AJAYA I -- Roll of the Dice

by Unknown

  "Insulted and heartbroken, I left Panchala that day but the fire of revenge still burns in my heart. The King is none other than Dhrupada, King of Panchala. Prince, bring that rogue to me and let me spit in his face. As the Crown Prince of Hastinapura, this is the least you can do for your Guru." Drona looked at Suyodhana.

  Suyodhana was at a loss for words. Drona saw his hesitation and said irritably, "I knew you would be reluctant. When have you ever respected your teachers, elders, or Brahmins? Arjuna would do it in a trice, but Yudhishtra said it would be proper to ask you first, as the country's Crown Prince."

  Trying hard to suppress his rising anger, Suyodhana replied, "It is improper to wage war against a friendly vassal state without adequate reason. Besides, I cannot possibly undertake such a mission without the permission of either the Grand Regent or the King."

  "Proper reason? Tchaw! Insulting a Brahmin is not proper reason for you, Prince? You will have the King's permission within the hour. Then you will follow my orders, as is your duty as my disciple. If you fail, which I fear you will, Arjuna will be sent to ruin Dhrupada's cursed land. Go and get ready."

  Suyodhana bowed and left the presence of his Guru. Walking towards his chamber, he was a worried man. Aswathama, Sushasana, Jayadratha, and the newly crowned King of Anga, were waiting for him. Karna stood up when he saw the Crown Prince and bowed. The son of the charioteer still felt uneasy being in the company of these aristocrats and his movements were awkward. He did not know whether to show the courtesy due to Kshatriyas and Brahmins by a Suta, and be considered stiff and formal by his new friends, or be cool and unaffected, and risk being called arrogant.

  Suyodhana, sensing his dilemma, went to Karna first and made him sit down near him. "We are all friends here, Karna. You can be comfortable with us. In fact, we are honoured to have your friendship. Do not think for a moment that I am bestowing a favour upon you. I regret not being able to do more for such a talented person."

  "I have been telling him that he is the only one among us who has earned the respect he has been given, whereas the rest of us were lucky to be born privileged," said Jayadratha, King of Sindh.

  "What can I do in return for such undeserved friendship, Your Highness?" Karna said.

  "Begin by calling me Suyodhana. Or if you wish, you can use my nickname, Duryodhana, as Dhaumya and his disciples prefer," suggested Suyodhana, amidst laughter.

  "That certainly suits you better. You really do not know how to use your weapons well. Otherwise you would have used your mace and smashed Bhima's thick skull that day, Duryodhana..." Aswathama said, adding more merriment.

  Suyodhana found his mind eased of its tension. "Listen! We have a problem. The Guru has asked me to attack Panchala and capture Dhrupada, as my gurudakshina to him," Suyodhana informed his friends, warily eyeing Aswathama.

  The young Brahmin smiled and said, "I know! That is an old grudge my old man holds. Every night he bores us to death by talking about the insult he suffered at Panchala's hands."

  "But that's great! I was waiting for some action." Sushasana jumped up from his seat enthusiastically.

  "Sit down, you idiot!" Jayadratha pushed aside the younger Kaurava. "Suyodhana, is it worthwhile fighting a battle over a man's personal vendetta? Besides, I do not think the King will give permission to wage war against a friendly vassal state."

  "Exactly my thoughts, Jayadratha. Also, I do not want to start a war without the permission of Bhishma or the King."

  An uneasy silence followed. A guard knocked on the door, entered, bowed, and gave the Crown Prince a message. Suyodhana dismissed him and read the message. Then he gravely handed it to his friends

  "What the hell?" Jayadratha cried out. "How did Guru Drona manage this?"

  Sushasana jumped up, grabbed the palm leaf from Jayadratha's hands, and read it aloud. It was an official order from King Dhritarashtra declaring war on Panchala, and appointing Crown Prince Suyodhana Commander- in-Chief of the Hastinapura forces, to lead the attack.

  "Suyodhana, this is outrageous. How can the King order an attack on a vassal kingdom without any provocation? I too, am a vassal King. How can I sleep peacefully without worrying about Hastinapura's armies running amok in Sindh, if this is how Hastinapura treats its vassals?" Jayadratha grabbed the palm leaf from Sushasana's hand, read it again and threw it down in anger.

  Everyone looked at Aswathama, carefully measuring his reaction. "Hey, do not look at me. I am not answerable for my father's deeds or misdeeds. I suggest we go to Kampilya, capital of Panchala, and sort things out. If Suyodhana does not take up the assignment, Yudhishtra will, and that will be a disaster. Let us see whether Dhrupada is ready to compromise to satisfy my father's ego."

  "What he says makes sense," Karna said, watching Suyodhana's face.

  A deep silence ensued. Suyodhana began pacing the room, his hands clasped behind his back, his head bent. His friends waited anxiously.

  "We do not have a choice. The King has ordered it." Suyodhana said.

  Jayadratha went out, slamming the door shut with a bang.

  ***

  By the evening, two divisions of Hastinapura cavalry and three divisions of infantry started towards Kampilya, the Panchala capital; with Suyodhana, Sushasana, Karna, and Aswathama in the lead. Jayadratha refused to participate in the attack and remained in Hastinapura. He had another reason as well. Suyodhana was aware of it. He thought Jayadratha was an honourable man and if his sister Sushala found the King of Sindh attractive, Suyodhana was not averse to sealing the relationship through marriage.

  The armies of Hastinapura reached Panchala the next afternoon. Breaking through the feeble defences at the border, they laid siege to the capital. What remained of the Panchala army withdrew into the city fortress to brace for an attack. However, surprising the Commanders, Suyodhana sent a polite request for an audience with the King. It took a whole night of heated debate amongst the Panchala nobles to decide whether to trust the Crown Prince or not. They suspected treachery in such an unusual offer from an invading army. Finally, the eunuch Shikandi, the King's adopted child, volunteered to receive the invaders.

  Suyodhana entered the palace unarmed, along with Karna and Aswathama. He had instructed Sushasana to attack and take the fort in case he did not hear from them in a couple of hours. At the entrance, a giant of a man waited to receive them. As they neared, Aswathama's eyes grew round in surprise. Was it a man or a woman? He nudged Karna, who whispered the person was a eunuch. Suyodhana turned and gestured for silence. Shikandi bowed to Suyodhana and they entered a luxuriously furnished hall. The entire Panchala sabha rose to receive the Crown Prince of Hastinapura. The King looked rather agitated. A handsome young man stood close to him and kept whispering into his ear. Suyodhana and his friends stood in the middle of the sabha.

  The King rose from his throne. "We are at your service, Prince Suyodhana. We would have come to Hastinapura had you ordered us to do so. We are your vassals and friends. That should mean something, even to powerful kingdoms like Hastinapura. You give us protection from our enemies and that is why we pay homage. But, if you become our enemy, who will save us smaller kingdoms? Does the Grand Regent know about this or is it your own adventure?" The young man beside the throne put out a restraining hand to prevent the King from saying something undiplomatic and making the situation worse.

  "Sir, we come not as invaders but friends," replied Suyodhana. "We have come at the behest of one of your old friends. Guru Drona is still angered at the way you received him long ago."

  "Ah Drona!" King Dhrupada exclaimed. "I have long regretted behaving like a boor that day and have repented it every day, every moment. I was young and drunk with power, wine and women. His poverty looked so ridiculous to me. Drona is a man of great talents but he was wallowing in self-pity and misery instead of living life fruitfully. I laughed at him, his poverty, and his situation. I felt so superior that day. Later, when I returned to my senses, it was too late. My old friend had gone. I tried to make amends
, but he would not relent. Now he has sent his disciple to ransack my country."

  "Sir, we too, wish to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. This is a misunderstanding between old friends. This young man here is Drona's son and..."

