How long was the Kurukshetra war?
The Kurukshetra war lasted eighteen days. It was fought on the plain of Kurukshetra, in what is now the state of Haryana in northern India, between the eleven akshauhinis of Duryodhana and the seven of Yudhishthira. The Kaurava army was led by four supreme commanders in turn: Bhishma on days 1 to 10, Drona on days 11 to 15, Karna on days 16 to 17, and Shalya on day 18, who was killed before noon.
Dhrishtadyumna commanded the Pandava army for the whole of the war. Fighting was meant to cease at sunset each day, though it ran into the night on the fourteenth, and Ashwatthama's raid on the sleeping Pandava camp came after the eighteenth day had already decided the outcome.
Kaurava commanders, day by day
| Days | Kaurava Commander | Fate |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 10 | Bhishma | Felled by Arjuna behind Shikhandi on the tenth day and left on a bed of arrows |
| Days 11 to 15 | Drona | Lays down his arms at the false news of his son's death and is beheaded by Dhrishtadyumna |
| Days 16 to 17 | Karna | Killed by Arjuna on the seventeenth day while freeing his sunken chariot wheel |
| Day 18 | Shalya | Killed by Yudhishthira before noon on the final day |
Day 1
The Conches Sound
Kaurava commanderBhishma
The eleven akshauhinis of Duryodhana and the seven of Yudhishthira face each other on the plain of Kurukshetra. Before the first arrow the kings bind themselves to the rules of righteous war, and Arjuna, seeing his teachers and kinsmen arrayed against him, lets Gandiva fall until Krishna speaks the Bhagavad Gita to him between the two hosts. The day itself goes badly for the Pandavas: Bhishma's arrows scatter their lines and the Matsya princes are the first royal dead.
Key moments
- Krishna speaks the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna in the space between the armies
- Yudhishthira crosses to the enemy line to seek the blessing of Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and Shalya
- Yuyutsu, alone of Dhritarashtra's sons, walks over to the Pandava side
- Bhishma drives the Pandava host back and closes the day with the advantage
Notable deaths
- Uttara of Matsya
- Shveta of Matsya
Events on this day
- The Rules of Righteous WarBefore the first arrow, the Kurus and Pandavas meet and bind themselves to a code: equals fight equals, combat ends at sunset, and the fleeing, the unarmed, and the non-combatant are not to be struck. Kurukshetra
- Yuyutsu Crosses the LinesAs the armies stand arrayed on the first morning, Yudhishthira calls out that any who choose dharma may come over. Of all the Kaurava host, only Yuyutsu, Dhritarashtra's son by a Vaishya woman, walks across. Kurukshetra
- Bhagavad GitaOn the first day of war, Arjuna is overcome with despair. Krishna delivers the 700-verse Bhagavad Gita, teaching the yoga of action, knowledge, and devotion. Kurukshetra
- Krishna Shows His Cosmic Form to ArjunaAt Arjuna's request, Krishna reveals his divine Vishvarupa - the cosmic universal form - showing the entire universe and all time contained in his being. Kurukshetra
- Hanuman on Arjuna's FlagHanuman manifests on Arjuna's chariot flag, promising protection and granting victory to the Pandavas. Kurukshetra
- Prince Uttara FallsOn the first day of battle, the young prince of Matsya charges the Madra king's chariot on his war-elephant and is struck down by Shalya's lance - the war's first great grief. Kurukshetra
Day 2
The Pandavas Rally
Kaurava commanderBhishma
Shaken by the first day, Dhrishtadyumna draws the Pandava army into the krauncha array and the fighting turns. Arjuna holds Bhishma for hours in a duel that neither can win, while Bhima breaks the Kalinga contingent almost single-handed. Drona and Dhrishtadyumna meet for the first time, teacher against the man born to kill him.
