The war is over. Or so everyone believes. But in the shadow of the banyan tree, Ashwatthama, son of Dronacharya, makes a vow. As his rage builds and the forest turns silent, he watches an owl slaughter sleeping crows… and finds his method. This episode is the story of the night that changed everything: the night the Pandava camp burned, the sons of Draupadi were killed, and warrior honour was extinguished not in battle, but in sleep.

Sources, Bibliography and Suggested further reading:

• Mahabharata (English prose retelling) by C. Rajagopalachari, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1951

• Mahabharata: A Modern Rendering by Ramesh Menon, Volume II

• Critical Edition input from Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI)