Introduction
We have talked about the five sons born of Draupadi to the five Pandavas – Prativindhya to Yudhishthira, Sruta to Bhimasena, Srutakeerti to Arjuna, Sataneeka to Nakula and Srutakarma to Sahadeva. The last three played important roles on the 6th of the war. We have not forgotten much greater heros like Abhimanyu born to Arjuna in Subhadra and Ghatotkacha to Bhima in Hidimbi. The last two did fight memorable battles which are yet to take place.
We have also come across the Sindhu king, Jayadratha. He came into prominence when he tried, in vain, to carry Draupadi away by force while the Pandavas stayed in exile.
Bhima’s trail of destruction
Tha Pandavas formed the Makara (shark) Vyuha on the sixth day. To counter this, the Kauravas got into the Krauncha (heron ) Vyuha as suggested by Bhishma.
The war started with Bhima making great inroads into the Kaurava formation. The sons of Dhritarashtra noticed the advance of their arch enemy, Bhima, and decided that it was their chance to take him prisoner alive and thus humiliate the proud Pandava. They encircled him and made a joined attack against him. Bhima was amused by their effort. He was impatient with his resolve to kill all the sons of Dhritarashtra. So, he jumped down before his charioteer got a chance to prevent his rash movement. Bhima, then, held his mace in hand and rushed towards the Kaurava princes. He smashed everything that came his way. Hundreds of chariots were crushed by the force of his mace. Innumerable elephants were killed.
Dhrishtadyumna had noticed that Bhima was encircled by several of the Kaurava princes. Fearing for the safety of his dear friend, the Panchala prince rushed to the scene. What he could find was Bhima’s chariot without him. He asked Bhima’s charioteer, Vishoka, where the Pandava was. The charioteer replied. “The prince has jumped down from the chariot even before I could stop him. You can see the direction in which he has moved from the trail of destruction”.
It was exactly as Vishoka had said. Dhrishtadyumna had no difficulty in following the path in which Bhima advanced. Finally, the Panchala commander found Bhima fighting a spirited battle,alone, in the middle of hundreds of enemy warriors. Dhrishtadyumna pulled Bhima into his chariot and faced the Kauravas along with the Pandava.
Duryodhana saw that the Pandava commander had entered the ring of his men in which Bhima was fighting. So, he sent a much larger contingent of army to face the powerful Panchala. Dhrishtadyumna noticed that he was far too outnumbered by the enemy. So, he used one rare arrow from his kit, the weapon that would send the enemies into confusion (Sammohana Astram). The Kaurava soldiers ran helter skelter because of the power of the Panchala’s weapon.
Drona sensed that something terribly wrong was happening there and quickly came to the scene. He sent the remedial arrow (Prajna Astram) that restored the sense in his men. Then, the Acharya fought so fiercely along with his men that Bhima and Dhrishtadyumna were totally helpless to do anything to counter it. The Pandava army received a great thrashing from Drona that day.
There were several mixed battles and duels on that day, too. When the day was about to end Duryodhana found himself face to face against Bhima. The Pandava roared angrily recounting all the injustice committed by the Kaurava against him, his brothers and wife. In his anger Bhima used all his force to send powerful arrows against his arch enemy. Duryodhana’s horses and charioteer were all killed by the arrows from Bhima. Some of his arrows penetrated the armour of the Kaurava. Luckily, the Sindhu king, Jayadratha, came on the scene right at that moment and saved the Kaurava prince from much greater danger.
Elsewhere Abhimanyu fought a fierce battle along with Srutakeerti, Sataneeka and Srutakarma against the sons of Dhritarashtra. The Kauravas could not stand against the combined power of the four sons of the Pandavas. Bhishma came on the scene and gave support to the Kauravas. But, the sun was about to set and the battle was called off for the day.
Great was the loss on the Kaurava side when the war ended on the sixth day.
