“Dear Sister! The soul is never born; the soul never dies. The soul is in eternity. The soul never finds rest if it is departed with weeping hearts. The supreme end will not meet its fate if mixed with mourning. Your son has written his destiny, and his name will shine brighter than the effulgence of the sun across the three worlds. Valour will be the synonym of Abhimanyu. It is not the time to mourn. It is time to remember the achieve- ments of your son. O dear Subhadra, shed away your grief and give strength to Arjuna to avenge the death of Abhimanyu.”, says Krishna to her sister. His words help the mother to forgo her grief. She must feel proud of the feats of her young son.
“The ruler of Sindhu, the perpetrator of the wicked act, will not be spared. Even if he hides in the abode of Indra, he will not
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escape from Arjuna. The head of that wretched ruler will not remain on his shoulders by the sunset tomorrow. O princess of Matsya, dispel your sorrow and drive away from the grief. I assure you that even if the God or even if the demons come to rescue Jayadratha, they will not be able to prevent Jayadratha’s end”, Krishna consoles the grieving young girl Uttara.
Contrite, I sit on the field gazing at the stars, “How many more days of suffering? O Mahadeva!”. The two pyres burning at the two ends of the battlefield resemble the end of the future. Who will win this battle? I can’t predict the future, but today the future of the Kuru dynasty entered the fire. The mighty Lakshmana and the valiant Abhimanyu, both unique in their prowess and both right successor of this great lineage have found a common merciless end. The fire in my heart is more ferocious than the fire of the pyre. Gradually, the cries and weeps mellow down with the diminishing fire. I get up with the grievous heart while watching the two ends of the battle- field. The battle is still on, only the bodies and not the hatred has burnt in the pyres. The ego will engulf many more lives. “What will we achieve at last?” I ponder. “War started on the pretext of installing Dharma is sublimating the righteousness of individuals gradually.”
I turn towards my tent and start walking. While I walk towards my tent, I pass through Krishna’s chamber. He is sitting with his charioteer Daruka. I see the mixed emotions on his face. A moment ago, he was calmly trying to console the distressed hearts, and now his face is coated with expres- sionless sadness. The dead warrior was his nephew as well. The boy, played in his lap and graduated in his supervision, is
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freed from the mortals of life today. Grief might be an enemy, but nobody can stop it from engulfing himself. Our lives are full of unexpected events. Even the calmest people can become anxious when faced with death and defeat. As I move closer to his camp, I overhear his conversation with Daruka. It’s not moral to eavesdrop, but. “But nobody knows what one can learn when Krishna speaks”, I tell myself. Wisdom floats like a river with his words. So, I decide to stop. Stop and listen to what Krishna is speaking to Daruka.
“The sorrowful heart and the grieving mind of Arjuna vowed to slay the ruler Jayadratha tomorrow before the sunset. Duryodhana must have gotten the news by now. He must have urged Guru Drona to design an unbeatable array to dispel the vow of Arjuna. His several Akshauhini troops will certainly protect the ruler of Sindhu. And Drona with his son will certainly design an impenetrable array to protect Jayadratha. If our foes’ troops manage to protect Jayadratha for the entire day, Arjuna per his vow will have to ablaze himself. Dear Daruka! It will be more painful to me, even more than Abhimanyu’s death. Arjuna is dearer to me, more than my sons and my brother. I can’t think of the earth bereft of Arjuna while I am still walking. He is my friend, my disciple, and his trust in me is unfathomable. I must not let any harm befall him. Daruka, my friend, I, request you to be ready with my chariot equipped with the most powerful weapons I possess. Albeit I vowed not to lift any weapon in this war, but the world will see my prowess if I see a danger to Arjuna’s life. My love for Arjuna is stronger than my oath. O intelligent charioteer! Arrange my heaviest mace and my strongest bow in my chariot. Fill the quivers with sharpest and venom-soaked arrows. My four strongest steeds should be ready to pull the chariot. And you, my friend, stay alert to respond. If the need arises, I will blare
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my conch. As soon as you hear it blaring in Rishabh Shruti, rush to the centre of the field with my chariot. The world will then see the warrior Krishna once again. Arjuna’s vow will fulfil. Thousands of kings, rulers, warriors, protectors of Jayadratha and the Guru Drona will behold the warrior in me. I shall strive to protect the oath and the life of my friend Arjuna. I will ensure he succeeds in achieving what he vowed. I shall ensure Arjuna fulfils his whim. It is not my desire but my oath to protect the words of my friend and dispel the grief of mourning hearts in this camp.” Krishna tells Daruka.
