Vṛddhakṣatra the Paurava

Vṛddhakṣatra the Paurava was a king of the Paurava line who fought on the Pāṇḍava side at Kurukṣetra. Aśvatthāmā killed him on the fifteenth day of the war, in the fierce fighting after the Nārāyaṇāstra episode.

The Droṇa Parva names him “paurava rāja vṛddhakṣatra”, the Paurava king Vṛddhakṣatra. He is a different king from Vṛddhakṣatra, the father of Jayadratha, who was on the Kaurava side.

His death

Aśvatthāmā killed him on the fifteenth day. Aśvatthāmā cut off his head with a bhalla (a broad-headed arrow).

In the same stretch of fighting, Sudarśana of Mālava and the Cedi Yuvarāja also fell to Aśvatthāmā. The great Pāṇḍava mahāratha-s Dhṛṣṭadyumna, Sātyaki and Bhīmasena were driven back.

Two kings named Vṛddhakṣatra

The Mahābhārata names two kings Vṛddhakṣatra.

1. Vṛddhakṣatra, the father of Jayadratha. He was a Kaurava-side king.
2. Vṛddhakṣatra the Paurava. He was a Pāṇḍava-side king, killed by Aśvatthāmā on the fifteenth day.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Droṇa Parva, Chapter 200