The Kurukshetra battle was a war filled with display of warrior skills, courage and leadership. Although the Kauravas resorted to many false deceits, all challenges were perfectly answered by the Pandavas with the help of Shri Krishna who guided them in the right way to earn success in war. Shri Krishna as the charioteer of Arjun rode Arjun’s path to success and Dharma. In this path, he also helped his dear devotee fulfil his vows made and save him from the death in the war.
When Arjun’s dear son Abhimanyu passed away in the Padamvyuh battle strategy of Bhishm Pitamaha, Arjun is in deep remorse. He enquires as to why the other Pandavas were unable to go to the aide of Abhimanyu. Yudhisthir replies that they were stopped by Jayadrath, (Dussala’s husband). It was a boon acquired by Jayadrath from Bhagwan Shiv that except for Arjun, he could stop and defeat the rest of the Pandavas in battle for once. With this boon, Jayadrath had stopped the Pandavas in going to the rescue of Abhimanyu, leading to his death.
Arjun becomes enraged listening to this and vows that he would kill Jayadrath by the next day sunset or end his life. The Kauravas are happy that if they succeed in protecting Jayadrath, then the Pandavas would be defeated as without Arjun, victory was impossible for the Pandavas. The next day, they take huge measures and cautions and place Jayadrath in the centre of the huge battlefield ready to stop Arjun from reaching him. But, they totally forget that Arjun had the greatest support and blessings of Shri Krishna.
Understanding the importance and determination of Arjun’s vow, Shri Krishna leads the chariot from all obstacles and hurdles put by the Kauravas and both finally reach Jayadrath just before sunset. The Kaurav camp was jubilant that Arjun‘s vow will not be fulfilled. The Almighty Shri Krishna smiles and says that the game was not over yet.
Shri Krishna with his Sudarshan Chakra creates an illusion and covers the sun with it, which makes all battlefield dark. Thinking that the Sun has set, the Kauravas put down their weapons and Jayadrath feels that he is saved. In these celebrations of the enemy camp, Shri Krishna calls off his Sudarshan and suddenly there is daylight again. While the Kauravas wonder as to what was happening, Arjun aims his powerful Brahmastr at Jayadrath to kill him. Before Arjun releases the arrow, Shri Krishna says to Arjun to direct it along with Jayadrath’s head to the lap of Jaydrath’s father who was meditating in the forest. Arjun wonders why, but does as Shri Krishna says. Arjun cuts of the head of Jayadrath and fulfils his vow and the force of the arrow takes the head and drops it in the lap of Jayadrath’s father. The father suddenly gets up disturbed and as soon as the head of Jayadrath falls down, his father along with Jaydrath is burnt to ashes.
Arjun is surprised at this, for which Shri Krishna says that Jayadrath’s father had the boon that whoever would make his son’s head fall on the ground would perish. As Arjun would perish lest his arrow put Jayadrath’s head on the ground, Shri Krishna directed it on the father itself. This foresightedness, intelligence of Shri Krishna of Shri Krishna made Arjun not only fulfils his vow, but also helped save his dear devotee’s life too.