Dhritarashtra anguished

Sanjay had returned to Hastinapura, but, gave only a gist of the messages from the Pandavas to Dhritarashtra. He would talk in detail the next day. But, that was enough to spoil the sleep of the old king. He sent for Vidura immediately to hear the wise counsel of his learned step brother.

What Vidura gave was, indeed, a long discourse. Veda Vyasa has a full chapter, quite a big one, on “the sleepless night of the king (Prajaagara Parvam)” exclusively on Vidura’s discourse to the old Kaurava king. The subjects covered were the codes of conduct for various classes of people, especially, for the royals. He narrated various short stories to make some of his points clear.

Vidura thought that he would not be the right person to talk on subjects that were more philosophical in nature. For this purpose he meditated on sage Sanatsujata who was a highly enlightened Brahmin. The sage appeared immediately and talked to Dhritarashtra on meditation and matters of deep philosophical nature. One exclusive chapter covers the wise counsel of Santsujata to Dhritarashtra (Sanatsujata Parvam)

Arjuna’s message

Next morning Sanjaya addressed the full assembly of the Kaurava king. He started with the message from Arjuna to the Kauravas. Essentially, Arjuna sent words of grave warning through Sanjaya. The Pandavas were asking for what was their due. If that was denied, he and his brothers would, without doubt, annihilate the entire Kaurava army, though led by great warriors like Bhishma and Drona. The Pandavas have the moral support from Krishna . Heroes like Dhrishtadyumna and Satyaki would fight with the Pandavas to make their task easy.

Differences in the Kauravas Ranks

After hearing the warning words of Arjuna, Bhishma upheld the claim of the Pandava. He firmly asked Duryodhana to comply with the Pandavas’ request. It would be foolish to go to war counting merely on the words of assurance from Karna.

Karna, as usual, did not like Bhishma’s words. But, Bhishma stuck to his stand and asked Dhritarashtra to think about Arjuna’s words seriously.

Sanjaya, then, described all the veterans who had come in support of the Pandavas. He went , at length, into the angry mood of Bhima. He was waiting impatiently for the war to start so that he could avenge for the crimes against the Pandavas committed by the Kauravas in the past.

Dhritarashtra was worried hearing about Bhima. He lamented that his sons would perish at the hands of the mighty Pandava. He also agreed that the entire Kaurava army would not match the power of Arjuna. The Kaurava sire declared that peace with the Pandavas was the best course of action. He asked Duryodhana to return half of the kingdom to the Pandavas without delay and avert war. His minister, Sanjaya, agreed with the king.

But, Duryodhana stood firm on his resolve not to give even an inch of land to the Pandavas. He did not think that there was anything to fear about Bhima and Arjuna.

The scene in the Kaurava assembly witnessed heated exchanges between Duryodhana and Karna on one side and all the elders, including Bhishma, Drona and Vidura on the other.
As suggested by Sanjaya, Dhritarashtra sent for Gandhari. The aged couple tried their best to reason out with their son, but without success.

Sage Veda Vyasa also appeared on the scene when he sensed that his presence was needed in the Kaurava assembly. Vyasa said that he anticipated that Krishna would soon arrive in person to negotiate for peace. That gave some hope to the mind of Dhritarashtra which was in great turmoil.

With this the chapter of peace negotiations (Yana Sandhi Parvam) ends.

The first talk for peace

We had seen the Panchala priest off to the Kauravas to bargain for peace on behalf of the Pandavas. Then we had turned our attention to the war preparations on both the sides as that was going on simultaneously. With that we have come to the end of the “Chapter on war preparations (Senodyoga Parvam)”.

Not even an inch of land

In fact, by the time the priest reached Hastinapura the city and its surroundings were already overflowing with armies in battle array. This must have hardened the tone in which he addressed Dhritarashtra. He went into all the sufferings the Pandavas had gone through on account of the Kauravas. The Pandavas had completed thirteen years of stay in exile and now were asking for their half of the kingdom. If that was denied, they were ready to meet the Kauravas in a war that would be disastrous for both the sides.

Bhishma agreed fully with the Brahmin. He praised the Pandavas, especially the righteousness of Yudhishthira and the valour of Arjuna.

Karna did not take the words of Bhishma kindly. He said that the Pandavas lost their kingdom through the game of dice which Yudhishthira did not know how to play. They did not abide by the terms of the game when they failed to live in hiding in the last year of exile. They now would have to go and live in the forests for another thirteen years. Duryodhana would not give even an inch of land to the Pandavas.

The grand sire of the Kauravas rebuked Karna for his thoughtless words. He asked Karna where his valour was, of which he boasts so often, especially on the two occasions when the entire Kaurava veterans were defeated single handedly by Arjuna.

