‘True. But only in the event of head-on assaults, as I have been told. If your intent is, as you said, to strategically deploy our forces, then… Also, the day before, Commander Dhrstyadymn’s unique use of the makara-crocodile array as an offensive and not as a defence formation left the enemy with no choice but to form a defensive makara of their own. It worked well for us, to the point that Acharya Dron was severely incapacitated. The Commander was near-unstoppable, till you ordered us to reform into the suchivyuha or needle formation…’
‘Are you saying you are a better military strategist than I am, boy?’ Dharma flared.
‘He is saying,’ Chief Virat said, ‘that the Needle would have been an effective move had we continued to keep Commander Dhrstyadymn and the others in the lead. Instead, you had them pulled back and put our infantry in the vanguard of the formation. Look what that led to… Doesn’t it show how the enemy reads you as not aggressive in the least, that they used a simple maze formation yesterday? And instead of surrounding the maze and breaking through it, you ordered a diamond formation to hold the line… My daughter was at the lead of the array with our men when Bhagadatta’s elephants began trampling them down. If Shikandin hadn’t broken formation to go to their aid, Uttara – your daughter-in-law – would be dead!’
Dharma was stunned. He looked from Virat to Uttara, then back to Virat again. ‘What was she doing there?’ he asked.
‘Not all unit commanders believe in leading from the back.’ The retort came, unexpectedly, from Sadev.
‘Agraja, the Chief is right,’ Nakul added. ‘Right now, Syoddhan is fighting this war a lot better than we are. And I don’t mean just the fact that his side uses astra-weapons. For all our attempts at strategy, he is not without his plans either. He has ordered all his other commanders to protect Bhisma, while the Grandsire decimates our armies, unchecked. Each Firewright arrow Bhisma fires brings down hundreds of men! Add to that the trouble from Bhagadatta’s elephants…’
Dharma protested, ‘Our strength is hardly depleted! Look, we’re all here!’
‘Really?’ Virat took up the argument again. ‘Eight days, and my numbers are less than a third of what we began with. Do you know how many dead Matsyans that is? You’ve walked right into Syoddhan’s trap, Dharma. You’re still confident because your precious commanders and kinsmen are around you, but what about the soldiers who have died waging your war? Syoddhan and Bhisma see what you don’t – that those men are your true strength, and you are wasting their lives. Once they are dead, it will take but one well-aimed arrow from Bhisma to bring your elite group of warriors down, and then it’ll be over. We have got to defeat Bhisma before he kills us all. Give the orders, else…’
Dharma gasped. ‘What is this? Mutiny? Rebellion? If you lot would rather go throw yourself at Syoddhan’s feet, go now! The fault is mine for…’
‘My apologies, Your Highness.’ At a sign from Shikandin, Uttamaujas went down on one knee before Dharma. ‘I did not mean to question your judgement. But I fear for my people, and Chief Virat’s, as well as the herdsmen of Kashi and the farmers of the southern nations…’ He bit his lip, trying to make himself complete the apology. ‘But…but I must ask these questions, so that I may answer those who in turn ask them of me. I was in the lead with my men today, when we used the sringataka-horned formation to break the enemy’s ocean array. Just one skilled archer of Yuyudhana’s or Partha’s competence, not to mention the use of astra-weapons, would have saved countless lives. The enemy was picking us off at their leisure, from a distance, as we rushed forward again and again to break their lines. Good soldiers died today before they had broken a sweat or struck a blow. They died in vain, running around like mad men, because they had been told to do so. We had no chance…’
‘Why you…’ An enraged Yudhamanyu grabbed Uttamaujas by his arm and lifted him to his feet. ‘How dare you, you forest-monkey? How dare you speak to Emperor Dharma this way? And what do you know of battle or honour, or dying in vain!’ He spat, accurately, on Uttamaujas’s foot.
‘Yudhamanyu!’ Both Shikandin and Dhrstyadymn raised their voices at once.
Yudhamanyu looked from one to the other. ‘You…’ he pointed to Shikandin. ‘You are nothing to me. Nothing. But you, Uncle Dhrstyadymn, I thought you’d…’ He shook his head, and with renewed wrath flew at Uttamaujas, landing a punch directly to his face.
Uttamaujas fell backwards from the impact, but had the presence of mind to grab Yudhamanyu and drag him down. The two rolled on the floor, trading blows and abuses, leaving everyone else at a loss for what to do. Dhrupad, their grandfather, drew his sword, the scrape of metal driving Dhrstyadymn and Panchali to protectively leap forward. They tried to separate the two brawling lads, but neither would listen. Shikandin retreated to a corner, arms crossed on his chest, well aware that his intervention would just make matter worse.
