Shikandi- The Shield

Shiva’s boon

The transformation of Shikandini to Shikandi made the words of Shiva, to both Drupada and Amba, come true. Drupada became father to a ‘son’. And Amba became Shikandi whose sole purpose was to cause the death of Bheeshmacharya. Drupada became aware of Shikandi’s purpose when the latter donned the garland of blue lotuses.

Shikandi - the warrior

Shikandi became an accomplished warrior and fought many a fierce battle in Kurukshetra. While, Dhrishtadhyumna, Droupadi’s twin, and Shikandi’s brother was the commander-in-chief of the Pandava army, the commander-in-chief of the Kaurava army was Bheeshmacharya.

Bheeshmacharya, constantly under the scanner of Duryodhana wreaked havoc among the Pandava army, killing ten thousand warriors everyday. The 800 year old with the strength and valour of eight celestial beings, tutored in warfare by Lord Parashurama himself, and armed with the boon of ‘Ichcha mrutyu’ or death at will, granted to him by his father Shantanu, was unstoppable.

Shikandi - the shield

On the ninth night, since the war began, Yudhishtira decided to approach Bheeshma himself in order to seek permission to defeat him and also find the way to overcome him, for Arjuna’s arrows alone did not seem enough. He was accompanied by his brothers and Krishna.

Bheeshmacharya is believed to have cryptically remarked that no man could defeat him. This was the clue to use a woman to defeat him, decided the Pandavas.

On the tenth day of the war, Bheeshma well-protected by the Kauravas engaged in a long battle with Arjuna. Dushshasana protecting the grandsire was successful in stalling Arjuna for a very long time while Shikandi was stalled by Durmarshana (a Kaurava prince). Finally Arjuna disengaged Shikandi from Durmarshana’s gaze and went past Dushshasana.

Arjuna is said to have broken eight bows of Bheeshma in quick succession. As Arjuna rained arrows on Bheeshmacharya, the latter did not retaliate for he made up his mind that the time was ripe for him to give up his life and also that Shikandi was being used as a shield and he would not attack one born a woman. Bheeshma sought the permission of the devathes who were saddened to see the imminent end of the glorious son of Ganga.

As the arrows penetrated his vital organs he told himself smilingly, “These are my Arjuna’s arrows. They are not Shikandi’s.” Even as the barrage of arrows struck his entire body, he continued to say, “They are not Shikandi’s.”

When Bheeshma ultimately fell, the shafts of the arrows that had pierced his body ensured that his body was held up on a bed of arrows. He lay on the arrows with his head hanging without support. But Bheeshmacharya had not died yet for he held his life in order to pass on during the auspicious ‘Uttarayana.’

Shikandi’s end

Following the defeat of Duryodhana, Ashwathama was appointed the commander-in-chief of a non-existent Kaurava army. According to the wishes of Krishna, Ashwathama who was an incarnation of Rudra, had to annihilate warriors from the Pandava’s side, in order to accomplish bhoo-bhara-harana.

Thus Ashwathama entered the Pandava tent at night and killed Dhristadhyumna without giving him a chance to arm himself after waking up from his sleep. Thus avenging his father, Drona’s death, Ashwathama went on to kill Shikandi and the sons of Droupadi, and the other sons of Drupada, brandishing his sword, immune to their attack, thus annihilating Drupada’s clan, including his dauhitras (daughter’s sons).