The greatest boon for the Pandavas was having Krishna on their side. His meticulous planning saved them during the war, said V.S. Karunakarachariar in a discourse.
Jayadratha wants to avenge his defeat at the hands of the Pandavas. He prays to Lord Siva that he should be able to destroy the Pandavas. Siva says he will be victorious against four of the Pandavas for just one day. Arjuna, however, will not lose to him. Jayadratha’s father already had obtained a boon that whosoever caused his son’s head to fall on the ground would die.
During the Kurukshetra war, Abhimanyu, son of Subhadra and Arjuna, gets into the Chakravyuha. He knows how to get in, but not how to get out. His uncles tell him that they will follow him and protect him. Unfortunately, they are confronted by Jayadratha. Jayadratha’s boon of victory over four of the Pandavas comes into operation then, and he is able to hold them back. Abhimanyu is isolated and killed. Arjuna vows that if he does not kill Jayadratha by sunset the next day, he will immolate himself.
Jayadratha is kept hidden by the Kauravas. The sun sets and Jayadratha comes out of hiding. Arjuna prepares to die, when Krishna tells him that the sun has not set and that He had sent His discus to cover the Sun. He tells Arjuna to shoot an arrow so that Jayadratha’s severed head is carried all the way to Kasi and falls into the hands of Jayadratha’s father, who is doing penance there.
Arjuna does as told and Jayadratha’s head lands in the hands of Jayadratha’s father, who, not realising it is his son’s head, shakes it off.
When Jayadratha’s head touches the ground, the boon the old man had obtained comes into force and he dies too.