  Before Suyodhana could finish, King Dhrupada rushed towards Aswathama and embraced him. "Ah, you look exactly like your father when he was your age. I wonder why I did not see it when I first set eyes on you. Your name?"

  "Aswathama, Your Highness. And this is Karna, King of Anga."

  "I am honoured indeed by your presence, Sir," Dhrupada folded his hands in a namaste to Karna.

  Suyodhana was pleased by the King's welcome to his friend. He had feared Dhrupada would not treat Karna courteously because of his caste, but the King showed no such signs. He introduced them to Shikandi, the eunuch, whom Dhrupada had adopted long ago; and the young man standing near him - Dhristadyumna, Crown Prince of Panchala.

  When the initial ice had been broken, Suyodhana gently broached the terms of Panchala's surrender, without actually using the word. Dhrupada agreed to bear the entire cost of Suyodhana's expedition, give two bullock-carts of gold, precious stones and expensive clothes, fifty horses, and one hundred cows, as gifts for the Guru. Dhrupada appreciated Suyodhana's terming the spoils as the King's gifts to his old friend. It enabled him to save face. Dhrupada also promised to go to Hastinapura and apologize to the Guru soon. He insisted his guests stay another day. The occasion was a special one for Panchala as the Princess Draupadi was turning eighteen. They had all heard of her famed beauty and the young men were more than willing to accept the King's invitation to attend his daughter's coming-of-age celebration. Suyodhana was proud of the way he had handled a tricky situation and was sure the Grand Regent would appreciate it.

  That night, the palace glowed with a golden hue from thousands of oil lamps. The young men revelled in the festivities. Folk musicians filled the air with soulful renderings of old love songs, as Suyodhana and Sushasana danced to the wild rhythms of the drummers, much to everyone's amusement. They even dragged in the shy Karna. Soon Aswathama and the Panchala Prince, Dhristadyumna, joined in as well. While the young men danced, Dhristadyumna observed that Karna's movements suddenly became awkward. He followed the King of Anga's gaze and smiled. He understood why his new friend had suddenly become clumsy-footed. A little way away, sat his beautiful sister Draupadi, dazzling in a beautiful costume and sparkling jewels. She looked celestial. Her luminous black eyes roved over Karna's chiselled body. Aswathama too, observed the sudden change in Karna and let out a gurgle of amusement. Sushasana picked up the cue and began exaggerated gestures to the love songs the folk artistes were singing. Suyodhana grinned at his friend.

  Dhristadyumna ran over to his sister and dragged her towards the group. "This is Karna, King of Anga," he said, introducing him first. He then named the others.

  Draupadi bowed formally to Karna and joined her hands in a namaste. Karna looked at her lovely face, dark smooth skin, perfectly shaped red lips, and pearly white teeth, and let out a shaky breath. He had not expected to see her from such a close distance and stood awkwardly, not knowing what to say, his heart beating faster than the roll of the country drums around them. She stared at his face and he felt his skin burning wherever her eyes touched him. The trace of a smile lit her face, making it look even more angelic. Karna found it impossible to drag his eyes away. He kept gazing at her, not knowing what to do; not caring for the comments of his grinning friends. When the silence between them grew awkward, she bowed once more and returned to her seat. Aswathama pulled Karna back to their wild dancing. He tried to regain the joy of a few minutes before, but he could feel her eyes on him and his legs felt wooden.

  "Soon there will be a swayamvara," Dhristadyumna said quietly in Karna's ear after the party had grown old and the beautiful night had begun greying. "I will ensure you get an invitation, Karna. Come again and win my sister's hand like a true warrior."

  "Not while I am here to compete against him," Aswathama butted in.

  Sushasana smacked the Brahmin on the head saying, "Fool! You wish to fight Karna? Are you sane?"

