Saturday, December 13, 2025

What are some interesting pledges taken by any character in the Mahabharata?

 

  1. Bhishma took the vow of celibacy and refrained from conjugal relationships throughout the course of his life.
  2. Bhishma pledged to serve as a slave to the kings of Hastinapura. Following the pledge, he served as a slave to the kings Chitrangada, Vichitravirya, Pandu and Dhritarashtra.
  3. Bhima took the vow that he would kill Duhshasana (responsible for Draupadi's humiliation) like an animal and gratify his anger by drinking Duhshasana's blood in front of all the warriors. Bhima fulfilled his vow on the 17th day of Kurukshetra war.
  4. Bhima took the pledge that he would single-handedly kill all the Kourava brothers in battle as a consequence of Draupadi's humiliation at the gambling match. Bhima killed all the Kourava brothers in Kurukshetra war and fulfilled his terrible vow.
  5. Bhima took the vow that he would break Duryodhana’s thigh with his mace. Duryodhana showed his thigh to Draupadi with an evil intention and asked her to sit on his thigh. This provoked Bhima to take the terrible vow. Bhima broke Duryodhana's thigh in the mace fight on the 18th day of Kurukshetra war.
  6. Arjuna took the vow that he would kill Karna in front of all the Kourava warriors in the battlefield. Arjuna killed Karna on the 17th day of Kurukshetra war and hence fulfilled his vow.
  7. Karna took the vow that he would not wash his feet until he killed Arjuna in an encounter. However this was no fulfilled since it was Karna who was killed by Arjuna on the 17th day of Kurukshetra war.
  8. Sahadeva took the vow that he would kill Shakuni who was the perpetrator of the infamous gambling match which brought about Draupadi's humiliation. Sahadeva killed Shakuni on the 18th day of Kurukshetra war and succeeded in fulfilling his vow.
  9. Dhristadyumna took the pledge that he would kill Drona in an encounter. Drona killed Dhristadyumna's father Drupada on the 15th day of Kurukshetra war. This provoked Dhristadyumna to take the vow in front of all the Pandava warriors. Dhristadyumna beheaded Drona on the 15th day and fulfilled his vow.
  10. Ashwatthama (Drona's son) pledged that he would kill Dhristadyumna. Ashwatthama fulfilled this vow when he violently kicked Dhristadyumna to death on the 18th night of Kurukshetra war.
  11. Satyaki pledged to kill Bhurishrava for taking revenge for the death of his sons. Bhurishrava killed all the ten sons of Satyaki on the 5th day of Kurukshetra war. Satyaki pledged to take revenge for the death of his sons. He fulfilled his vow when he killed Bhurishrava on the 14th day of Kurukshetra war.
  12. Lord Krishna took the vow that he would not raise any weapon in the Kurukshetra war. He momentarily broke his vow twice when he raised a chariot wheel to kill Bhishma on the 3rd day and the 9th day of Kurukshetra war.

Image courtesy: Google