My mind couldn’t comprehend what my ears just heard. The serene face all this while had hidden this much anger! I realize now that the tranquillity has uncontrolled waves of emotions too. The friendship of Arjuna for Krishna is verily above any worldly thoughts. The actions of a man base on his intellect. What the whole world thinks, doesn’t hold impor- tance. Krishna, who vowed not to lift any weapon in the battle, is ready to take up the foes’ army to guard Arjuna’s vow. An oath of not lifting any weapon is burdened with another vow decked with Arjuna’s weapons. It is Krishna’s friendship for Arjuna, and he is ready to face the wrath of the world which may end up remembering Krishna as the reneger. I walk away slowly from the tent of Krishna with numerous thoughts bat- tling in my mind. Nobody knows what will happen tomorrow, but if Arjuna vowed and Krishna backed his vow, the end of Jayadratha is definite. Should I be sad or happy? My heart sinks to think about Dussala. She is unaware of all these incidents. She mustn’t be knowing what fate is planning for her. She must have slept by now dreaming of calm and happy days to come. Like many other wives of warriors present in the field, she will also wait for her husband to return victorious. The mel- ancholy of these women is unknown to the hateful hearts on
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the battlefield. The desire of winning over each other steals away the wisdom. Like Dussala, many daughters, mothers, and wives who are miles away from the battlefield must be praying for the safety of their loved ones. They are unaware of the carnage on the battlefield and must be crafting stories of consolation for their wailing hearts.
Lying on my bed, I am trying to keep my eyes shut. The mind is working continuously with endless thoughts of events coming tomorrow. I can sense the chaos; seems wakefulness preponderates the camp. I assume everyone must be thinking of the events going to unfold tomorrow. The mighty wielder of Gandiva, the ambidextrous, the strongest and skilled war- rior on the planet, clenched into the grief of the death of his son had suddenly avowed to slay the ruler of Sindhu. The pos- sessor of all the powers and unparalleled wisdom must be knowing what he had vowed. He should know the skills and strengths of Jayadratha. The ruler who controlled the four Pandavas and other warriors single-handedly is not easy prey to catch. Arjuna’s vow for his life against the life of Jayadratha can become fatal in the course of the war. Jayadratha knows handling of many mighty weapons and Duryodhana’s broth- ers will be his protectors. If Arjuna fails to achieve what he strives for, he will unquestionably enter the blazing fire. The end of Arjuna will open the doors for Duryodhana’s victory. The wish of Pandavas to take back their wealth and win back their glory will remain unfulfilled. The unjust will win once again. “These thoughts must be blazing inside everyone’s mind. Why did Arjuna take this vow? Was it at the spur of the moment or was it well thought out?” I wonder while I force my eyes to remain shut.
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Arjuna’s prowess is not unknown to anyone, and every soldier present in the field knows that he is the only one who can shift the waves in the war as per his wish. His skills are equal to the skills of Vishnu, and he possesses universal weapons. His presence in the field boosts energy in the dying souls, and the twang of his Gandiva energizes the wounded soldiers. Duryodhana’s biggest enemy and Drona’s biggest hurdle
is Arjuna. Despite knowing his responsibilities, I wonder why he avowed Jayadratha’s death against his life. He can kill Jayadratha any day he wants, but there is no purpose of putting his life at stake.
Many hopes are dependent on Arjuna’s presence, and many lives are under his protection. Nothing will be achieved if he’s dead! The soldiers, while walking towards the battlefield, look up to their leaders. The trust built by the trailblazers paves the path for acolytes to achieve the invincible. Trust sacredly resides in the pantheon of pure minds. Trust strengthens the hopes of men ready to give away their lives on one command of their leader.