The Kaurava envoy to the Pandavas

Dhritarashtra realized that he was in a vulnerable situation. He could never be sure that his sons could win the war against the Pandavas, especially, with Krishna on their side. So, he sent his minister, Sanjaya, as his envoy to the Pandavas to persuade them to avoid a war at all costs.
The meeting between Sanjaya and the Pandavas was mostly a formality. Both the sides exchanged cordial greetings. Sanjaya had brought no offers from the Kaurava king. He had only one request to make, to avoid war at all costs.

Yudhishthira reminded the emissary of the Pandava strength. He was only asking for what was his due. His was a message that if his rights were denied, the result would be fatal for the Kauravas. Finally, he said that he would abide by what Krishna had to say.

Krishna was angry hearing that the Kauravas asked the Pandavas to go back to the forest. He also went into all the hardships inflicted on the Pandavas by the Kauravas. He said that it was time for action. It was the duty of kings to fight for their rights through righteous wars. He asked Sanjaya to convey to the Kauravas the message that the Pandavas were ready for war.

Sanjaya returned to Hastinapura and briefly reported the message from the Pandavas. He would talk in detail the next day. With those words he retired for the day.

Thus ends “the Chapter on Sanjaya’s journey (Sanjaya Yana Parvam)”.

Help from other sources

Balarama

We heard about the help Krishna offered to the warring cousins, Duryodhana and Arjuna. The Kaurava, greatly pleased with his luck with Krishna, went straight to Balarama. The senior Yadava had taught the art of fighting with mace both to Duryodhana and Bhima. Among all his disciples Duryodhana was the favourite of Balarama.

Duryodhana went to his teacher with great expectations. But, Balarama refused to get involved in a war he was totally against. He said.” You know that I do not favour this war in any case. I tried my best to prevent it, but, in vain. Hence, I shall take a neutral stand. Go and fight, strictly following the rules of the war “. So saying, he embraced Duryodhana and sent him back.

Salya

Let us recall that the two younger Pandavas, Nakula and Sahadeva, were born to Maadri the princess of the Madra kingdom. She had voluntarily entered the pyre of Pandu and died in it as she blamed herself for the untimely death of her husband. The king of Madra, who was her brother, was called Salya.

A division of an army those days had 21870 chariots, an equal number of elephants, thrice that number of soldiers on horse back and five times those many on foot . Such a division was called an Aksowhini. The strength of an army was talked in terms of the number of such divisions. We shall, henceforth, mean the above composition in a division.

The king of Madra heard about the impending war between his nephews and the Kauravas. He started with a division of army to offer help to the Pandavas without waiting for a formal invitation.

Duryodhana heard about this from his spies and wanted to outwit the Pandavas. He built a large number of rest houses and made elaborate arrangements to offer hospitality to the Madra king all along his path.

Salya was very pleased with what he took to be the care the Pandavas took for his welfare. After a few halts and enjoying the hospitality at those places , he announced to the keepers that they should inform the Pandavas that he was very pleased and that he would do anything to help them. This was promptly reported to Duryodhana by his servants.

This was the moment for which the Kaurava waited . He promptly came to the Madra king and said. “I am very satisfied that my men have taken good care of you all along the way. My wish is that you should lead my army”.

Salya was in a tight spot. He was, indeed, pleased with what the Kaurava did for him. It was also not proper for him, as a gallant ruler, to turn down such a request. But, he had come to help his nephews. Now he was in a situation in which their enemies sought his help. There was no way he could turn that down. So, he promised his service and of his entire army to Duryodhana. But, he wanted first to inform his nephews of his decision to join the Kauravas in the war.

The Pandavas were greatly disappointed with the turn of events. There was nothing that could be done about it. But, Yudhishthira made one request. Salya should praise Arjuna in front of Karna whenever he got an opportunity. The Pandava knew that this was one sure way to put down the morale of Karna. The Madra king promised hat he would his best in this regard.

Salya, in this context, told the story how Indra suffered because of Vritra and how he finally succeeded in killing his enemy. He also narrated the story of Nahusha who became Indra during that time and how he ended up being a python because of a curse. (We have covered these stories earlier). Salya consoled the Pandavas that they would ultimately emerge victorious, as Indra did, in the war. With these words, the Madra king went to Duryodhana ready to fight by his side.

It is said that the Kauravas managed to assemble a force of eleven divisions. Many of them were normal Pandava allies whom Duryodhana snatched away cunningly. The Pandavas managed only seven divisions. We shall introduce later the main heroes of the war .

Let us track the progress of the peace talks in the next episode.

The decisive force

We have seen in the last episode that the meeting among the supporters of Pandavas took two decisions. First, it was necessary to demand through an emissary the fair share of the land of the Kurus. Drupada’s priest was sent for the purpose to Hastinapura, the capital city of the Kauravas.

