The title of this article is a quotation from Mahatma Gandhi who was a great believer in ahimsa—non-violence. While he did not advocate not punishing wrong deeds, Gandhi believed that violence and revenge only led to an endless cycle of further violence and revenge. The Mahabharata offers a great example of this. Dronacharya and Drupada were childhood best friends. Drupada used to tell Drona—I am my father’s favourite son. I am certain to inherit the kingdom. When I become the king, the kingdom will be yours to enjoy.
Years later, Drupada indeed went on to become the king, while Drona remained a poor Brahmin. One day, Drona happily presented himself at Drupada’s court. To his shock, Drupada spurned Drona’s friendship and insulted him. Dronacharya started plotting his revenge. When he had finished teaching martial arts to the Kauravas and Pandavas, he asked for his guru dakshina—capture Drupada. When Drupada had been captured and humiliated, Drona returned half of his kingdom, keeping the other half for himself.
Drupada performed the Putrakameshti yajna to obtain a son who could defeat Drona. From the fire of the yajna, a son, Dhrishtadyumna, and a daughter, Draupadi, were born. Draupadi grew up and married the five Pandavas. In the battle of Kurukshetra, Dhrishtadyumna became the commander-in-chief of the Pandava army. On the 15th day of the war, Drupada was killed by Drona during the fighting.
A plan was hatched by the Pandavas to use Drona’s love for his son, Ashvatthama, to kill him. Bhima killed a war elephant named Ashvatthama and the word was spread that Ashvatthama had been killed. When Drona refused to believe it, Yudhishthira, who was known to always speak the truth, told Drona that Ashvatthama had indeed been killed. The latter part of his speech, that it was a war elephant, was inaudible amidst the blowing of conch shells by the Pandavas. A heartbroken Drona gave up his arms and sat down to meditate. At this point, Dhrishtadyumna attacked and beheaded him.
The deceitful manner in which Drona had been killed reignited the fire of revenge; this time, in the heart of Ashvatthama. At the end of the war, he attacked the Pandava camp at night and killed Dhrishtadyumna and all five of Draupadi’s sons. Draupadi asked for revenge, which the Pandavas obtained by snatching away the precious jewel that Ashvatthama had worn since birth and Sri Krishna cursing him to roam around in desolation for 3,000 years.
What started as a simple falling out between two old friends, led to many brutal killings and the destruction of both the families. This story clearly illustrates how an eye for an eye can make the whole world blind.