76. TO SEIZE YUDHISHTHIRA ALIVE :

AS SOON AS Drona assumed command
of the Kaurava forces Duryodhana, Karna
and Duhsasana sat in council and decided
on a plan. And Duryodhana went to
Dronacharya to put it in operation.


"Acharya, we desire that you should
capture Yudhishthira alive and give him
over to us. We desire nothing more, not
even a total victory. If you achieve this for
us, we shall all be exceedingly satisfied
with your conduct of the war."


When Drona heard Duryodhana address
him thus, great was his joy, for he hated
the very idea of slaying the Pandava
brothers. Even though, to fulfil his
obligation, the acharya loyally joined the
Kaurava side against the Pandavas, he
loved the sons of Kunti and especially the
pure-minded Yudhishthira.


So, when he heard Duryodhana request
that Yudhishthira should be captured
alive, he felt greatly relieved.


"Duryodhana, may you be blessed!" the
acharya said. "Do you too wish to abstain
from killing Yudhishthira? How it
gladdens my heart! Truly, Yudhishthira is
one without an enemy and the name
Ajatasatru, which the people have given to
Kunti's eldest son, has been justified by
your great decision. When even you have
made up your mind that he should not be
killed but should be captured alive, his
unrivalled glory has become ten times
enhanced."


"I see, dear Duryodhana, what you
intend," Drona continued. "You wish to
defeat the Pandavas in battle and then give
them their share in the kingdom and live
in peace and amity with them. I see this
clearly from your desire to capture
Yudhishthira alive."


Drona was exceedingly glad and he said
again: "Indeed Yudhishthira is the most
fortunate man on earth. The gods are
showering their favors on Kunti's good
son. So has he won the hearts of even
enemies."


But Duryodhana's motives in wishing to
take Yudhishthira alive were far different.
And as soon as Drona acceded to his
proposal and gave his pledge that he
would do his best to capture Yudhishthira,
he began to reveal his real intentions.


If Yudhishthira were slain, nothing would
be gained by it, and the anger of the
Pandavas would be all the greater. The
battle would rage more fiercely than
before. And Duryodhana knew that it
would only mean the utter defeat of his
army.


Even if the fight were to be continued
relentlessly until both armies were
destroyed, Krishna would still remain
alive and he would put either Draupadi or
Kunti in sovereign possession of the
kingdom.


What then was the point in killing
Yudhishthira? On the other hand, if
Yudhishthira was captured alive,
Duryodhana thought, the war would end
more speedily and victoriously for the
Kauravas.


Thereafter, he could surely play on
Yudhishthira's goodness and his loyalty to
the traditional code of kshatriya conduct.
It was pretty certain he could be drawn
into the battle of dice again and sent to the
forests once more.


Ten days of fighting had demonstrated to
Duryodhana that further fighting would
only result in the destruction of the race,
not the fulfilment of the desires.


When Duryodhana made his motives clear
to Drona, the acharya was greatly
disappointed and he cursed Duryodhana in
his heart. But whatever the reason for it,
he was glad that Yudhishthira was not to
be killed.


The news that Drona had given a solemn
assurance to Duryodhana that he would
take Yudhishthir a prisoner, was carried
by their spies to the Pandava army.


The Pandavas knew that, when the
acharya was determined on something and
gave his pledged word for executing it, his
unrivalled eminence in the art of war and
his valor made it a most serious affair.


So, they soon got busy and so arrayed the
forces that Yudhishthira was never left
unsupported. Whatever movements might
take place, they always took care to leave
sufficient protection against any surprise
attack on Yudhishthira.


In the first day's battle under the
leadership of Drona, the acharya amply
demonstrated his great skill and energy.
He moved about destroying the Pandava
forces like a fire burning up dry logs. His
rapid movements made the Pandava army
feel as if Drona was everywhere at the
same time showering arrows like rain and
converting the battlefield into a stage for
the dance of the God of Death. He cut the
Pandava army in twain where
Dhrishtadyumna stood.


Many were the single combats among
renowned warriors. There was a fierce
battle between Sahadeva and Sakuni
skilled in illusion warfare. When their
chariots broke, they alighted on the
ground. And, like two hills sprung to life
and motion, they struck each other with
maces and closed with one another in
single combat. Between Bhima and
Vivimsati there was a great battle in
which chariots were broken on both sides.


Salya fought his nephew Nakula and
harassed him exceedingly, smiling most
provokingly all the time. But, in the end,
Salya had his car smashed and his flag
brought down, and he withdrew admitting
defeat. Between Kripacharya and
Dhrishtaketu there was a battle in which
the latter was worsted.


So also was there fierce fighting between
Satyaki and Kritavarma and between
Virata and Karna. Abhimanyu's valor was
also demonstrated as he fought Paurava,
Kritavarma, Jayadratha and Salya singlehanded
and made them withdraw.


Then there was a great combat between
Salya and Bhimasena in which Salya was
defeated and made to retire. The Kaurava
forces began to lose courage and the
Pandava army, who saw this, attacked the
Kaurava army with renewed energy and
broke its ranks.


When Drona saw this, he decided to
restore lost morale by leading a straight
attack on Yudhishthira. His golden chariot
went forward, drawn by four noble Sindhu
horses, in the direction of Yudhishthira.


Yudhishthira answered with barbed
arrows, feathered with eagle-feathers. But
Drona did not mind, and advanced at great
speed. Yudhishthira's bow was cut down
and Drona was coming very near.
Dhrishtadyumna tried to intercept Drona
but in vain. The whole army shouted:
"Yudhishthira has been taken!" So near
came Drona.


Suddenly, then, Arjuna appeared on the
battlefield, the earth rumbling under the
wheels of his chariot, as it coursed swiftly
over the bloody field, over bones and
bodies lying in heaps. Drona held back,
for Arjuna had come on the scene. From
his Gandiva bow issued a continuous
stream of arrows. No one could see the
shafts taken out of the quiver or placed in
position. It seemed as if, from out of the
great bow, an unending flood of arrows
issued without intermission. The
battlefield was darkened by flying
missiles.


Drona retreated. Yudhishthira was not
taken. The battle was stopped for the day
and the Kaurava forces went to their camp
in chastened mood.
The Pandava army marched proudly to
camp and behind them walked Kesava
(Krishna) and Arjuna conversing. Thus
closed the eleventh day of the battle.


NEXT :77. THE TWELFTH DAY


Continues...