Key moments
- Arjuna fights Bhishma to a standstill and steadies the Pandava centre
- Bhima destroys the Kalinga divisions and kills their king Srutayudha
- Drona and Dhrishtadyumna clash in the first of many duels
- The day ends with the Pandavas holding the field
Notable deaths
- Srutayudha of Kalinga
- Bhanumat of Kalinga
Day 3
The Garuda and the Crescent
Kaurava commanderBhishma
Bhishma arrays the Kauravas in the garuda vyuha and the Pandavas answer with the crescent formation, Bhima on one horn and Arjuna on the other. Bhishma's slaughter grows so heavy that Krishna's patience begins to fail, and Arjuna has to plead with him to keep his vow to lift no weapon. Abhimanyu and Satyaki drive Duryodhana's guard back before the light goes.
Key moments
- The garuda array of the Kauravas meets the crescent array of the Pandavas
- Krishna's anger at Bhishma flares for the first time and Arjuna restrains him
- Abhimanyu and Satyaki rout the escort around Duryodhana
- Bhima's arrow strikes Duryodhana senseless in his chariot
Day 4
Bhima Unbound
Kaurava commanderBhishma
Bhima fights his way into the Kaurava centre and kills eight of the sons of Dhritarashtra in a single stretch of the day. Bhagadatta of Pragjyotisha checks him at last from the back of the great elephant Supratika. When the Kaurava line steadies, Ghatotkacha enters the field for the first time and scatters it again with rakshasa illusion until Bhishma orders a withdrawal.
Key moments
- Bhima kills eight sons of Dhritarashtra in one charge
- Bhagadatta and the elephant Supratika halt Bhima's advance
- Ghatotkacha enters the war and breaks the Kaurava ranks with illusion
- Bhishma withdraws his army before nightfall
Notable deaths
- Eight sons of Dhritarashtra
Day 5
The Grandsire's Harvest
Kaurava commanderBhishma
Bhishma returns to the field in the makara array and cuts through the Pandava divisions in a day of pure attrition. Satyaki and Bhurishravas fight a long and bitter duel in which Satyaki kills ten of the Kuru elder's sons. Arjuna and Bhishma trade astras again without a decision, and the Pandava council ends the evening in open worry.
Key moments
- Bhishma forms the makara array and inflicts enormous losses
- Satyaki kills ten sons of Bhurishravas in their duel
- Bhima is wounded and carried from the front by Satyaki's men
- The Pandavas begin to accept that Bhishma cannot be beaten by force alone
Notable deaths
- Ten sons of Bhurishravas
Day 6
Into the Formation
Kaurava commanderBhishma
Dhrishtadyumna answers Drona's krauncha array with the makara, and Bhima drives so deep into the Kaurava host that he is cut off inside it. Dhrishtadyumna follows to bring him out, and the two of them wreck the array from within. Duryodhana, watching his brothers fall again, goes to Bhishma's tent at night and accuses the grandsire of sparing the Pandavas.
Key moments
- Bhima breaks alone into the Kaurava formation and is surrounded
- Dhrishtadyumna fights his way in and brings Bhima out
- Drona rescues Duryodhana from Bhima's mace
- Duryodhana openly doubts Bhishma's loyalty that night
Day 7
Mandala and Vajra
Kaurava commanderBhishma
Bhishma draws up the circular mandala array and Yudhishthira counters with the thunderbolt. The fighting splinters into duels across the whole field: Arjuna against the Trigartas, Nakula and Sahadeva against their uncle Shalya, Drona against Virata's sons. Drona kills Shankha, and Virata loses the first of his children to the war.
Key moments
- The mandala array of Bhishma faces the vajra array of Yudhishthira
- Nakula and Sahadeva hold Shalya, the uncle who fights against them
- Drona kills Shankha, son of Virata
- Arjuna scatters the Trigarta divisions under Susharma
Notable deaths
- Shankha of Matsya
Day 8
The Serpent Prince Falls
Kaurava commanderBhishma
Iravan, the son Arjuna fathered on the naga princess Ulupi, shatters the Gandhara cavalry and kills five brothers of Shakuni before the rakshasa Alambusha cuts him down with sorcery. Ghatotkacha answers his half-brother's death with a fury that empties whole divisions, and only Bhishma's arrival steadies the Kauravas. Bhima kills eight more sons of Dhritarashtra before the day closes.
