Śrutakarma

Śrutakarma was the third of the five sons of Draupadī. She bore one son to each of her five Pāṇḍava husbands, and Śrutakarma was the son of Arjuna. He was one of the upapāṇḍavas (the “lesser Pāṇḍavas”). Aśvatthāmā killed him in the night attack after the war at Kurukshetra.

Birth and name

Śrutakarma was born to Draupadī from her union with Arjuna. The name Śrutakarma means “one whose father’s deeds are celebrated” (śruta means heard or famed, and karma means deeds). It honours the fame of Arjuna’s brave deeds, including those of his twelve-year vanavāsa (life in the forest).

The upapāṇḍavas

Śrutakarma formed the group of the upapāṇḍavas with Prativindhya, Sutasoma, Śatānīka and Śrutasena. Arjuna trained all five in dhanurveda (the science of archery) and astra-śāstra (the science of weapons), together with Abhimanyu.

Death in the Sauptika Parva

Aśvatthāmā killed Śrutakarma in the night raid on the sleeping camp of the Pāñcālas after the war at Kurukshetra. Śrutakarma woke and fought back. He struck Aśvatthāmā on the left side with a parīgha (an iron club). The blow landed, but it could not stop Aśvatthāmā, who acted under the āveśa (the entering power) of Mahādeva. Aśvatthāmā answered with one stroke of his sword. It cut Śrutakarma’s head in two, from the crown downward.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 221
• Mahābhārata, Sauptika Parva, Chapter 8