Drupada had suggested that the Pandavas should waste no time and approach all possible sources for help in the impending war. Messengers were sent to various kings seeking their support.

Duryodhana knew by then where exactly his arch enemies lived. It was easy for him to watch every move of the Pandavas through cleverly posted spies. The moment he understood that the Pandavas were going to ask for help from various kings, he also sent his men to all lands far and wide.

Help from the Yadavas

The Yadavas were a substantial force and worthy of special consideration. Krishna was their unquestionable leader. The Pandavas’ first thought was to seek Krishn’a blessing and support in the war. Arjuna was his friend. So, it was decided that he should go to Krishna.

Duryodhana could guess this very move of the Pandavas in advance. He, himself, decided to pay a visit to the Yadava prince in Dwaraka. He reached Krishna’s abode even before Arjuna. Krishna was taking an afternoon nap when Duyodhana arrived. There was a throne conveniently placed near the bed of Krishna where his head rested. Probably, it was there with a purpose. Duryodhana observed that Krishna was asleep and noticed the throne. He sat on the throne waiting for the Yadava to open his eyes.

Arjuna entered the room next. He also noticed that Krishna sleeping. He stood waiting at the foot of the bed with folded hands. It was then that he noticed Duryodhana sitting at the other end. The Kaurava smiled triumphantly at the Pandava.

Soon, Krishna opened his eyes. It was natural that his eyes fell first on Arjuna standing in reverence at his feet. When Duryodhana realized that Krishna was awake he spoke.

“Krishna, I have come for your help in the war between the Kauravas and the Pandavas. I was here before Arjuna. So, it is proper that you honour my request first.”

Krishna turned to the Kaurava and smiled welcoming him. Then, he replied. “I believe your words. But, it was Arjuna that I saw first. I am sure, both of you would have come for the same purpose. Let me put my cards down. I have a vast army of skilled Yadava warriors. The entire army is one choice. I, on the other, place myself as the other choice. But, let me make it clear, I shall not be armed. I give the first chance to choose to Arjuna as I saw him first”.

Duryodhana waited with throbbing heart for Arjuna to make his choice. The entire Yadava army was too good an offer to lose. It was unfair that the first choice went to Arjuna.

Then he heard Arjuna’s words. He could not first believe that he heard him correctly.
Arjuna said. “Krishna, I choose you. It does not matter, if you are not armed. But, I want you to drive my chariot”.
Krishna said, “done”.
(Hence, the famous epithet, Parthasarathy or Arjuna’s charioteer, for Krishna)

Duryodhana did not have to speak. He did not have words to speak, anyway. What luck! How did the fool of Arjuna ask for the unarmed Krishna? He soon took leave thanking Krishna profusely for his offer of generous help.

When Duryodhana left Krishna smiled and asked Arjuna why he chose him. Arjuna said.
“Krishna, I am quite capable of handling all those enemies alone whom you would have defeated in war. What I need is your presence by my side and guidance. I can manage the rest”.

Krishna must have anticipated this outcome in advance. He simply smiled and bid good bye to his dear friend.

We have just learnt about the single event that shaped the outcome of the war. We cover the other offers of help in the next episode.

To avert war

The story so far

We now start a new book in Vyasa’s Mahabharatam titled “the preparations (to avert, or to prepare for, war) or the Udyoga Parvam)”.

Let us recapitulate the story so far. We are on the fifth book in the epic which is the story of the Bharata dynasty and of the Bhaarata war. When the story develops there were two brothers in the family. The elder was called Dhritarashtra who had a hundred sons . The younger was known by the name, Pandu, with five sons. The sons of Dhritarashtra and of Pandu were collectively called the Kauravas, Kuru being one of their famous ancestors. Separately, that term is used for the sons of Dhritarashtra. The sons of Pandu are called the Pandavas. Dhritarashtra was born blind and, hence, lost his claim to the throne. Pandu ruled the land for a while, but unfortunately, died young.

A few elders lived in the palace when the story unfolded. One was Bhishma, the grand uncle of the Kauravas. The other was Vidura who was their uncle. Besides, Dhritarashtra’s wife, Gandhari and Pandu’s wife, Kunti also lived with them. Two famous teachers of the Kauravas, Drona and Kripa also lived in the palace.

Yudhishthira, the eldest born to Pandu, inherited the throne after Pandu’s death. He ruled his kingdom in an exemplary manner. Yudhishthira performed a sacrifice called Rajasooyam with the help of his four valiant brothers, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva, and was proclaimed an emperor at the end.

