Book Ten:  Night

There are only three survivors of the Kaurava Army: Ashwatthaman, 
Kripa, and Kritavarman.  They attack the Pandava camp at night and kill 
all the sleeping wariors.  Ashwatthaman strangles Dhrishtadyumna who 
killed his fater.  The three wariors go from bed to bed and murder all 
the rest including Draupadi's five sons and Shikhandin.  Duryodhan 
hears from his hiding place that he has been avenged and dies.  The 
five Pandavas and Krishana return to the camp site to find everyone 
dead and demons devouring their bodies. Draupadi also returns to the 
camp and madded by sorrow, orders the death of Ashwatthaman.  She tell 
the brothers to kill him and bring back the jewel on his forehead for 
her.  The brothers find him meditating in the forest.  As Bhim rushes 
towards him, Ashwatthaman summones a blade of grass with a mantra given 
to him by his father.  He prays that the weapon will destroy all the 
Pandavas.  Anticipating his move, Bhim tells Arjun to use the 
anti-weapon given to him by Drona to destroy Ashwattaman.  As both men 
pulled out their devine weapons, the sky resounded and the world 
trembled.  The great sages Narada and Vyasa appeared and told them that 
releasing either weapon would destroy the whole universe.  Arjun 
withdraws his weapon, but Ashwatthaman says his cannot be withdrawn.  
Ashwatthaman sends the weapon to pierce the womb of Uttara, who was 
carrying Abhimanyu's son.  Krishna protects the boy, and he does not 
die in the womb.  Krishna tells Ashwathaman that since he is a child 
killer, his punishment will be to wander the earth for three thousand 
years without and friend or anyone to talk to.  Ashwatthaman gives the 
jewel from his head to the Pandavas and returns to the forest.  They 
return to the camp and give the jewel to Draupadi.  She says all she 
wanted was revenge and that Juhishthir should wear the jewel.


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