We are present in the field to avenge the injustice that hap- pened years ago, we all are together here to avenge the unruly desires, and we are fighting for a single cause, to uplift Dharma. Has Arjuna forgotten the sole purpose of the war because of the death of his son? Has he forgotten that he is the hope for many other sons fighting for just one purpose? Has the death of one son overpowered his mind and derailed him from the focus of the end goal? Has the loss of one son become more import- ant than the loss of virtue? My mind battles with hundreds of unanswered questions. I don’t have a friend like Krishna who can help me overcome these uncontrollable emotions. I don’t have a friend who can share my grief. I don’t have any ear who can hear my sorrow. Even Swastika is not here with me.
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Chapter2
THE REVENGE
Pain surfaces with the support of ego; ego generates selfishness and selfishness begets greed!
JAYADRATHA
veryone in the camp probably had a sleepless night. Warriors or soldiers, preceptors or disciples, how could anyone sleep after the ferocious oath of Arjuna. Half engulfed in the grief of the loss, and the other half were bemused with the vow. Though the soldiers have complete faith in their leaders, a hint of fear precipitates faith. Confidence adulterates when a pinch of doubt sprinkled over the prowess. No leader ever wants to welcome a moment of mistrust among his acolytes. Arjuna’s retinue will follow him to ensure their master’s oath is fulfilled and so will Guru Drona’s soldiers. I jump out of my
bed and get ready for the morning huddle.
The soft rays of the sun glitter my surroundings. The cool breeze and the chirp of birds soothe even the welkin. I come out with my bow. The arrows, quivers, swords, maces, are decked in my chariot. I inspected my chariot and the positioning of my weapons before walking towards Yudhishthira’s tent.
Life’s strange! I had learnt the handling of all these weapons from my elder brother, Duryodhana; but today, I’m using them against the same man. On the first day of the war amidst all the elders when Yudhishthira invited everyone present in the field to choose the side, I decided to walk with Yudhishthira. It was neither instinct nor precogitated decision. Neither did I decide on the day of injustice happened to Draupadi, nor did I fear vow of Bhima. Neither was I agitated with the folly of Yudhishthira
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nor was I perturbed by the provocation of Shakuni. Neither did the thirteen years of Pandavas’ exile shake me, nor did the imprudence of my father anger me. Duryodhana never liked the Pandavas, as he always considered them as a bunch of for- tunate men who are the progeny of the great Pandu. He always questioned their birth and never thought twice before embar- rassing them in public. In my eyes, Pandavas and Kauravas are both my families, and both should get an equal share. When Yudhishthira was chosen over Duryodhana as heir-apparent of the throne, I was equally excited. I have favoured Bhima since childhood, and my camaraderie with him is unexplain- able. I always liked his prowess, his strengths and his love for his brothers. The world sees a giant Bhima with strong hands capable of shattering the mountains, but I see the softer Bhima with oceans of emotions for his mother, wives, children, and brothers. His vow of shattering Duryodhana’s thigh and drink- ing Dushasana’s blood is living proof of his profound love for Draupadi. I could never have imagined that I would face him on a battlefield as a foe. My subconscious mind took the deci- sion long before, and Yudhishthira’s call fanned my movement towards this camp. I was always sure I wouldn’t want to face Bhima as a foe, and Yudhishthira’s call triggered me to shape my decision. But who knows? My elder brother believes I am a traitor. But if I’m a traitor, who is the person fighting against his brothers for the greed of an empire. Who are those killing thousands of men and animals and destroying millions of fam- ilies? One day I will find this answer for my soul. Or probably I’ll ask the man himself!
