Decoding the epics: Greatest Mahabharata warrior who never fought the battle!

My curiosity and inclination toward mythology have forced me to start this series of blog posts.

Follow it through if you identify with a similar type of interest. And since you obviously clicked on my blog in the first place, I don't think you think otherwise. And as I always say don't just read; instead pause and reflect! Happy Channeling!

Here's, walking in with a lot of curiosity and assurance to assist, unravel, and illuminate some obscure stories and details about the greatest epics ever penned. Stay there, readers!

A few of you who predicted that this blog is about Barbarika, you guessed it right! And those who don't have any idea, who Barbarika was? I see you, my dear reader! This blog is for you.

Note: The story of Barbarika is a folk tale that is a part of many regional versions of Mahabharata along with Skand Purana. The original Mahabharata written by Maharishi Ved Vyas has no mention of him. 

Barbarika actually never fought the battle, the reason is that his grit and powers were so invaluable in the eyes of Shri Krishna that he was asked to give away his head in charity before even the war could commence! 

Grandson of the greatest and most powerful warrior Bheem and son of another most underrated and mighty warrior Ghatotkacha and Princess Mauravi, Barbarika was known to be blessed with Lord Shiva himself, who presented him with 3 invincible arrows that were enough to destroy the mightiest of the mighty. Additionally, it is said that Lord Agni, the God of Fire, claimed to have given him the bow that rendered him unbeatable in the three worlds.

The story goes like, that Barbarika put forward his wish to participate in the war of Mahabharata in front of his mother who also taught him warfare. His mother Mauravai then asked him to choose a side he would want to fight from. To that Barbarika answered that respecting the dharma he would fight from the weaker side. 

While before the war Krishna asked everyone how long would it take for them to finish the war, to which all the participating warriors replied with a different number of days, for instance, Bheeshma said 26 days, Karna said 24 days, and Arjuna said 28 days.

Krishna when discovered that Barbarika too wishes to participate in the war, disguised himself as a Brahmin, went to Barbarika, and asked the same question to him. Barbarika confidently answered that it would only take 1 minute for him to finish off the war if he were to fight alone. 

That answer of him left Krishna baffled!

To test his confidence and accuracy, Krishna challenged Barbarika to aim his arrow at all the leaves of a distant tree and knock them all down. When Barbarika started meditating to perform the task, Krishna plucked a leaf from the tree and kept it below his leg without Barbarika noticing it.

All of the tree's leaves were shot down by the arrow before it began to circle Krishna's leg. In a moment of fear, Krishna questioned Barbarika what is going on. Barbarika advised Krishna to lift his leg since there might be a leaf under it. When Krishna raised his leg, the arrow flew through the final leaf and landed back in Barbarika's quiver.

Krishna was now aware of how powerful Barbarika is. He then asked him which side is he planning to fight the war from. Barbarika said that he has promised his mother Mauravi that he will fight from the weaker side. As he believes Pandava's army is comparatively small, so he'll fight from their side.

Listening to this Krishna made sure that Barbarika does not participate in the war as it would then be impossible for him to save any of the innocents participating in the war, for instance, if he wishes to save the Pandava brothers then if Barbarika has intended to kill them he would anyhow do that.

Krishna smartly convinced Barbarika to not fight the war as whichever side he would choose to fight from would make the opposite side weaker and to keep the word he has given to his mother, he would then have to switch sides in between the war fight. This would lead to him becoming the lone survivor in the war.

Krishna then advised Barbarika to give his head in charity as an ode to beginning the Greatest War in history. Because, in his opinion, he was currently the finest fighter at the front.

Barbarika humbly agreed to follow Krishna's demand, with a condition that he still wishes to witness the whole war fight. Krishna abiding by Barbarika's last wish made sure that his head was kept on the mountaintop so that he could continue to watch the battle. 

Barbarika if would have participated would have greatly impacted the challenges at war. Truly abiding Small Role, Big Impact!

There are innumerable such characters who directly and indirectly contributed to the war of Mahabharata. I'll make sure I continue to put light on all those small but significant incidences and characters in this series of blogposts. Stay Connected!