Kurukshetra War - Day 11

Dronacharya, the generalissimo of the Kaurava army, arrayed his troops in the mighty Sakata Vyuha and with Karna joining the Kaurava army; the elated Kaurava warriors believed strongly that the Pandavas will be slayed by Karna. The Kaurava warriors proceeded with cheered hearts and with sureness that Duryodhana will be crowned as King, in a day or two. They felt relived expecting and wanting the battle to end sooner.

Keeping an eye on Karna leading the archers of the Kaurava army, Arjuna assembled his troops in the Krauncha Vyuha. With the sun rising in the east, the conches were blown and the doors of heaven were opened to welcome the souls destined to live the life of immortality from today. The earth shuddered as the warriors rushed towards their foes with rage. The elephants sprinted, crushing the swordsman and spike man near their legs.

Invoking mighty celestial weapons, Drona began to crush the Panchala platoon of Dhrishtadyumna. Terrified not, on witnessing Drona’s prowess, the Pandava warriors surrounded him and began to strike him with fierce, under the leadership of Arjuna, Abhimanyu, Bhīma and Sikandi. Appearing exceptionally ferocious, destructive Drona began to slaughter the Pandava troops by showering thousands and thousands of pointy arrows. Unable to withstand the prowess of Drona, the Pandava warriors scattered like clouds strewn by strong wind. The foremost warriors like King Yudhistra, Satyaki, the UpaPandavas, Nakula, Sahadeva and King Drupada rushed at Drona with their own legions.

Witnessing the Pandava troops encompassing Drona, the defenders of Dronacharya took the lead to defend him and led him a path to enter into the Pandava array.  King Salya encountered Nakula. Though not fierce and skilled than his uncle, Nakula broke the flag pole and the standard of the chariot and slew the charioteer of his uncles’, making him control the steeds.

Kekaya King Dhrishtaketu battled with Krpacharya. Mighty and valiant, both of them were equal in prowess showering pointy darts, they both tried to vanquish their foe. Likewise, the battle between King Drupada and King Bhagadatta too appeared like never ending. Arjuna faced the Trigartha army as Bhīma engaged with Vivinsati. 

Though pierced in the chest and in vital body parts, the battle between Satyaki and Kritavarman continued desiring of the antagonist’s death.With both trained under Balram and Krishna, Kritavarman was unable to vanquish the mighty and heroic Satyaki. Sahadeva encountered Saguni and in his first aim, he slew the steeds and the charioteer of King Saguni. Saguni too made Sahadeva stand grounded, not before slaying the charioteer and steeds of Sahadeva. Though deprived of chariot, filled with rage and armed with mace, they both rushed at each other and the battle between them that followed was fierce like never before.

Heroic Abhimanyu faced the mighty King of Paurava and cut off his flag pole and standard. Slaying the charioteer and the steeds and breaking the King’s bow after losing his bow to the King, Abhimanyu battled with his sword and shield, against the King who was standing chariot less. Whirling his sword at a greater speed, like lightning, he got hold of the King and raised his sword high to pierce it into the chest of the Paurava King. Before Abhimanyu could insert his sword into the King’s chest, King Jayadratha entered to save the life of the deserted King. The battle between them was intense until Abhimanyu broke the sword of King Jayadratha. Vanquished by Abhimanyu, Jayadratha ran towards his chariot and fled away from the valiant son of Arjuna. Laughing at the fleeing Jayadratha, Abhimanyu ascended his chariot and began to crush the Kaurava warriors.

The heroic son of Karna, Vrishasena, singly battled against the 5 mighty sons of Draupathi. Thousands of warriors belonging to the legions of the UpaPandavas were slaughtered by the well-aimed pointy arrows of Vrishasena. His arrows did not fail to break the standard and the flag pole of Nakula’s son, Satanika’s chariot. Desire of saving the lives of their brothers, the UpaPandavas fought with Vrishasena without retreating. Standing fearless on his chariot, Vrishasena opposed his foes with cheered heart and well-aimed arrows, just like his father. Witnessing Aswathama rushing to defend Vrishasena, the Pandavas too rushed to protect their sons.

The battle between Drona and King Yudhistra was fierce, though King Yudhistra was unable to withstand the prowess of his Guru. In a flash, Drona broke the bow of Yudhistra and with another pointy arrow he slew the Panchala Prince, Kumara, who was the defender of King Yudhistra. Even before falling, the pierced Kumara let off his stringed arrow at Drona which hit the valiant Dronacharya in his chest, piercing his armor. Witnessing the valor of Kumara, with the pierced arrow in his chest, Drona applauded the valor of the dying prince, appreciated him and blessed him. In the meantime, beholding his son dead, King Drupada along with the Panchala princes, King Virata, 5 Kekaya princes and Satyaki, rushed against Drona with rage and desire to defend King Yudhistra. The battle against Drona was exceedingly fierce but still, the mighty and immeasurably skilled and talented Dronacharya opposed them with cheered heart. The twang of Drona’s bow filled the hearts of the Pandava warriors with fear. Opposing the thousands and thousands of arrows that came towards him from all the directions, Drona, with his entire prowess broke them with his mighty darts and like lightning, with his pointy darts, he cut off the heads of the Panchala princes, Vyagradatta and Singhasena.

Like a typhoon, with his downpour of arrows, he crushed the Pandava warriors and proceeded towards King Yudhistra, with an intention of detaining him. Slaying thousands of warriors along with their charioteers, steeds and elephants, in no matter of time, Drona succeeded and he stood in front of King Yudhistra with his arrow aimed for King Yudhistra’s chest. Witnessing the terrified Yudhistra, the Kaurava warriors were filled with joy and yelled with sureness that “King Yudhistra will be slain today!” while the scared Pandava warriors fled in all directions.

The cheerfulness of the Kaurava warriors diminished, the moment they heard the twang of Arjuna’s bow and the rattle of his chariot, rode by the mighty Krishna. Relentlessly showering pointy arrows on Drona and his platoon from distance, Arjuna rushed to defend his brother. Arjuna’s arrows paved path for him to reach Drona, by slaying the Kaurava warriors standing on his way. Beholding his favorite and star pupil, excited Drona turned towards Arjuna and welcomed him with showers of arrows.

The whole area, in few seconds, appeared like dense forest of arrows. Beholding Arjuna, the fleeing Pandava soldiers, with cheered heart rushed against Drona’s legion. And then, the raged soldiers began to attack each other and shouting aloud, without any second thought, they slew their foes, for the sake of the King they have not even seen. Thousands and thousands of warriors were slaughtered and many lost their hands and legs.

Witnessing the battle getting fierce and brutal, with no sign of love and care in the hearts of the warriors, the depressed sun closed his eyes and as a result, darkness fell in, making the troops to cease their fight and retire for the day. With conchs blown and drums beaten, the exhausted soldiers returned to their tents, not sure on who won the day’s battle.  Inspiring their soldiers to battle with hope, Arjuna, Karna and Drona returned to their bivouac, hoping for a better result in tomorrow’s battle.