Alāyudha
Alāyudha was a strong rākshasa warrior who fought on the Kaurava side in the war at Kurukshetra. He was a kinsman (bandhu) of Bakāsura, Hiḍimba and Kimmīra, three rākshasas whom the Pāṇḍavas had already killed. Ghaṭotkaca killed Alāyudha in the night battle of the fourteenth day.
Who he was
The Droṇa Parva says that Alāyudha was a kinsman (bandhu) of Bakāsura, Hiḍimba and Kimmīra. Bhīmasena and the Pāṇḍavas had killed all three in earlier events. Hiḍimba died in the Ādi Parva. Bakāsura and Kimmīra died in the Vana Parva.
The opening part of the Droṇa Parva names Alāyudha together with Alambhusha as the two terrible (bhayaṃkara) rākshasas on the Kaurava side.
The night battle of the fourteenth day
On the night of the fourteenth day, the great night battle went on after Jayadratha’s death. Alāyudha attacked Ghaṭotkaca. The fight was very fierce, and its spectacle is compared with the battle of Rāma and Rāvaṇa. Both warriors were rākshasas and used the full range of rākshasa fighting arts.
The Droṇa Parva also says that Bhīmasena himself had earlier been in danger from Alambhusha and Alāyudha. At the direction of Śrī Kṛshṇa, Ghaṭotkaca came and rescued his father from that danger.
Ghaṭotkaca killed Alāyudha in the night battle. The opening part of the Droṇa Parva counts his death, with that of Alambhusha, among the most important rākshasa fights of the war.
In Chapter 181 of the Droṇa Parva, Śrī Kṛshṇa speaks to Arjuna about his own plan for the war. He says: “Alāyudha was killed by Ghaṭotkaca. And I myself, through strategy, caused Ghaṭotkaca to be killed by means of the śakti (spear) that Karṇa discharged.”
Reunion at the Gaṅgā
The Āśramavāsika Parva, Chapter 32, tells that Vyāsa called up the whole host of the fallen at the Gaṅgā. Alāyudha rose from the holy waters among the risen warriors. He was young again and free of enmity. He stayed for one night of reunion and then went back to his loka (world).
Sources
- Mahābhārata, Droṇa Parva (the opening part, and the night battle of the fourteenth day)
- Mahābhārata, Droṇa Parva, Chapter 181
- Mahābhārata, Āśramavāsika Parva, Chapter 32