Duryodhana was the eldest son of Dhritarashtra. He was very ambitious and, at the same time, envious of his cousins. He also had a grievance that he lost the claim to the throne because of his father’s blindness. His way of redressing his grievance was far from being just or noble. He tried all means to harass and even kill the Pandavas. He was assisted by his brother, Dussasana, uncle, Sakuni and friend, Karna in his nefarious activities. The elders, like Bhishma, Vidura and Drona, normally gave wise counsel. But, Duryodhana, and because of him Dhritarashtra, always ignored them.

The first major attempt to kill the Pandavas was by burning down a house of wax in which the Pandavas were made to live for a while. This lead to a life of exile for the Pandavas . If they were found out, they could be destroyed by Duryodhana and his men. At the end, the Pandavas emerged in the Palace of king Drupada of Panchala , where Arjuna won the test to claim the beautiful Draupadi in marriage. This was another blow to Duryodhana who was one of the suitors for Draupadi. Under exceptional circumstances, the five Pandavas married Draupadi together.

The original capital of the Kurus was at Hastinapura. When the Pandavas returned home safe from the disaster in the house of wax, Dhritarashtra advised them to live away from his own sons. A new palace was built for them at Indraprastha. The two families lived separately for a while peacefully. However, trouble erupted again.

Duryodhana plotted with his uncle, Sakuni and invited Yudhishthira in for a game of dice. The Pandava was induced to stake all he owned in the game. He lost all in a game that was unfairly matched. He and his brothers were sent to thirteen years in exile with their wife, the last being a mandatory life in complete hiding. The Pandavas completed their years in exile successfully. The culmination was the marriage of Abhimanyu, Arjuna’s son, with the princess of Matsya, by name Uttara.

We should not forget one central character in the whole story, of Krishna. He was a prominent member of the Yadava race, attributed with divine powers. His brother, Balarama also often appeared in the story, taking a neutral stand. The two were related to the Pandavas through Kunti. Their childhood was spent in the company of the Pandavas and Kauravas. Arjuna was the best friend of Krishna.

We should also not ignore the role played by Draupdai. She was insulted by Dussasana, a brother of Duryodhana, in the open assembly after the game of dice. She swore on that occasion that Bhima would take revenge on the Kaurava with his blood on her behalf.
With this background let us proceed.

Future course of action

The day after Abhimanyus’ marriage, Krishna and Drupada addressed the assembly of Virata.
Krishna said. “The Pandavas have kept their promise by living out the thirteen years in exile. They should now, rightly, get back their share of kingdom. An emissary should be sent to Duryodhana to talk on behalf of the Pandavas. But, it is unlikely that Duryodhana would keep his part of the promise. ”

Balarama objected to Krishna in blaming the Kauravas alone. He said that Yudhishthira should not have staked his entire kingdom. But, Satyaki, a prominent Yadava ,refuted Balarama’s words. He said that there was, definitely, cheating in the game of dice. The innocent Yudhishthira could not see through the deceit of Sakuni”.

Drupada said that the Pandavas should start preparing right then for an eventual war. They should seek the help of all other rulers. The first to approach would strike the deal.
Krishna agreed with Drupada on that point. However, he urged all to send a messenger to the Kauravas to talk peace. With those words he left for his abode, Dwaraka.

The emissary

Drupada asked his priest, an old and wise Brahmin to go to Hastinapura and talk sense with the Kauravas. He left immediately in the company of several other eminent Brahmins.

Before we learn about the outcome of the peace talks, we shall track the other side of preparation in the next episode, of promised help from various kings.

Happy ending

Haughty servants

A day or two later, king Virata was surprised, while entering into his assembly, to find a few well dressed strangers seated on high thrones. On closer look the king recognized his servants Kanka and Valala. He was annoyed by the audacity of his usually polite assistants. The king addressed Kanka in a raised voice: “how is it that you sit on thrones, reserved for royal dignitaries?”

It was Arjuna who replied to the king. He revealed the true identity of his brothers and of himself. He also went into the circumstances that lead to their life incognito.

The Matsya king was a mixture of several emotions at that moment. He was, naturally, in a state of shock and was sorry for treating the eminent Pandava princes as servants. He was also delighted to have the Pandavas, of whom he had heard a lot, with him in the palace.
Gift of daughter

The immediate thought of Virata was how to suitably honour his eminent guests. He thought of giving his daughter, Uttara, to Arjuna as his best gift to the worthy Pandava. But, Arjuna turned that offer down. He said. “I have taught your daughter music and dancing for the past twelve months. As my student she is more like a daughter to me. I do not mind accepting her as wife to my son, Abhimanyu. Moreover, I have lived with the ladies of the harem all these months. If I marry your daughter, rumour might spread that will be a blot on my name and on that of your daughter”.