Key moments
- Iravan destroys the Gandhara horse and kills five brothers of Shakuni
- Alambusha kills Iravan by illusion
- Ghatotkacha's rage drives Duryodhana's army from the field
- Bhima kills eight more sons of Dhritarashtra
Notable deaths
- Iravan
- Eight sons of Dhritarashtra
Events on this day
- Death of IravanOn the eighth day, Iravan, son of Arjuna and the naga princess Ulupi, shatters the Gandhara cavalry and slays five of Shakuni's brothers before the giant rakshasa Alambusha cuts him down with sorcery. Kurukshetra
Day 9
Krishna Takes Up the Wheel
Kaurava commanderBhishma
Stung by Duryodhana's accusation, Bhishma fights without restraint and the Pandava army begins to dissolve in front of him. Seeing Arjuna still shooting with a divided heart, Krishna leaps from the chariot and rushes at the grandsire with a chariot wheel raised, ready to break his own vow. Arjuna drags him back, and that night the Pandavas go to Bhishma's tent to ask him how he can be killed.
Key moments
- Bhishma fights at his most terrible and the Pandava line breaks
- Krishna seizes a chariot wheel and charges Bhishma on foot
- Arjuna restrains Krishna and promises to fight without holding back
- The Pandavas visit Bhishma by night and he names Shikhandi as the way
Events on this day
- Krishna Takes Up the WheelEnraged that Arjuna fights his grandsire half-heartedly while Bhishma scorches the Pandava host, Krishna leaps from the chariot and rushes at Bhishma with a chariot wheel raised, breaking his own vow - until Arjuna drags him back. Kurukshetra
Day 10
A Bed of Arrows
Kaurava commanderBhishma
Shikhandi, born before as Amba, rides at the head of the Pandava charge with Arjuna sheltered behind. Bhishma lowers his bow rather than strike one who was once a woman, and Arjuna covers him with arrows until there is no part of him unpierced. The grandsire falls but does not touch the earth, held above it on the shafts, and there he waits for the sun to turn north before leaving his body.
Key moments
- Shikhandi is placed at the front of the charge against Bhishma
- Bhishma lays down his bow and refuses to fight Shikhandi
- Arjuna pierces him until he falls upon a bed of arrows
- Bhishma asks Arjuna for a pillow and receives three arrows for his head
Notable deaths
- Bhishma (mortally wounded, dies later)
Events on this day
- Bhishma FallsOn the tenth day of war, Bhishma falls to Arjuna's arrows using Shikhandi as shield. Kurukshetra
Day 11
The Teacher Takes Command
Kaurava commanderDrona
Karna at last enters the war, his quarrel with Bhishma no longer barring him, and Drona is made supreme commander of the Kaurava host. Drona promises Duryodhana that he will take Yudhishthira alive, hoping a captured king will end the war without Arjuna's death. To clear the way, Susharma and his brothers swear the samsaptaka oath and challenge Arjuna to a separate field.
Key moments
- Drona is consecrated supreme commander of the Kaurava army
- Karna joins the fighting for the first time
- Drona vows to capture Yudhishthira alive
- The samsaptakas swear by fire to kill Arjuna or die, and draw him away
Events on this day
- The Samsaptaka OathSusharma of Trigarta and his brothers swear by fire to slay Arjuna or die - the 'sworn ones' whose daily challenges draw Arjuna away from the field so that Drona may strike at Yudhishthira. Kurukshetra
Day 12
The Elephant King of the East
Kaurava commanderDrona
With Arjuna held off by the samsaptakas, Drona presses again for Yudhishthira and is turned back. The old king Bhagadatta of Pragjyotisha tramples the Pandava host from the back of his elephant Supratika and hurls the irresistible Vaishnava weapon at Arjuna, which Krishna receives on his own breast, where it becomes a garland. Arjuna kills Supratika and then Bhagadatta, and the Kaurava left collapses.
