Nīla Rāja

Nīla Rāja was a king allied with the Pāṇḍavas who fought well in the Kurukshetra war. His equipment was all of one colour, blue, which made him easy to know on the field. In the Droṇa Parva he fought fiercely against the Kaurava forces and drove them back like fire through dry grass. Aśvatthāmā finally killed him.

How he looked

Nīla Rāja could be known on the battlefield by the one colour of all his equipment. His flag, his armour and his bow were all the same blue (nīla varṇa), and his horses were blue too. The Droṇa Parva also names his chariot as blue. He was with another king of striking looks named Citra, whose chariot horses were of many colours. Hemvarṇa, the son of Rocamāna, and Daṇḍaketu were with them. (Mahābhārata, Droṇa Parva)

His death at the hands of Aśvatthāmā

In the battles of the Droṇa Parva, Nīla swept through the Kaurava forces and did great harm. The Droṇa Parva compares him to fire burning dry grass and calls him agni-kānti (shining like fire). He destroyed one chariot after another and drove whole divisions before him.

Aśvatthāmā saw this and called out to him: “Nīla! What use is it to burn the army like this? Face me alone in single combat.”

Nīla accepted and shot arrows at Aśvatthāmā. Aśvatthāmā grew angry and cut down Nīla’s flag, his umbrella and his bow with three sharp bhallas (broad-headed arrows). Nīla then jumped down from his chariot with shield and sword in hand and sprang at Aśvatthāmā as a bird dives at its prey. Aśvatthāmā calmly cut off Nīla’s head with a single bhalla. (Mahābhārata, Droṇa Parva)

The Droṇa Parva also describes Nīla after his death. His face was bright as the moon. His eyes were beautiful as lotus petals. His body was tall, and its colour was dark as the petals of a blue lotus. His death brought great pain to the Pāṇḍava ranks. They cried out that Arjuna was too far away, fighting the Saṃśaptakas, to come and defend them. (Mahābhārata, Droṇa Parva)

Other warriors named Nīla

The Mahābhārata names more than one warrior called Nīla. Nīla of Māhishmatī was a different king, who sided with the Kauravas.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Droṇa Parva