By Nirooshitha Sethuram, Yogaratna
Graphics by Sheralee (Shambhavi) Hancherow
Tenth Day of the War (continued)
With Karna on his side, Duryodhana, respectfully bowed to Guru Drona in front of all the warriors. Duryodhana said,
Revered teacher, you are renowned for your mastery of the scriptures, noble heritage, wisdom, experience and exceptional skills. In the absence of Grandsire, you must command our army. With you as our leader, I am confident that we will overcome Yudhishthira and the Pandavas.
Drona happily agreed. The assembled kings erupted in cheers and loud roars for Duryodhana. The ceremony held in honor of Drona was conducted properly. Victorious cries echoed through the sky. Overcome with excitement, the supporters of the Kauravas behaved as though they had already defeated the Pandavas.
Drona expressed his appreciation for the opportunity presented to him. He invited Duryodhana to request any boon he wished. Duryodhana promptly stated that Yudhishthira was to be apprehended and delivered to him prior to sunset. When Drona heard this, he was filled with happiness.
Despite joining the war out of obligation, Drona could not bring himself to harm the Pandavas, especially Yudhishthira. He did not believe it was ethical to kill the sons of Pandu. Therefore, Duryodhana’s words brought him great relief and delight. While Drona admitted that achieving this was extremely challenging, he reluctantly gave his continual approval.
Duryodhana had devised a plan to capture Yudhishthira alive, hoping to force him into another game of dice. Then, upon defeating him again, Duryodhana would exile him permanently. When Drona discovered this scheme, his initial happiness faded, and he felt deeply disappointed with Duryodhana. Yet, Drona was also relieved because this strategy provided a way to spare Yudhishthira’s life.
Eleventh Day of the War
For the first time, Karna’s chariot — until then absent — started to move across the battlefield. The Kaurava soldiers felt a surge of joy and newfound courage. While Grandsire Bhishma fought without the intent to kill the Pandavas, Karna had no such reservations. Among the Kaurava ranks, talk spread that the defeat of the Pandavas was now inevitable.
Today marks the beginning of the war under Drona’s command. Driven by his deep affection for the Pandavas, Drona put forth all his efforts to capture Yudhishthira alive. When the Pandavas learned of Drona’s vow, they resolved to protect Yudhishthira at any cost, taking extra precautions for his safety.
Drona entered the battlefield, skillfully maneuvering his chariot and releasing arrows across the field. He successfully penetrated the opposition’s defenses, advancing directly towards Dhrishtadyumna.
Sahadeva engaged Shakuni, who demonstrated considerable proficiency in magical combat, resulting in an intense mace confrontation between them. Shalya confronted his nephew, Nakula. Displaying determination, Nakula dismantled his uncle’s chariot flag and umbrella, casting them to the ground before sounding the conch shell in recognition of his victory.
Bhima was causing significant disruption among his adversaries, prompting the Kaurava soldiers to retreat swiftly. The battle was highly intense, with combatants on both sides displaying great ferocity, resulting in substantial casualties among the soldiers.
Virata confronted Karna in battle, while Abhimanyu once again distinguished himself through his exceptional bravery. Young Abhimanyu single-handedly engaged and overcame four prominent warriors: Paurava, Kritavarman, Jayadratha and Shalya. Abhimanyu’s exceptional military strategies and remarkable bravery were so outstanding that even his adversaries acknowledged his abilities.
A significant encounter occurred between Bhima and Shalya, resulting in Bhima’s victory and Shalya’s subsequent withdrawal from the field. The Kaurava forces, demoralized by these setbacks, became disorganized under pressure from the Pandava assault. Drona, reacting to the situation, told his charioteer to quickly drive toward Yudhishthira so he could try to take him alive.
Drona broke through the Pandava ranks and prepared to capture Yudhishthira. However, Yudhishthira stayed vigilant and unleashed a barrage of arrows at Drona — though it was futile. Undeterred, Drona struck Yudhishthira with his arrows, shattering his bow and forcing it to drop to the ground before swiftly advancing toward him. Dhrishtadyumna attempted to intervene but failed to stop Drona. No one else could halt his progress either.
The announcement echoed across the battlefield: Yudhishthira had been captured and taken prisoner!
At that moment, Arjuna arrived, his chariot traversing the blood-soaked terrain and mounds of bodies to reach the scene. Upon Arjuna’s arrival, Drona hesitated. Arjuna fired arrows relentlessly from his Gandiva bow, darkening the sky and forcing Drona to retreat.
Yudhishthira remained uncaptured as the Kaurava army fled in fear, while the Pandavas left the battlefield with dignity. Krishna and Arjuna returned to camp, marking the end of the 11th day of battle.
Twelfth Day of the War
Drona acknowledged that Arjuna’s presence made it impossible to fulfill his promise to Duryodhana. He stated:
Yudhishthira cannot be apprehended while Arjuna remains close. If you devise a strategy to relocate Arjuna elsewhere and thereby separate him from Yudhishthira, I will breach the opposing forces and capture the target. Should he stand his ground and engage rather than retreat from combat, I am confident I will apprehend him. Alternatively, if he withdraws from the battlefield, it may be considered a form of victory.
