Mahabharata is truly an epic. Thousands of central characters play a significant role in the outcome, and there are hundreds of incidents that have an influence on those outcomes. And out of the thousands who had a role, no one played a more important role than Krishna. He influenced the whole outcome without even actively taking part sometimes. Here is how he was the real boss in Mahabharata.

Krishna disposed of Dronacharya

Everyone in Mahabharata knew about Yudhisthira’s penchant for always telling the truth. Dronacharya, the teacher of the Pandavas and Kauravas was virtually unassailable on the battlefield. The Pandavas could not have defeated him in a straight fight. So Krishna convinced Yudhisthira to tell a half-lie – not technically a lie.

Yudhisthira announced that Ashwatthama was dead – but the elephant.

Drona, not doubting Yudhisthira’s word for one second, became sad for his son’s loss. Dhristhadumnya chopped his head off.

Krishna arranged another defeat.

When Ashwatthama was enraged and undefeated, Krishna found a way to neutralize him too

Ashwatthama, who was enraged beyond measure vowed to wipe out the entire Pandava line and raided the Pandava camp in the dead of night. In his madness of anger, he directed Brahmanda Astra towards Uttara, the wife of Abhimanyu.

Krishna stopped this weapon and in anger ripped out the jewel that was embedded on Ashwatthama’s forehead – his source of power. He also gave him a terrible curse.

Remember that Ashwatthama was an incarnation of Shiva himself, and could not have been stopped if he would have been in anger.

Krishna nullified this threat to Pandavas too.