Key moments
- Drona's second attempt to seize Yudhishthira fails
- Bhagadatta and Supratika break the Pandava centre
- Krishna takes the Vaishnava weapon on himself and it turns into a garland
- Arjuna kills Bhagadatta and the eastern divisions give way
Notable deaths
- Bhagadatta
- Supratika
Events on this day
- Bhagadatta and the Elephant SupratikaOn the twelfth day, the aged Bhagadatta on his colossal elephant Supratika tramples the Pandava host and hurls the irresistible Vaishnava weapon at Arjuna - which Krishna receives on his own breast, where it becomes a garland. Kurukshetra
- The Elephant King of the East Oldest of all the warriors at Kurukshetra, the eastern king Bhagadatta - friend of Indra, lord of Pragjyotisha, his drooping eyelids tied up with a silk band - rides his colossal war elephant Supratika into the twelfth day of the war. Before he falls, he nearly kills Bhima, shatters whole divisions, and hurls at Arjuna the one weapon Krishna must break his own vow to stop. Pragjyotisha
Day 13
The Wheel of Death
Kaurava commanderDrona
Drona arrays his army in the chakravyuha, the spinning labyrinth that only Arjuna knows how to leave, and Arjuna has again been drawn to the far side of the field. Abhimanyu, sixteen years old, knows how to enter it but not how to come out, and goes in anyway. Jayadratha seals the breach behind him, and six great warriors bring the boy down together by breaking every law of war.
Key moments
- Drona forms the chakravyuha while Arjuna fights the samsaptakas
- Abhimanyu pierces the array and is sealed inside alone by Jayadratha
- Six maharathas strike the unarmed boy down together
- Arjuna returns at dusk and vows to kill Jayadratha before the next sunset or enter fire
Notable deaths
- Abhimanyu
- Brihadbala of Kosala
- Lakshmana, son of Duryodhana
Events on this day
- Death of AbhimanyuOn the 13th day, Abhimanyu breaks into the Chakravyuha but is trapped inside alone. Multiple warriors kill him unfairly. Kurukshetra
- Arjuna's Vow to Kill JayadrathaAfter Abhimanyu's death, a grief-stricken Arjuna vows on the night of the 13th day to kill Jayadratha by the next sunset or enter fire himself. Kurukshetra
Day 14
The Sun That Set
Kaurava commanderDrona
The whole Kaurava army is drawn up to keep Arjuna from Jayadratha until sunset, and Arjuna spends the day cutting a road through it. As the light fails Krishna veils the sun, Jayadratha steps out to gloat, and Arjuna sends his head into his father's lap. The fighting does not stop at dusk: Ghatotkacha ravages the Kauravas by torchlight until Karna spends the infallible Vasavi Shakti to kill him, and so loses the weapon he had kept for Arjuna.
