77. THE TWELFTH DAY :

THE attempt to capture Yudhishthira alive
failed. Drona was speaking to
Duryodhana about this. "It is clear we
cannot succeed in our efforts to seize
Yudhishthira so long as Dhananjaya is
nearby. It is no want of interest on my
part. If by some stratagem we could draw
Arjuna away to some other part of the
field, I could pierce the Pandava
formations and capture Yudhishthira. I
promise to seize him and deliver him to
you provided he does not flee from the
battle, renouncing honor. If he does that,
then also we win indeed, do we not?"


The chief of the Trigartadesa who heard
Drona say this talked it over with his
brothers, and they made a plan. They
resolved to take the samsaptaka oath and
challenge Arjuna to battle and draw him
away from Yudhishthira's side.


Accordingly, together with a large force,
they gathered, and sat before the fire,
dressed in matted grass, and went through
funeral gifts and ceremonies for
themselves as if already dead, and took
their oath: "Not till we have killed
Dhananjaya will we turn back. If we flee
in fear from battle, may we be punished as
for deadly sin!"


Having adjured themselves thus before the
sacred fire, they marched south for that
was the direction of Death, and shouted
"O Arjuna!" challenging him to battle.


It was a great suicide squad organized to
achieve what Drona had pointed out to be
essential. Arjuna turned to Yudhishthira
and addressed him thus: "King, the
samsaptakas are calling me to battle. I am
pledged to accept a challenge thus thrown
out. Susarma and his men are calling me
to battle. I shall destroy them all and
return. Permit me to go."


"Brother beloved," said Yudhishthira,
"you know Drona's intentions. Keep that
in mind and do whatever you think fit. He
has promised Duryodhana to take me
alive. He is a matchless warrior, brave,
strong and skilled in, every branch of
archery. He knows no fatigue and nothing
escapes his watchful eyes."


"King, here is Satyajit, standing in support
of you," replied Arjuna. "As long as he is
alive and by you, nothing can happen to
you." So saying Arjuna asked the
Panchala prince Satyajit to stand guard by
Yudhishthira's side and marched off like a
hungry lion to meet the samsaptakas.


"There, Krishna, see the Trigartas
standing, cheerful under the intoxication
of their oath, though they know they go to
certain death. Indeed they are full of the
exultation of approaching swarga." So
speaking to his great charioteer, Arjuna
approached the large samsaptaka force.


This was the Twelfth Day of the great
battle. It was a fierce fight. After a time,
Arjuna's attack began to tell and the
Trigartas fell in swathes before him but
Susarma reminded them of their oath.


"Heroes, we have taken our oaths before
the fire and in the presence of the whole
army of warriors. Having sworn terrible
resolves, it is unworthy to flinch. Let us
not fall into public ridicule." The
samsaptakas cheered their leader, and
faced Arjuna with the sublime courage of
accepted deaths.


"Hrishikesa, they are resolved on fighting
to the last. Drive on," said Arjuna.


Driven by Madhusudana (Krishna)
Arjuna's chariot moved like Indra's car in
the great war of the gods against the
asuras. It went here and it went there and
wherever it went, Arjuna's great bow, the
Gandiva, scattered death among the
doomed Trigartas.


The burst of blood in their compct ranks
was like the burst of Palasa blossoms in a
springtime forest. The fighting was
severe. At one time Arjuna's car and
flagpole were immersed in darkness under
the downpour of arrows.


"Are you alive, Dhananjaya?" shouted
Krishna.


"Yes," replied Arjuna, and pulling the
string of his Gandiva, discharged shafts
that dispelled the arrow-shower. It was
like the Rudra dance of dissolution. The
field was full of severed limbs and
headless bodies and presented a terrible
spectacle.


As Arjuna proceeded to oppose the
samsaptakas, Drona gave orders for a
violent assault on the Pandava forces at
the point where Yudhishthira stood.
Yudhishthira saw this movement and
spoke to the Panchala prince
Dhrishtadyumna:


"The brahmana is coming to seize me.
Look after the forces with vigilance."
The son of Drupada did not wait for
Drona to advance but marched forward in
his car himself to meet Drona.


Dronacharya avoided Dhrishtadyumna,
for well he knew that his death was
destined to be at his hands and that death
was not yet due. And he wheeled his
chariot in another direction where
Drupada was leading his forces.


Drupada's forces suffered heavy
punishment at Drona's hands and blood
flowed in streams on the battlefield.
Drona, then, again turned his attention to
Yudhishthira. The Pandavas stood firm
and answered Drona's attacks with
showers of arrows.


Satyajit made a charge on Drona's car and
there was a fierce combat in which
Drona's figure assumed the grimness of
the Destroyer. Many a warrior was slain
by him in succession. Vrika, a prince of
Panchala, as well as Satyajit, fell dead.


Seeing this, Satanika, son of Virata,
marched against Drona. In a moment,
Satanika's severed head rolled on the
ground with the golden kundalas shining
in the earlobes.


Ketama, another chief, followed the attack
but he too perished. Then, Vasudhana
rushed forward to stop the advance of
Drona, but he too fell dead. Yudhamanyu,
Satyaki, Sikhandin and Uttamaujas who
came to push Drona back, were repulsed
and all these great warriors had to retreat.
Drona was now almost within reach of
Yudhishthira.


At that moment, Panchalya, another son
of Drupada, rushed madly up to stop the
acharya and fought most desperately. But,
he too was mortally wounded and fell
from his chariot like a failing star.


Then, Duryodhana was delighted and said
exultingly to Karna:
"Radheya, do you see the valor of our
mighty leader? No more will the Pandavas
be inclined towards battle. See how their
army reels under Drona's blows."


Karna shook his head. "Do not be so
confident," he said. "The Pandavas are not
to be so easily vanquished. They will
never surrender. The wrongs they have
undergone are too great to be forgotten.


You tried to poison and kill them. You
tried to burn them alive. You have grieved
and humiliated them at the game of dice
and you have forced them out to live in
the forest for long years. They will not
surrender. See there, their army has rallied
and all their forces are leading a combined
attack on Drona. There, see Bhima,
Satyaki, Yudhamanyu, Kshatradharma,
Nakula, Uttamaujas, Drupada, Virata,
Sikhandin. Dhrishtaketu and other
warriors have all come to protect
Yudhishthira and are pressing Drona hard.


We should not stand idly watching, when
we have put such a heavy burden on the
acharya. Great as he is, there is a limit to
the load even he can carry. Even wolves
combined in large numbers can harass and
kill a mighty elephant, Let us proceed. It
will not do any longer to leave Drona
unsupported."


Next : 78. BRAVE BHAGADATTA


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