  ***

  When they left Kampilya the next day, they were happy beyond words. Aswathama and Sushasana sang the rowdy songs they had learnt the night before, and Karna was lost in his own world where everything looked lovely and had her name written over it. When they passed a derelict village on the way, Karna insisted they stop. The lack of drinking water and the condition of its inhabitants was impossible to witness and then walk away from. Suyodhana ordered his soldiers to dig a well. It delayed them by another four days, but the happiness this act gave them and the villagers, was worth the delay. Aswathama mockingly wrote 'Draupadi's Well' on it when the masons had completed the wall. Karna knew it was useless to chide his happy-go-lucky Brahmin friend. He had no choice but to join in the laughter. Seeing Karna's happiness, Suyodhana was reminded of his own love. He yearned for Subhadra's touch. The thought of her smile was like a soothing caress on his tired body and kept him going until he entered the gates of Hastinapura.

  People thronged both sides of the road to hail the victorious Prince. The procession entered the palace gates to cheering and applause. At the top of the flight of steps leading to the palace, Drona stood with his hands on his hips. Beside him stood the Pandavas, and a group of Brahmins, with Dhaumya at their head.

  The Crown Prince went to Drona, bowed to his Guru, and said, "Sir, Panchala has been vanquished as per your wishes. The train with gifts is here, as you can see. Dhrupada repents the wrongs he has done you and..."

  "Where is Dhrupada?" Drona asked frostily.

  "Sir, he surrendered and sent these gifts for you. He will come to seek your pardon in person."

  "Enough, Duryodhana! Gifts! Pshaw! Who needs his gifts? What are gifts to a Brahmin? I told you I do not care for material things. He insulted me and I wanted you to capture and bring him here, tied in chains, and throw him at my feet. Fool! You have sold the honour of your Guru for a few gold coins. Perhaps the Panchala army even defeated you and you looted some villages on the way back to present me with these 'gifts'. Your delay would thus be explained."

  Trembling with rage, Drona rushed to the carts containing the gifts and kicked over a few pots. Coins rolled over the ground. He turned back to Suyodhana, still angry at what he considered the Prince's betrayal. "Since you insisted on taking this Suta and my foolish son with you, what else did you expect? Do any of you know how to even hold a weapon properly, let alone fight with it? You have insulted me. I will show you how warriors who follow the path of dharma behave, how disciples who respect their teacher, act. Arjuna!" Drona called. The Pandava Prince came forward and bowed. "Show this coward how to follow simple instructions. Bring me my foe. Make him crawl before me like a worm."

  "Your wish is my command, Guru." Arjuna bowed again and blew his conch.

  Before Suyodhana could react, hundreds of equestrian guards galloped towards them and took up combat positions. The five Pandavas ran, as if on cue, towards the cavalry and mounted quickly. They thundered past the shocked Suyodhana and his friends. More cavalry joined them and the hundreds turned into thousands as the imperial army of Hastinapura rushed towards unsuspecting Panchala, with Arjuna in the lead.

  On either side of the road, the people who had begun dispersing after having cheered Suyodhana's return, regrouped and began cheering Arjuna. Dhaumya had been fanning the flame of patriotism to new heights and everyone was excited about the way their country was dealing with a vassal kingdom. Within hours, Dhaumya had successfully spread rumours that the Panchala army had defeated Suyodhana and that Arjuna was now leading a new army to teach the proud Panchalas a lesson.

  Arjuna's army descended on a sleeping Kampilya. Before the unsuspecting Panchalas understood what was happening, Arjuna had smashed the city defences, set the city on fire, and breached the palace fortress. Bhima stayed back in the city to supervise the looting and arson. The battle was soon over. Arjuna
entered the King's chamber, woke the sleeping Dhrupada, and arrested him. Yudhishtra captured Dhristadyumna and the eunuch Shikandi. By noon the imperial army had begun marching back with King Dhrupada chained in a cart for all to see. His son Dhristadyumna and Shikandi, were also tied in similar fashion. The victorious procession rushed towards Hastinapura. Behind them, Kampilya lay in ruins, the shops and temples smouldering. Severed limbs and lifeless bodies lay scattered in the streets. The signs of invasion and defeat were written all over the unfortunate land.