Key moments
- Arjuna fights through the Kaurava army all day to reach Jayadratha
- Krishna veils the sun in false dusk and Arjuna beheads Jayadratha
- Arjuna severs the arm of Bhurishravas, who is then killed by Satyaki
- Drona and Arjuna exchange Brahmastras and withdraw them at the gods' urging
- Karna spends the Vasavi Shakti on Ghatotkacha in the night battle
Notable deaths
- Jayadratha
- Bhurishravas
- Ghatotkacha
- Alambusha
Events on this day
- Arjuna Kills JayadrathaOn the 14th day, Arjuna fulfills his vow by killing Jayadratha with a divine arrow that decapitates him. Kurukshetra
- The Sun That Set Grieving Abhimanyu, Arjuna vows to slay Jayadratha before sunset or die by fire. The whole Kaurava army shields Jayadratha all day; as the sun sinks, Krishna veils it in false dusk, drawing the exultant Jayadratha into the open, then reveals the sun - and warns of the boon, so Arjuna sends the severed head into his father's lap, where the curse recoils on the father. Kurukshetra
- Satyaki and the Yupaketu's ArmOn the fourteenth day, the Kuru elder Bhurishravas overpowers the exhausted Satyaki and raises his sword for the kill; Arjuna severs the upraised arm, and the warrior sits in final meditation before Satyaki, against all protest, beheads him. Kurukshetra
- Drona Arrests the Sky with BrahmastraOn the 14th day, an enraged Drona releases the Brahmastra, a weapon of mass destruction. Arjuna counters it with his own Brahmastra, and the gods urge both to withdraw. Kurukshetra
- Ghatotkacha's Night BattleOn the 14th night, Bhima's rakshasa son Ghatotkacha wreaks havoc on the Kaurava army. Karna uses his Vasavi Shakti to kill him. Kurukshetra
- The Spear Meant for Arjuna On the torchlit fourteenth night of the war, Bhima's rakshasa son Ghatotkacha ravages the Kaurava army until Duryodhana begs Karna to stop him. Unable to kill the night-giant by any other means, Karna is forced to spend the infallible Vasava Shakti - the one weapon he had saved to kill Arjuna. Ghatotkacha dies, crushing thousands beneath his falling body, and unknowingly saves Arjuna's life. Kurukshetra
Day 15
Ashwatthama Is Dead
Kaurava commanderDrona
Drona fights his last day like a fire in dry grass, killing Drupada of Panchala and Virata of Matsya, the two old kings who staked everything on the Pandava cause. Krishna counsels the one lie that can stop him: Bhima kills an elephant named Ashwatthama and the news is cried across the field, and Yudhishthira confirms it in a voice that drops on the final word. Drona lays down his weapons and sits in meditation, and Dhrishtadyumna takes his head.
Key moments
- Drona kills Drupada and Virata in a single day
- Bhima kills an elephant named Ashwatthama and proclaims the death
- Yudhishthira speaks the half-truth and Drona lays down his arms
- Dhrishtadyumna beheads the seated Drona
- Ashwatthama looses the Narayanastra and Krishna orders the army to bow in surrender
Notable deaths
- Drona
- Drupada
- Virata
Events on this day
- Fall of Virata and DrupadaOn the fifteenth day, Drona in his last terrible blaze of mastery slays the two old kings who staked everything on the Pandava cause - Drupada of Panchala and Virata of Matsya. Kurukshetra
- Death of DronaOn the 15th day, Drona lays down his weapons after hearing the false news of Ashwatthama's death. Dhrishtadyumna beheads him. Kurukshetra
- The Weapon That Could Not Be Faced Grief-maddened at his father Drona's death, Ashvatthama looses the Narayanastra, which grows fiercer the more it is resisted and rains annihilation on the Pandava host. Krishna commands all to throw down their arms and bow in total submission; the weapon passes them by - but proud Bhima must be forcibly disarmed and pulled down to be saved. Kurukshetra
Day 16
The Sun-Born Commander
Kaurava commanderKarna
Karna is consecrated supreme commander and takes the field at the head of what is left of the Kaurava host. He forces Shalya, king of Madra, to drive his chariot, and Shalya agrees only on the condition that he may say whatever he pleases, which he spends the day using to belittle Karna. Karna overpowers Yudhishthira, Bhima, Nakula and Sahadeva in turn and lets each of them live, keeping the promise he made to Kunti that he would kill no son of hers but Arjuna.
Key moments
- Karna is made the third supreme commander of the Kaurava army
- Shalya becomes Karna's charioteer and taunts him through the fighting
- Karna defeats Yudhishthira and drives him wounded from the field
- Karna spares Yudhishthira, Bhima, Nakula and Sahadeva to keep his word to Kunti
Events on this day
- Karna Spares The PandavasKarna defeats all Pandavas except Arjuna but spares their lives according to his promise to Kunti. Kurukshetra
Day 17
The Wheel in the Earth
Kaurava commanderKarna
Bhima finds Dushasana in front of Karna's line and fulfils the vow sworn in the dice hall thirteen years before, tearing open his chest and carrying word of it to Draupadi. Arjuna kills Karna's son Vrishasena before his father's eyes, and the duel both armies have waited for begins. Karna's chariot wheel sinks into the ground and his memory of the Brahmastra fails him at the same moment, and Arjuna kills him as he stands unarmed beside the wheel.
