Shrutayudha
Srutayudha had a warrior rank of Rathi. Affiliation: Kaurava. Shrutayudha was the king of Kalinga. Sakradeva was his son and crown prince of Kalinga.
Kalinga is mentioned as siding with Hastinapur and the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra War, presumably siding with the Kauravas since his sister was married to Duryodhana’s friend, Karna. Srutayudha is mentioned in Drona Parva as a tiger among men.
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On the first day of the war, he confronts Iravan, giving a good fight, but is ultimately defeated.
On the 14th day of battle, the Kamboja army division is being assailed by Arjuna as the latter is attempting to reach the end of Drona’s Padmavyuha. Rescuing Kritavarma, Srutayudha, from atop his elephant, challenges Arjuna, striking Arjuna with multiple arrows. However, Arjuna counters, snapping Srutayudha’s bow. Filled with wrath, Srutayudha hurls his mace at Krishna, Arjuna’s unarmed charioteer. As per the conditions described by Varuna, the mace boomerangs back on Srutyudha killing him.
“The heroic king Srutayudha was the son of Varuna, having for his mother that mighty river of cool water called Parnasa. His mother, O king, had for the sake of her son, begged Varuna saying, ‘Let this my son become unslayable on earth.’ Varuna, gratified (with her), had said, ‘I give him a boon highly beneficial to him, viz., a celestial weapon, by virtue of which this thy son will become unslayable on earth by foes. No man can have immortality. O foremost of rivers, every one who hath taken birth must inevitably die. This child, however, will always be invincible by foes in battle, through the power of this weapon. Therefore, let thy heart’s fever be dispelled.’ Having said these words, Varuna gave him, with mantras, a mace. Obtaining that mace, Srutayudha became invincible on earth. Unto him, however, illustrious Lord of the waters again said, ‘This mace should not be hurled at one who is not engaged in fight. If hurled at such a person, it will come back and fall upon thyself. O’illustrious child, (if so hurled) it will then course in an opposite direction and slay the person hurling it.’ It would seem that when his hour came, Srutayudha disobeyed that injunction. With that hero-slaying mace he attacked Janardana, The valiant Krishna received that mace on one of his wellformed and stout shoulders. It failed to shake Sauri, like the wind failing to shake the Vindhya mountain. That mace, returning unto Srutayudha himself, struck that brave and wrathful king staying on his car, like an ill-accomplished act of sorcery injuring the performer himself, and slaying that hero fell down on the earth.” – The Mahabharata, Book 7: Drona Parva: Jayadratha-Vadha Parva: Section XCI