The morning bell rings and signals everyone to come out of the tent. The soldiers get ready with their shields and weapons. I reach the meeting hall. The commander and the king are already present at the meeting place. Unsurprisingly, Krishna
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is present too, but his expressions cannot be described or deciphered. He’s neither sad nor happy, not angry, and neither calm. His facial expression is in complete contrast to what I had seen yesterday. To me, he’s the most mysterious person I have ever met. The twin brothers have also reached the hud- dle-place, but the wielder of Gandiva, Arjuna is not yet present. Every pair of eyes is searching for Arjuna in anticipation. I look at Krishna; he simply smiles back. Yudhishthira is rest- less, maybe the guilt of sending Abhimanyu inside Chakravyuh hasn’t died yet. Yudhishthira asks Krishna about Arjuna’s whereabouts. Krishna shakes his head in negative. In a feeble voice, Yudhishthira speaks, “O Krishna! What will be today’s fate? Will Arjuna be able to achieve the feat he vowed? If he fails, I will never be able to cope with the loss.” Krishna smiles and says, “O eldest of Pandu sons! Worry shouldn’t reflect on the face of the king. You are the hope of thousands of soldiers waiting for your command. The commander should refrain from expressing his mind in front of his entourage. Remember, hope should never die. You are dear to me like Arjuna, and I will never want agony touching your heart. Believe me O son of Dharma; Arjuna will accomplish what he avowed. Even if Jayadratha finds a place in the abode of Indra, Arjuna will send him to the abode of Yama. The victory will be yours. You will hear the blare of victory before the sun sets today.”
The worried and sad faces in the room lit up with hopes and aspirations! People are now more confident than ever. The words of Krishna become a healthy dose of unshakable con- fidence among the men. The environment gets charged with infectious positive energy. And while Krishna was stabilizing the tides in the ocean, Arjuna entered.
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Arjuna’s eyes are swollen and red symbolizing his complete lack of sleep and the emotional turmoil and upheaval he is going through. His nerves swelled, and his blood is probably boiling. I can see that he is breathing heavily too. He walks to the king, bows down to him and apologizes for not making it on time. When questioned by Yudhishthira, he replies that he was preparing his chariot for the day. He says, “I bow down to the elders present here, and I extend my wishes to the youngers. Today, I will be on a mission; the mission of not only vanquishing the perpetrator but uprooting anything trying to be a hurdle. I have decked my chariot with the venom-soaked arrows, darts, lances, swords, maces, javelins, and axes. I have loaded the food and water for my steeds. They too have a huge task to accomplish. I have cleaned their wounds and covered them with shields with my own hands. The chariot is fully armoured, and the quiver at my back will hold the celestial weapon, Pashupatastra. I vowed to slay Jayadratha today, and I will do it. O Krishna! My friend! Be ready to hold the reins. Be ready to command the steeds. Today, the mother earth will be bereft of that wretch. The Goddess Death will be pleased to take away his vicious soul. Let my arrows speak for my oath.” The entire hall fills with the joyous sound of warriors. Nobody wants Jayadratha to inhale a single breath anymore.
The army blares conch and beats the drums resonating the victorious words of Arjuna. I am pleased to see the rhythm of my army. They were heart-wretched seeing the tormented body of Abhimanyu yesterday, but today again we are ready to witness many more such events. Such a paradox of life! The death of a soldier in a war is not the end. But
it results in many more killings, sometimes uncountable. A lost soldier is a lost family. But this is war, and we are bound to witness the dread- ful sights each day, every hour.
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Arjuna looks at Satyaki and says, “O hero of Vrishni race, you will be the king’s protector for today. Guru will want to seize elder brother Yudhishthira but be a shield for our leader. Not a single arrow should touch him in your presence. The endless soldiers of Guru Drona might shroud and check and my progress. But you, my friend, ensure not to leave the position of protecting the monarch. That will be your prime duty.” Satyaki acknowledges and confirms his commitment to the land.
Satyaki is not only Krishna’s friend but Arjuna’s disciple too. Arjuna had taught him the granularities of war, array forma- tion, and the science behind wielding weapons. Arjuna’s trust for Satyaki is supreme. Dhrishtadyumna, our commander and Panchal prince, explains the array formation of the day to everyone present in the huddle. As always, we get the specific posts, and the array will be in the shape of a crescent moon with Bhima and Dhrishtadyumna leading the two ends. An army of invincible warriors will follow the king in the centre. Arjuna’s position is not fixed; he has a major task awaiting. His belligerence needs to rhythm, with the whiz of his arrows. The ever-energetic soldiers and commanders disperse after the meeting, and we come out of the room too. Arjuna rushes towards his chariot. He doesn’t want a moment’s delay in determining how the positions of the warriors are defined. He’s ready to orchestrate the symphony of death!
Yuyutsu - Rise of the last Kaurava Page 4