Susharma, the ruler of Trigarta, listened attentively to Drona’s instructions from within the Kaurava army. He undertook the task of diverting Arjuna from Yudhishthira in a distant area of the battlefield. He promptly consented to this directive due to longstanding hostilities with the Pandavas.
Susharma sought advice from his brothers and organized a sizable regiment of soldiers. Each soldier took an oath not to return from the battlefield unless Arjuna had been killed. The soldiers wore unique clothing made from grass and armor, showing their determination to fight until their last breath.
Everyone gathered around the fire to worship, pledging not to return without victory. They also promised never to retreat in fear or run away. After taking the Samsapta vow, to either conquer or die, the Trigarta army became a suicide squad with the aim of distracting Arjuna.
On the twelfth day, the suicide death squad advanced toward the enemy and summoned Arjuna to battle under Susharma’s leadership, knowing he would respond. This type of self-sacrifice, where individuals or groups end their own lives for a significant purpose to gain a strategic advantage, has parallels in modern warfare.
Upon observing the situation, Arjuna addressed his brother Yudhishthira, noting that the Samsaptakas were specifically challenging him by name to engage in battle. He affirmed that when called to war, he is committed by his vow not to withdraw. As Susharma and his forces had issued this challenge, Arjuna declared his intent to confront and defeat them, along with their allies, before returning.
He respectfully asked Yudhishthira’s permission to proceed with the engagement. Yudhishthira told Arjuna that Drona was intending to capture him alive, as promised to Duryodhana. He reminded Arjuna of Drona’s exceptional skill and determination, and advised Arjuna to act accordingly.
Arjuna replied that he was going to have Drupada’s brother Satyajit look after him. Arjuna knew that, as long as Satyajit was alive, nothing would happen to Yudhishthira. By saying this, Arjuna entrusted the protection of Yudhishthira to Satyajit and got ready to face the death squad.
Krishna turned Arjuna’s chariot towards the Samsaptakas, and the brave Pandava went against them like a hungry lion. A heated conflict unfolded between Arjuna and the death squad. Noticing Arjuna’s focused involvement in the battle, Drona directed his forces to advance toward Yudhishthira’s location.
Yudhishthira noticed the massive army led by Drona approaching. He called out to Dhrishtadyumna, warning him that Drona was coming to capture him and urging him to be vigilant and defend the troops.
Dhrishtadyumna did not wait for Drona to appear, swiftly driving his own chariot to confront him. When Drona saw Dhrishtadyumna approaching — the very person born to kill him — Drona was momentarily disturbed, as though he had glimpsed the God of Death.
He recalled that, due to Drupada’s boon, Dhrishtadyumna was destined to cause his demise. Rather than advancing toward Dhrishtadyumna, Drona redirected his focus to his father, Drupada. After inflicting heavy losses upon Drupada’s army and causing considerable bloodshed, Drona regained his composure and proceeded to the location where Yudhishthira, was positioned.
Yudhishthira, without advancing, unleashed a barrage of arrows upon Drona. Observing this, Satyajit moved forward to confront Drona and halt his progress. A fierce battle ensued between the two.
Drona fought with the intensity of Yama, the God of Death, systematically defeating opposing soldiers. Numerous valiant warriors lost their lives during the conflict. Drona’s arrow claimed the life of the prince of Panchala, followed by the death of Satyajit. Two of Draupadi’s brothers and the prince from the Virata Kingdom were also slain.
Observing the situation, Bhima intervened to assist his brother Yudhishthira. Satyaki, Nakula, Drupada, Virata, Shikandi, Dhrishtaketu and numerous other warriors joined Bhima in confronting Drona and his forces, all working together to safeguard Yudhishthira. Drona’s efforts to capture Yudhishthira alive were once again unsuccessful.
Duryodhana, accompanied by Karna, hurried to assist Drona, bringing a sizable regiment of war elephants with them. Bhima overcame the situation by causing elephants and the chariots’ horses to panic and trample their own troops as they retreated.
Abhimanyu fought the Kaurava army and killed some prominent warriors of the Kaurava army, honoring his father. Drupada, Shikhandi, Ghatotkacha and Sweta advanced toward Karna. Recognizing Karna’s exceptional abilities, they exerted significant effort in their attack against him.
Ghatotkacha employed his magic in battle against Karna, however Karna was able to dispel the illusion using his Surya Astra. He stood alone as he confronted these four warriors. This remarkable demonstration did not go unnoticed.
More to come…
- Duryodhana installing Drona as Commander in Chief https://boudewijnhuijgens.getarchive.net/media/dronacharya-as-commander-in-chief-jpg-7f2f81
- Karna https://ca.pinterest.com/pin/493073859226852540/
- Sahadeva https://www.poojn.in/post/43820/sahadevas-weaponry-and-warfare-in-mahabharata-an-epic-analysis?srsltid=AfmBOorcTFoSeMimdHMN1GPf9_PChO3GKIInFh–yT_9EiRnizsxxjeK
- Abhimanyu https://ca.pinterest.com/pin/803611127303783903/
- Susharma with soldiers Image by S.A. Hancherow/Canva
- Yudhishthira & Arjuna Image by S.A. Hancherow/Canva
- Arjuna & Krishna https://www.deviantart.com/tag/arjuna
- Drona https://budayabali.com/the-sage-of-drona