in the battle between them.

Answer: Susharma

Susharma had promised Duryodhana that he would lure away Arjuna while Drona formed his Chakravyuha, a war formation that only Arjuna could shatter. Susharma was slain by Arjuna but all too late as Abhimanyu fell inside the Chakravyuha being attacked by seven warriors at a time in his attempt to get out.

Answer: Shiva

Jayadratha had been enslaved by the Pandavas as a punishment for trying to kidnap Draupadi. Enraged, Jayadratha had performed penances to please Lord Shiva who granted him the boon that he would be able to overpower all the Pandavas except Arjuna on one day in battle. Abhimanyu entered the Chakravyuha and the Pandavas tried to follow him but Jayadratha single handedly held them all back and Abhimanyu, unaided, was killed in the Chakravyuha.

Answer: elephant

Ashvathama, Drona's son, was immortal. There was an elephant in the war by the name of Ashvathama. Bheema slew this elephant and went around the battlefield proclaiming that he had slain Ashvathama. When Drona heard this, he went to Yudhistira and asked him if what Bheema had declared was true. Yudhistira said that Ashvathama had been killed, but if it was an elephant or man, he did not know.

But Drona did not hear the last part and in his grief, laid down his weapons and started meditating. Dhristadyumna, sensing the opportunity, slew Drona.

Answer: Ashvathama

After Duryodhana had fallen in the mace fight against Bheema, Ashvathama came to him. Before dying, Duryodhana made Ashvathama his commander and made him promise that he would bring the five severed heads of the Pandavas to him.

Answer: Kritvarma

Kritvarma was actually the commander of the Narayani Sena, under Krishna, but when Duryodhana had taken over the Narayani Sena, Kritvarma had to fight on Duryodhana's side.

Answer: Bheema

Bheema had slain all the Kauravas (all 99, as Yuyutsu had fought for the Pandavas) and Vikarna was one of the Kauravas.

Answer: Yes

After the fall of Karna, Yudhistira was in no danger of being captured. Shalya had become the new commander of the Kaurava army. Yudhistira, fighting on the front lines, slew Shalya.

Answer: Karna

Ghatotkacha was Bheema's half-demon son. Using his demonic powers, he had caused great damage to the Kaurava army. No ordinary arrows were able to affect him. Then Duryodhana forced Karna to slay Ghatotkacha using Indra's shakti, the arrow Karna had saved for Arjuna. Thus, due to Ghatotkacha, Arjuna was saved.

Answer: Drona

Drupada and Drona, who were childhood friends, had become sworn enemies. Drona slew Drupada, but Drupada had his revenge when Dhristadyumna, his son, killed Drona.

Answer: Ashvathama

Ashvathama killed the five sons of the Pandavas while they were asleep, mistaking them to be the Pandavas themselves. He also killed Dhristadyumna along with them.

Answer: Devdatt

A verse in the Bhagwad Gita mentions the names of the conches of all the Pandavas and Krishna. Arjuna's conch was called Devdatt.

Answer: Paundra

Paundra was Bheema's conch, one that gave a deafening blast.

Answer: Sughoshmani

Nakula's conch was Sughoshmani. The other conches mentioned are Paanchjanya, Pushpakau and Anantavijaya, belonging to Krishna, Sahadeva and Yudhistira respectively.

Answer: Dhritarashtra

When the Pandavas went to meet Dhritarashtra after the war, he was actually boiling with anger and hatred, but showed none of it. He called Bheema for an embrace. Bheema was just moving forward when Krishna stopped him and signalled for him to place his iron statue in Dhritarashtra's arms instead. Dhritarashtra being blind was unable to guess that he was embracing a statue and in his fury and great strength, he broke the statue that was made of solid iron! He had actually wanted to kill Bheema to avenge the death of his sons but his plan was foiled by Krishna.

Answer: Uttarayan

Uttarayan was a time of a special alignment of the Sun towards the north. Bhishma chose this as the time of his death.

Answer: Dog

A dog accompanied Yudhistira all the way to the summit of the mountain the Pandavas were climbing. On reaching the summit, Indra came to receive Yudhistira and to take him to heaven. Yudhistira said that the dog would also come with him to heaven. When Indra objected, Yudhistira said that if the dog was not allowed to go with him, he would not go to heaven himself.

Then the dog showed its true form: it was Yama, the God of death, come to test Yudhistira. Yudhistira and all the Pandavas went to heaven.