Abhimanyu was the son of Arjuna born in Subhadra, the sister of Krishna. We have come across this prince of great valour briefly before.

Both Yudhishthira and King Virata were happy with the proposal. A date was fixed for the marriage. Invitations were sent to friends and relations of Pandavas and Matsyas. Krishna and the Panchala king were the noteworthy invitees on the Pandavas side. They all came with suitable gifts for the bride and groom. The marriage was conducted with great pomp and ceremony.

With this, the “Chapter on Marriage (Vaivahika Parvam)” comes to an end. Also ends the “Book on life in the Virata kingdom (Virata Parvam)”.

A rehearsal for the final battle

Memory refresher

Let us recall the background a bit. We are talking about the Kuru dynasty in which Bhishma was born. He did not marry for the sake of his step sons, Dhritarashtra and Pandu. The former was blind and had hundred sons. He was still living when the story unfolded. Pandu died young. He had five sons, Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. All the cousins are entitled to the term, Kaurava. Usually, the sons of Dhritarashtra are referred by that name and the sons of Pandu, by the Pandavas. The story is centred around the claim to the throne of the Kurus.

Duryodhana - the eldest son of Dhritarasjtra and the current ruler of the Kaurava empire
Bhishma - the grand uncle of the Kauravas (including the Pandavas)
Drona - the Brahmin teacher who taught archery to the Kaurava princes
Kripa - the first teacher of the Kauravas and the brother-in-law of Drona
Aswatthama - Drona’s son and an extraordinary warrior

Uttara reassured

Prince Uttara was surprised beyond words that it was Arjuna who all along stayed among the ladies as the eunuch Brihannala. He was also apologetic for any lapses that might have occurred on his part. With Arjuna behind him it was a different Uttara, full of confidence and energy, who drove the chariot. He was willing to go wherever the heroic Pandava wanted him to, without fear of the formidable Kauravas..

The divine weapons

Arjuna sat praying in the chariot for a while to invoke the divine weapons. He also prayed to Hanuman who usually decorated his flag mast. He then blew on his conch shell, the Devadatta. That noise frightened Uttara like never before. The Kaurava warriors and the animals of war all panicked hearing the terrible noise.

To face Arjuna

The Kaurava elders were now certain that it was Arjuna who was coming to challenge them. The sound of his Devadatta heralded the arrival on the scene of the mighty Pandava.

Duryodhana thought that the Pandavas broke their promise to spend a year in hiding by sending Arjuna to war. Bhishma pointed out that the Pandavas had, indeed, completed the stipulated year in hiding as per the lunar calendar, taking the “extra months” into consideration (two extra months in the course of thirteen years). So, there was no way the Pandavas could be sent back to forest again. The Kauravas had to face Arjuna and fight to their best.

Karna boasted that he would face Arjuna alone. All others could return to Hastinapura. He would fulfill his promise to kill Arjuna in battle that day.

But, Kripa went over all the heroic deeds of Arjuna during the twelve years in exile. It was foolish even to think of facing him all alone. Drona supported Kripa. He joked that it would be easier to win over the Pandavas through dice than by fighting a direct war.

Bhishma suggested that they make a battle formation in which Aswatthama and Kripa kept the two sides and Drona, in the centre. Karna should be in the front and he, Bhishma, would keep the rear. Duryodhana should return to Hastinapura with part of the cattle.

When Arjuna reached in front of the Kaurava army he did not find Duryodhana there. He guessed what the Kaurava plan would be. So, he asked Uttara to drive the chariot in the direction of Hastinapura. They, soon, caught up with the escaping Duryodhana.

Bhishma and the other Kaurava elders were worried when they found Arjuna rushing behind Duryodhana. So, they went after Arjuna’s chariot. Karna was the first to challenge Arjuna for a direction confrontation. A long fierce battle took pace between the two. Karna was badly wounded and took flight from the scene at the end. Arjuna faced the veteran Kaurava warriors like Drona and Bhishma and defeated all one by one. At the end the Kauravas had to return to Hastinapura totally defeated leaving the cattle they stole from Virata behind.

Virata elated

King Virata was playing dice with Kanka when the news of Uttara’s victory reached him. Yudhishthira, hearing that, remarked that when Brihannala was with Uttara victory was surely on their side. Virata did not take Yudhishthira’s remark kindly.

Soon, Uttara arrived on the scene. The Virata king embraced his son and showered praises on him for his remarkable victory against stalwarts like Bhishma and Drona. But, Uttara replied. “Father, the credit goes to the son of god who came to my assistance in the battle field. But for him, I would not have achieved anything. He has disappeared for today, but, has promised to return after a day or two”.

The chapter on the “Capturing of Cattle (Goharana Parvam )” ends here. We learn about the Pandavas formally ending their stay in disguise in the next chapter.

