'Either the Pandavas Will Die, or Lord Krishna Will Pick Up Weapons' — When a Kaurava Commander Forced God to Break His Vow

The Mahabharata war was not just a clash between two royal families; it was the ultimate test of righteousness (dharma), loyalty, and moral boundaries. In this historical war, Lord Krishna, an incarnation of the Divine, chose the role of a charioteer to uphold dharma. On the other side stood the invincible warrior, Bhishma Pitamah, who took on a fearsome form on the battlefield. An incident related to this war still arouses a feeling of excitement and devotion in people's minds. That moment when Shri Krishna picked up the wheel of the chariot and ran towards Bhishma Pitamah.

Krishna's Vow Before the War

Before the battle began, both the Pandavas and the Kauravas sought Lord Krishna’s support. Krishna, however, made it clear that he would not pick up any weapon during the war. He offered a choice: one side could have his powerful Narayani army, and the other could have him alone — unarmed. Duryodhana chose Krishna’s army, while the Pandavas wisely chose Krishna himself.

Krishna Became Arjuna’s Charioteer

Krishna took the reins of Arjuna’s chariot, becoming his charioteer. Though he wasn’t fighting, his presence was the greatest strength of the Pandavas. For the first ten days of the war, the Kaurava army was led by none other than Bhishma Pitamah. A disciple of Parashurama and a master of warfare, Bhishma was so powerful he could change the course of battle on his own. He made a vow: either he would kill all five Pandavas or force Lord Krishna to break his promise and take up arms.

When Krishna Lifted the Chariot Wheel

Bhishma’s assault caused chaos in the Pandava army. Even Arjuna struggled to stand against him. Witnessing this, Krishna’s patience snapped. Overcome with emotion, he left the role of charioteer and jumped out of the chariot and picked up a broken chariot wheel as a weapon and ran towards Bhishma.

Bhishma Said, 'My Vow is Fulfilled'

Bhishma folded his hands and stood calmly to Krishna. He said, “Now my vow is fulfilled. I had declared that either the Pandavas would die or you would break your promise. Now that you have lifted a weapon, I am content. You may set it down.” Hearing this, Krishna calmed down, lowered the wheel, and returned to his role as Arjuna’s charioteer.

Bhishma’s Final Battle

Bhishma led the Kaurava forces for ten days. Eventually, he was grievously wounded by Arjuna’s arrows. Gifted with the boon of choosing the time of his death, Bhishma lay on a bed of arrows until the sun transitioned into *Uttarayan*. Only after the war ended did he finally give up his mortal body.