Key moments
- Bhima kills Dushasana and drinks his blood, completing the oath of the sabha
- Arjuna kills Vrishasena in front of Karna
- Shalya abandons Karna's chariot after a final quarrel
- Karna's wheel sinks and his knowledge of the Brahmastra deserts him
- Arjuna kills Karna beside the sunken wheel
Notable deaths
- Karna
- Dushasana
- Vrishasena
Events on this day
- Bhima Slays DushasanaOn the seventeenth day, Bhima fulfills the vow of thirteen years: he breaks Dushasana down in front of Karna's line, tears open his chest, and drinks his blood, then carries word of it to Draupadi. Kurukshetra
- Death of VrishasenaHours before his duel with Karna, Arjuna kills Karna's valiant son Vrishasena before his father's eyes - declared payment for Abhimanyu, slain while Arjuna was far away. Kurukshetra
- Death of KarnaOn the 17th day, Arjuna kills Karna while his chariot wheel is stuck in the ground. Karna was trying to lift it when Arjuna shot him. Kurukshetra
Day 18
The Lake and the Mace
Kaurava commanderShalya (half the day), then Duryodhana alone
Shalya takes command for the last morning and is killed by Yudhishthira's spear before noon, and Sahadeva cuts down Shakuni, the man who set the whole ruin in motion. With his army gone and his brothers dead, Duryodhana hides in a lake until Yudhishthira's taunts draw him out for a mace duel with Bhima, who breaks his thigh against the rules of the fight. That night Ashwatthama, Kripa and Kritavarma enter the sleeping Pandava camp and kill everyone in it except the five brothers and Krishna.
Key moments
- Yudhishthira kills Shalya, the last consecrated Kaurava commander
- Sahadeva kills Shakuni and fulfils his own vow from the dice hall
- Bhima kills the last of the hundred sons of Dhritarashtra
- Duryodhana hides in the lake and is drawn out for the mace duel
- Bhima breaks Duryodhana's thigh and the war is decided
- Ashwatthama's night raid destroys the Pandava camp, sparing only seven men on one side and three on the other
Notable deaths
- Shalya
- Shakuni
- Uluka
- Duryodhana (mortally wounded)
- Dhrishtadyumna
- Shikhandi
- The five sons of Draupadi
Events on this day
- Yudhishthira Kills ShalyaOn the 18th day, Yudhishthira kills King Shalya, his maternal uncle, in single combat with a spear. Kurukshetra
- The King of Madra Shalya, uncle of the Pandavas, is tricked by Duryodhana's hospitality into a boon that binds him to fight for the Kauravas, though he secretly serves the Pandavas by demoralizing Karna. Made the last Kaurava commander on day eighteen, he falls to Yudhishthira's spear, and his death breaks the Kaurava host - the war's tragedy of divided loyalty. Kurukshetra
- Sahadeva Kills ShakuniOn the 18th day, Sahadeva finally fulfills his personal vow and kills Shakuni, the schemer who engineered the dice game that led to all of the Pandavas' suffering. Kurukshetra
- Duryodhana Hides in the LakeAfter all the Kaurava warriors fall, the fatally wounded Duryodhana hides himself in a lake, using yoga to stop water from entering and waiting there unseen. Kurukshetra
- Death of DuryodhanaOn the 18th day, Bhima defeats Duryodhana in a mace duel at the same lake. Bhima strikes his thigh against the rules of mace fighting. Kurukshetra
- Night MassacreAfter the war, Ashwatthama massacres the sleeping Pandava camp, killing Draupadi's five sons and Dhrishtadyumna. Kurukshetra