No trace of Pandavas

Duryodhana had deployed a vast contingent of spies to look for the Pandavas in every land. The order was to search in capital cities, villages and even in uninhabited forests. They had formed groups to comb through every nook and corner of lands far and near. At the end of the year all returned without finding any trace of the Pandavas.

The Matsyas were enemies of the Kauravas. Duryodhana’s spies had to move discretely inside the land of the Virata. They also returned without any news of Yudhishthira and his brothers. They reported the only news they could gather, of Keechaka having been killed by some Gandharvas.

Further course of action

Duryodhana was mystified. How could his enemies disappear from the face of earth without leaving any trace? He consulted with his elders and supporters. Some concluded that the Pandavas must have perished in some remote forests. But, Drona ruled out any such possibility. He categorically stated that Yudhishthira was wise and would steer his brothers out of all dangers. The younger Pandavas would always follow what their elder brother said. Bhishma agreed with Drona on this point. The two were sure that the Pandavas would emerge at the end of the stipulated period and claim their share of the vast Kuru empire. They suggested to Duryodhana to be ready to face their challenge, if he refused their demand.

The ruler of Trigarta, by name, Susarma was among the kings assembled in the Kaurava palace. The death of Keechaka was excellent news for him. He had tried several times to invade the Matsya land. Each time, the formidable Keechaka inflicted heavy damage on his own army and on the morale of Susarma.

He spoke to Duryodhana. “If Keechaka is out, then the Matsya kingdom is vulnerable. This is the time to invade the country. We should force into the Matsya land from two sides. We can easily defeat the Virata and plunder their land of its vast cattle wealth and other valuables like gold and jewelry”.

Threat from the Trigarta

The first threat the Matsyas faced was from the Trigarta. He came with a large force and drove off with more than half of the cattle, numbering a hundred thousand. The herdsman came in panic and reported the matter to Virata. The Matsya king wasted no time to form into a battle array and go after the Trigarta.

Yudhishthira knew that their year in hiding was over. He consulted his brothers, Bhima, Nakula and Sahadeva and offered help. By the time the Pandavas joined the battle, Susarma had inflicted heavy casualty in the Matsya arrays. Virata, himself, was being taken prisoner by the Trigarta. Yudhishthira asked Bhima to help their mentor, the king of Matsya. Bhima fought fiercely with the Trigartas and drove off their entire force from the battle field. He caught hold of Susarma by the hair and was about to behead him. But, Yudhishthira asked Bhima to save the life of the king. The Matsyas returned victorious with the help of the four guests who had taken refuge with them.

The Kaurava onslaught

Duryodhana waited in the outskirts of the Virata capital for the right opportunity. When the king marched with a large army to face Susarma the Kaurava struck from the other side. He drove away with the remaining cattle of the Matsya challenging the authority of the Virata king.

When the herdsmen protecting the cattle reported the matter the king was already away facing the Trigartas. Uttara, the son of Virata, was the only one who could come to their help. But, the prince preferred the luxuries of life to challenges on the field. He was in the company of women enjoying, singing and dancing. But, he could not ignore the threat as reported, especially, as he had to show off his valour in front of women. He often used to boast of his accomplishments in battle just to boost his own ego. So, he proclaimed that he would fight with all the Kauravas, including Bhishma and Drona and defeat them all single handedly. But, he needed a skilled charioteer. Unfortunately, his own man was killed in battle a few months back.

Brihannala in the new role

Draupadi heard the empty claims of the boastful Uttara. She knew how hopeless his case would be facing the formidable Kauravas. He would be no match to any of them. She also knew that the twelve months of their time were over. There was no danger of revealing their identity any more. So, she hinted to the princess. “I have heard the story that our Brihannala had the occasion to drive the chariot of Arjuna when he and Krishna fought with Indra while burning the Khandava forest. May be she could help”. The situation was desperate and something had to be done. So, the princess conveyed the possibility to her brother. Prince Uttara first frowned upon the offer from a eunuch to drive his chariot. But, he finally yielded.

The ladies in the harem giggled finding their companion, Brihannala, putting on armour on top of her colourful Saree. They joked to her. “Brihannala, do not forget to bring good clothes from Hastinapura after you and the prince defeat the entire Kaurava force”.

Back to form

Brihannala drove the chariot skillfully towards the Kaurava army. Prince Uttara was somewhat shaken sitting in the chariot that was moving at break neck speed. He could hear the twangs emerging from the Kaurava bow strings. He was completely unnerved and asked Brihannala to return to the palace. But, Arjuna had no such idea. He drove on ignoring the pleas of the frightened Matsya prince. At one stage, He even had to force the prince back into the chariot as he was trying to jump out.

