89. JAYADRATHA SLAIN :

"THE decisive hour has come, Karna,"
said Duryodhana, "If before nightfall this
day Jayadratha is not slain, Arjuna will be
disgraced and he will kill himself, for not
having redeemed his oath. With Arjuna's
death, the destruction of the Pandavas is
certain and this kingdom will be ours in
unquestioned and absolute sovereignty.
Dhananjaya swore this impossible oath in
a moment of thoughtlessness, because the
gods had willed it that he should be thus
destroyed by his own hand. It seems my
stars are now in the ascendant. We should
not let this opportunity slip. We must see
somehow that his challenge fails. The
whole thing depends on you. Your great
skill in battle is on trial today. Prove
yourself this day. See the sun has sloped
down in the west. Within the little time
left before nightfall, I do not think it
possible for Partha to reach Jayadratha.
You, Aswatthama, Salya, Kripa, and I
must guard Jayadratha and do all we can
to see that he does not fall into Arjuna's
hands during the next few hours before
sunset."


"My king," Karna replied "I have been
wounded all over by Bhimasena, and am
so weary that my limbs have no power in
them. Still, I shall put forth all the strength
that is in me. I only live to serve you."


When Karna and Duryodhana were thus
planning, Arjuna was engaged in a great
attack on the Kaurava army and putting
forth all his strength, so that before sunset
he could break through to Jayadratha.
Krishna put his Panchajanya in his mouth
and blew a loud note in the rishabha
swara, which was the signal for his own
charioteer Daruka to arrive at once with
his chariot.


When it came, Satyaki took his place in it,
and attacked Karna vigorously and
skilfully, keeping him fully engaged.


Daruka's mastery of driving and Satyaki's
archery were such as brought down the
gods to witness the combat.


Karna's four chariot horses were disabled
and the charioteer was unseated. Then the
flagstaff was cut asunder and the chariot
was smashed. The great Karna stood
chariotless and the event produced a great
flutter in the Kaurava army.


Karna had to run and climb up into
Duryodhana's chariot. Sanjaya here tells
Dhritarashtra to whom he was relating the
incident: "The greatest adepts in archery
are Krishna, Partha and Satyaki. There is
not a fourth to match them!"


Arjuna broke through the Kaurava
opposition and reached Jayadratha.
Inflamed by the thought of the slaughter
of Abhimanyu, and all the great wrongs
inflicted by the Kauravas, Arjuna fought
with fury.


Savyasachin as he was, he discharged
shafts from the Gandiva bow, now using
one hand and now the other. He struck
terror and confusion among his enemies,
who felt as if Death had come to the
battlefield with wide-open jaws.
It is only the poet of the Mahabharata that
can describe the combat that raged
between Arjuna and Aswatthama and the
other great warriors that protected the
king of Sindhu. They fought fiercely but
were all defeated and could not prevent
Arjuna from reaching Jayadratha. The
attack on Jayadratha began and the battle
raged long. Both sides were constantly
looking westwards, for the day was
nearing its end. The Saindhava was no
mean foe, and taxed to the full, Arjuna's
strength and skill were hard put to it.
The sun sank towards the horizon and
reddened, but the battle did not cease.


"There is but a very little time left. It
seems Jayadratha has been saved and
Arjuna's challenge has failed. The vow is
unfulfilled and Arjuna is going to be
disgraced," said Duryodhana to himself in
great glee.


Then, there was darkness and the cry went
round in both armies: "It is sunset and
Jayadratha has not been killed. Arjuna has
lost." The Pandavas were depressed and
there were shouts of joy in the Kaurava
army.


Jayadratha turned to the western horizon
and thought within himself, "I am saved!"
for he did not see the sun then and thought
the time-limit of danger from Arjuna was
over.


At that moment, however, Krishna said to
Arjuna: "Dhananjaya, the Sindhu raja is
looking at the horizon. I have caused this
darkness. The sun is still up and has not
set. Do your work. This is the moment for
it, for Jayadratha is off his guard."
A shaft flew from the Gandiva bow, and,
like a vulture swooping down on a
chicken, carried away Jayadratha's head.


"Listen, Arjuna," cried Krishna, "send
your shafts in swift relays, so that the head
may be supported from falling to the earth
and borne into Vriddhakshatra's lap."


And Arjuna sent his wonderful arrows
that carried away the head in the air. It
was a strange sight. Vriddhakshatra was in
his ashrama sitting in the open absorbed in
his evening meditation with eyes closed,
when his son's head with beautiful black
hair and golden earrings gently dropped
into his lap.


The old king finished his meditation and
got up, when the head rolled down and
fell on the ground. And, as ordained,
Vriddhakshatra's head burst into a
hundred fragments. Jayadratha and his
father together reached the abode of the
brave.


Kesava, Dhananjaya, Bhima, Satyaki,
Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas blew their
conchs and Dharmaraja who heard the
triumphant noise knew that it meant that
Arjuna had redeemed his oath and that the
Saindhava had been slain.


Then, Yudhishthira led his army fiercely
against Drona. It was nightfall, but on the
fourteenth day of the battle the rule of
cease-fire at sunset was not observed. As
the passions rose from day to day, one by
one the rules and restraints broke down.


Next : 90. DRONA PASSES AWAY


Continues...