Why did Dronacharya not use the BRAHMADANDA against Abhimanyu & Ghatotkatch in the MAHABHARATA war ?

Question

On the 15th day of battle, Drona proved unconquerable. He defeated all the 5 Pandavas and went on a killing spree killing maharatha after maharatha.For the 1st time ever in the war, he used the BRAHMADANDA on the 15th day. As it was an irresistible weapon superior even to the BRAHMASTRA & PASHUPATASTRA, Drona was unstoppable on the 15th day of war, thereby neccesiating the Pandavas to kill him by unfair means. But, why did Drona not use this weapon against Abhimanyu & Ghatotkatch and prefered to get defeated by them ? On the contrary, he was the one who advised the Kauravas to kill Abhimanyu by unfair means ! Why did Drona act so ?

Answer 1

Because he forgot...

Answer 2

Brahmadanda was a defensive weapon and no offensive weapon

Weapons used in Mahabaratha can be classified as Astra and Sastra.
Astra- Powerful weapons that can do more than what the material it is made of can normally do. Powers invoked by mantras. That includes Varunastra, brahmastra, Pasupathastra etc.
Sastra- A normal weapon used by any other soilder. Just a physical weapon
BrahmaDanda, Brahmastra, and Pasupathastra fall under Astra category.
There is also an another way of classification.
Weaopns of Offence -Brahmastra, Pasupathastra, Sastras
Weapons of defence - Sheilds, Armours etc

Drona was the son of sage Baratwaj, a Maharishi by himself. The Danda is a stick used to help a person as a walking stick. Any stick can be called a Danda.
The Agneya missile (astra) Arjun uses against the Gandharva during the earlier years of his life in forest before Draupadi's svayamvar, was given by Drona to Arjun. He had many other celestial astras in his arsenal.
Brahma Danda is the stick of Brahma(Brahma never needed a walking stick but had many best things of universe including BrahmaDanda, created by him). Being the son of a great maharishi, it is no great deal that Drona had many celestial weapons with him.Of them Brahmadanda was a defensive weapon and no offensive weapon. So Drona can dsave his skin from a brahmastra using the brahmadanda but cant attack with it with such great efficiency as it defends.
Drana woved to kill atleast one Maharathi and framed the chakravyuh. Arjun could break it. But he had an oath that if called for a fight he will never say no. Shampathakas a part of Kaurava allies challenged Arjun and he had to go. So Chakravyuh had to be handled by Abhimanyu. Treachery wasnt done by Drona but by others. He just said Abhimanyu had to be killed if Kauravas should win, for he was too good and was wreacking havoc with their army. Treachery killed him.
Gadothgaj did not show his powersthrough out the battle. He fought normally in the begining. Only later did he resume to his own methods and was proving a hell for kauravas. So killing him wasnt the need of the hour. It was capturing Yudhistir. Gadothgaj took to his powers only after Drona's death for he knew if he used powers he would be more susceptible and hence vulnerable to Drona's arsenal.
Drona basically loved pandavas and did not want to kill them. He just planned to captivate Yudhistir so as to be loyal to his master Dridirashtir(not Duryodhan, but his father). No need to say of the father's character.
I think I have covered the answer and much more.

Answer 3

Brahmadanda is not a weapon. It is the hand resting stick used by sages. It has the capacity to assimilate any astra including Brahmastra. I don't think Drona had Brhmastra and pashupathastra with him. Both of these are special and can be used only under exceptional circumstances. Drona did not advise kauravas to kill Abhimanyu be deceit. It was Jayath ratha who did that by hitting abhimanyu from behind. Ghatoth kach did not come into the battle till drona fell. he was a night fighter Duryodhana requsted karna to kill him by indrastra which he had kept reserved for Arjuna.

Answer 4

On the 15 day , Arjun was absent. Dronacharya took the opportunity.

Dronachaya knew only Arjun among Pandvas could break a Chakravyuh. He set that up. Abhimanyu has learnt it from his father Arjun but only partially. He knew how to enter but didnt knew how to exit, that well. He relied upon his insticts and bravery to break last door. Pandvas decided to back him up for that particuler mission, with Abhimanyu in lead.

Unfortunately Jaydrath proved too much for rest of Pandvas and engaged them long enough to make them fall way behind of Abhimanyu.

Abhimanyu fought bravely. It took 7 Maharathees combined to kill him. He was surrounded and attacked by all of them, So called Maharathees broke rules of war that day. They attacked a defenseless, 16 year old with all their might, when he had no wepons left with him. Abhimanyu was fighting with a broken wheel when he died. All his weopns already used up or destroyed.

Dronacharya did not need one more weapon to use on him under the circumstances.

Laws of War in ancient India were at par with modern international laws of war. Dronacharya and Kauravas broke enough of them and Pandvas were forced to retaliate in same manner. Both parties broke rules. On their defense Pandvas broke less rules and mostly tried to abide by them. And Kauravas started it. Pandvas had , had many attempts on their life by Duryodhana through out their life, since childhood. Bhishma, Drona or Karna all three made mistakes of supporting Duryodhana in his evil plans , because of selfish reasons. Misplaced pride, bizarre sense of duty, misplaced loyalties....... Dronacharya was an opprtunist any way.

Answer 5

BrahmaDanda Astra is a deadly weapon created by a saptarishi. It possessed the entire power of the Brahman and if used as an offensive weapon would destroy the entire multitude of the universe. When used as a counter it can neutralize other deadly weapons like Brahmastra. Pashupatastra has similar powers and its restricted from usage against a mortal(Lord shiva used it to destroy tripura and not against a single person).

Answer 6

Brahmadanda is a kind if stick hardly 18 inches long where the sadhus or so called mantors of society used to rest their hands on. I dont thind it had any kind of special powers to stop any kind of wepons nor had it got the powers to be a wepon of distruction. The Mahabharata itself is the fight between cousins for the power which I think has engaged the society for too long. We need to have a new epic soon.

Answer 7

Maybe he didnt want to kill Abhimanyu because Arjun would kill him? so he rather have the kauravas killed!

ok i dont remember much! lol

Answer 8

KUTNITI of that time....

its politics of the earlier times

Answer 9

I was just wondering the same thing