The Kauravas puzzled

The Kauravas spotted the lone chariot speedily following them. The charioteer appeared to be a woman. That did not make sense. But, the chariot was being steered skillfully. The elders like Bhishma and Drona sensed the touch of Arjuna in the way the chariot was moving. They remarked that it would not be easy for them, if it was, indeed Arjuna, who was coming to challenge them.

But, the chariot took a different direction and came to a stop beneath a tree.

To restore the weapons

Arjuna first took the chariot to the tree on which his weapons were hidden. He explained to Uttara where he would find weapons and asked him to climb up the tree. But, the prince was hesitant because of the rumour that the tree was haunted. Arjuna assured him of safety and persuaded him to get on top of the tree. Uttara was astonished to find various weapons including excellent bows and sharp arrows safely hidden there. Arjuna asked him to take the whole lot down.

Uttara asked in astonishment: “Whose are these weapons and how did they get here?”
Arjuna replied. “These belong to the Pandavas. This is Gandeeva of Arjuna. They left them here when they went into hiding”. He then, pointed to each weapon belonging to the other Pandavas. Uttara’s confusion only increased. How did Brihannala know all these details?

Arjuna thought that it was time to reveal his identity. He told the bewildered Uttara about himself and his brothers and how they got into the palace of Virata.

Arjuna, then, asked Uttara to drive the chariot for him. He would face the entire Kaurava forces single handedly. Uttara had heard about all the famous adventures of the Pandava. It was a different proposition to be his charioteer when the great Arjuna was in command of the battle. So, the two turned to face the Kauravas, Uttara on the seat of the charioteer and Arjuna holding his Gandiva to face the enemies.

We shall continue with the adventure in the next episode.

End of the tyrant

We have left Draupadi being chased and harassed by Keechaka, the brother of Sudeshna and the queen of the Matsyas. A plot was hatched between the brother and sister to send the hapless Draupadi to fetch drinks from the house of Keechaka. It was a miraculous escape for Draupadi from the clutches of Keechaka that day.
But, as Draupadi expected, the lustful Keechaka did not leave her alone after that. She was continuously tormented with advances and threats. Finally, one day Draupadi gave him a green signal.

In the dancing hall

It was the hall in which the ladies of the palace got training in dancing. Often performances were held there which all the royalties attended. The hall was empty when the night fell and was completely secluded from the rest of the palace. Draupadi asked Keechaka to pay her a visit there at night. He had to come alone and in complete secrecy. It was dangerous for him to let the Gandharva husbands of Sairandhri suspect any false move.

Keechaka was delighted. He promised to follow her instructions to the last letter. He would do anything to achieve his long cherished desire for the fair Sairandhri.

It was complete dark in the dancing hall when Keechaka arrived. The place had no signs of human habitation. As promised, Keechaka found someone lying down on the couch in the middle of the hall. He hurried to the bed and touched the person apparently asleep in it. Immediately, he found himself embraced by a pair of arms. They were definitely not the delicate arms of his love, the beautiful Sairandhri, but, something much stronger that almost crushed him.

Draupadi’s vengeance

Draupadi had not left the assembly of the Virata to suffer silently in her chambers. She waited for an opportunity to meet one of her “Gandharva” husbands, the formidable Bhima. She approached him alone in his house. Bhima was woken up by the soft touches of his dear wife that night. Draupadi first let out all her sorrows to arouse the sympathy of Bhima. Then, she went in detail into the circumstances that lead to their present state of slavery. If Yudhishthira had acted sensibly and avoided the fatal game of dice, they would be living like kings and queen in the royal palace of the Pandavas. She did not mince words to castigate the shameless and arrogant way in which Keechaka chased her into the Virata assembly. He humiliated her in front of all who had assembled there. What did Bhima and Yudhishthira do while Keechaka caught hold of her hair and dragged her around? Her words were meant to raise the sense of helplessness and anger in Bhima. Then, she used her final weapon. If Keechaka succeeded in his misadventure with her, she would definitely end her life.

The sleeping lion in Bhima was finally awakened by the calculated words of Draupadi. He promised action. It was Bhima who laid the plot to trap the hateful Keechaka. That was how Keechaka found himself in the firm grip of the formidable Bhima.

A struggle for life

But, Keechaka was not one to be tackled that easily even by the mighty Bhima. The Pandava found a worthy opponent in him after he had fought with the demon Hidimba in their early days after escaping from the castle of wax. They fought like two lions fighting for a mate. Bhima’s power did not vane even after hours of fighting. But, he found the strength slowly escaping from the opponent. He did not waste further time and killed the enemy with a few hard blows.

Vengeance on the wife of the Gandharvas

The people in the palace found the body of the mighty Keechaka reduced to pulp next morning. The suspicion, naturally, fell on the Sairandhri. She had warned all of her powerful Gandharva husbands. It was also well known that Keechaka was giving her a hot chase.

The supporters of Keechaka did not take the fate of their leader kindly. They forcefully took Sairandhri to the pyre in which they were going to cremate Keechaka. Draupadi wailed aloud for help, but, in vain. Suddenly, one huge figure appeared on the scene resembling a ghost run amok. He fought off all the people who had gathered there. Many were killed and the others escaped in panic. When all had been killed or dispatched away, Bhima released Draupadi from the bondage.

Sudeshna scared

The death of her brother and his men scared the Virata queen. She called the Sairandhri and asked her to leave the palace at once. It was too dangerous to have a maid with such powerful allies around. Draupadi appealed to the good queen to have pity on her and allow her to stay for a few more days. By then, she said, her husbands would come for her. Draupadi knew that her days in exile were coming to an end by then. The queen gave her consent, though with reluctance.

The chapter on the killing of Keechaka or Keechaka Vadha Parvam ends here.

In hot pursuit of Draupadi

The Pandavas spent ten months of their stay in disguise in the palace of the Virata king without hurdles.
Sudeshna, the queen of Virata had a brother by name Keechaka. He was the commander-in-chief of the army and was extremely powerful, both physically and by influence. He feared none and had a free hand in running the affairs in and outside the palace.

Keechaka happened to set his eyes on Draupadi one day. He was immediately smitten by her extraordinary good looks. He wondered how such a beautiful woman lived in the palace without his seeing her. On enquiry he found out all about Sairandhri.

Keechaka confronts Draupadi

Keechaka approached the Pandava queen in her assumed role as Sairandhri and spoke his heart out to her. He told Draupadi that he would make her his “queen”. All his other wives would become her servants. He said. “A beauty like you should not spend the rest of your life doing menial jobs in the palace”.

But, Draupadi brushed him off saying that she was already married. She had five powerful Gandharvas who were constantly watching her. He asked Keechaka to better keep off her.

The queen backs with the tormentor

Keechaka was not one to be dissuaded that easily. He went to his sister Sudeshna and asked for her help. The queen first tried to dissuade him from chasing a woman married to five powerful Gandharvas. When Keechaka continued to pester her she promised help. She would ask Sairandhri to get some drinks from Keechaka’s place at night on the next new moon day.

Keechaka in high spirits

There was no limit to the joy Keechaka felt thinking that he would soon get what he desired most. He made elaborate preparations for the occasion. Drinks were ordered to me made for himself to enjoy in the company of his beloved and also for his sister. He decorated his house and bed chamber in advance. He started counting the days, hours and even the minutes for the appointed time. When the new moon day arrived he dressed himself elaborately and waited for Sairandhri to appear on her mission.

Draupadi in agony

It was a great shock for Draupadi when the queen asked her to get some drinks from her brother’s chambers at night on the next new moon day. She tried to argue with the queen that that was against the terms she had placed in the beginning. There was any number of other maids for the task. But, the queen stood firm. She assured Sairandhri that she would be safe in the house of her brother.

There was no escape for Draupadi from the errand she loathed most. She moved with trepidation into the house of Keechaka on the night. Keechaka was waiting impatiently for her arrival. When he started talking in terms of love Draupadi cut him short and asked for the drinks. That was what she had come for.
Keechaka said. “You do not have to take that trouble. I shall send a maid with the drinks for my sister. You remain with me and let us enjoy”. With those words he caught hold of Draupadi’s hand. The distraught queen of the Pandavas somehow got herself free and ran to the Virata assembly for help.

In the august assembly

Keechaka was right behind her in hot pursuit. When Draupadi reached the assembly Keechaka came running from behind and caught her by her hair. He then started kicking and pulling her at the same time.
That was the limit for Draupadi’s suffering. She was being put to shame in the assembly of the Matsya king where several high ranking citizens watched the scene in disbelief. She wailed asking for pity and help.
Yudhishthira was in the assembly. So was Bhima. Yudhishthira simply looked at Bhima for any signs of agitation on his brother’s face. Bhima was getting worked up. The senior Pandava could see his brother’s eyes turning red and his lips trembling. So, he sent a warning look directed at his brother asking him silently to cool down.

Draupadi pleaded with the Virata king for help. The king kept aloof by saying that he did not know why the two were “quarrelling”.

Other prominent members in the assembly sympathized with Draupadi and criticized Keechaka for his evil behaviour. They asked Draupadi to retire safely to the queens’ chambers. That was how the distressed queen of the Pandavas was saved from Keechaka’s clutches that day. But, she knew that she was far from being safe.
We shall conclude the story in the next episode.