‘Enough!’ The voice rang above the tumult, something in its tone bringing them all, including the fighting men, to a stop. Abhimanyu made his way into the tent, his eyes fixed on Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas. A petrified Kshatradharman was clinging to him. Without taking his eyes off the two brawlers, Abhimanyu took a dagger out from his waistband and held it out to the boy. ‘Kshatradharman! Your brother is in danger. Take this weapon to him, so that he can strike back.’
The young boy eagerly took the dagger. He ran ahead a few steps but came to a stop as confusion spread over on his innocent face. He turned back to Abhimanyu and whispered, as though fearful to speak, ‘Which one?’
‘What?’ Abhimanyu persisted. ‘I didn’t hear you.’
Again the boy whispered. ‘Which one? Which of my two brothers do you want me to take this to?’
Abhimanyu walked up to stand next to the trembling boy. ‘Well, which one of them do you like better?’
‘Sometimes I like Uttamaujas. He plays with me and tells me stories. But sometimes I like Yudhamanyu. He lets me pet his horse and teaches me about swords and riding…but only when no one can see us. I like them both.’
‘But they are fighting. So whose side are you on, Kshatradharman?’
The child stared at the dagger he was holding till tears welled up in his eyes. Finally, he confessed. ‘I don’t know why they are fighting. They are not enemies. The enemy is there…across the battlefield.’ He buried his face in Abhimanyu’s chest, his innocent courage spent.
Abhimanyu patted the boy on the back and took the dagger from him. A relieved Kshatradharman retreated, running immediately to Shikandin. Abhimanyu sheathed the weapon, and strode over to where Uttamaujas and Yudhamanyu still lay on the ground. He hauled them both up to a standing position.
‘That child,’ Abhimanyu said, ‘that boy…your brother…has more sense and decency that you two grown louts! Shame on you! Have you, for a moment, thought of anyone or anything beyond yourselves and your injured pride? You, Yudhamanyu, you think your father betrayed your mother? Have you bothered to ask your father what the truth is, or why he did what he did? Don’t you think that, like you, he too wished for a life beyond being a prince, a ceremonial, political toy? Why can’t you give him a fraction of the consideration you think you deserve? And you, Uttamaujas. Stop behaving as though every nobleman is out to get you and your people. Am I not one of “your people”? Will you not fight with me? I’ve not looked back once when you’ve been in my rearguard; tell me, was that a mistake? By Hara, you two disgust me!’
Abhimanyu marched out of the tent, muttering to himself. Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas glanced shamefully around the tent, and then at each other. By unspoken agreement, they got to their feet and followed Abhimanyu, to pacify him.
A silence reigned after the three young men had gone, not completely unpleasant as Uttara and Govinda exchanged proud smiles, while Bhim glowed with appreciation.
‘Well, that is that,’ Dharma said, in what he thought was the conclusion of the meeting. ‘As for tomorrow’s formation… Let’s sleep on it, shall we? There has been enough excitement for the day. We
shall meet again in the morning.’
Either out of physical tiredness or a different kind of weariness, everyone gathered in the Command Tent dispersed without another word.
4
ABHIMANYU LET OUT A SHRILL, MOST UN-WARRIORLIKE CURSE and quickly held up the small cloth he had been using to dry himself to hide what he could of his nude form. It had been a long day in many ways and he had been glad to enjoy some solitude and a hot bath at the end of it. Just when he thought he was done for the day, he found Uttara peering into his tent while he was still as naked as the day he was born. Oh well, he thought, settling for whatever lay ahead. Knowing Uttara, it could be an argument.
Uttara was affected neither by his resigned attitude nor his state of undress. ‘Oh please!’ she said, entering his tent and taking a seat as she continued to look straight at Abhimanyu. He, in turn, decided that two could play the game. He let the cloth drop to the floor and sauntered over to Uttara. It pleased him that she did not avert her gaze. ‘You wished to see me, Mahamatra?’ he asked, hands on his bare hips.
‘I did. Unless this is an inconvenient time?’
‘I could never be inconvenienced by a beautiful woman. Especially not my wife.’
Uttara ignored his reference to their marriage, saying instead, ‘You did well today, with Uttamaujas and Yudhamanyu.’
‘You came here to tell me that?’
‘I…’ she faltered and, standing up, ran her hand over a arrow-wound on Abhimanyu’s torso. If she noticed the way the light of the flickering brazier played over the taut muscles of his chest and arms she betrayed no sign of it.
‘It will leave a scar,’ Abhimanyu said. ‘Yet another reason to find me unattractive, I suppose.’
‘If that was in jest, Abhimanyu, it is not in the least funny. But then, when have you been capable of saying anything intelligent.’
‘Not since I met you, that’s for sure.’
Uttara studied Abhimanyu’s handsome but stern countenance. He was close, and she could smell the sandalwood and cinnamon that she recognized as his unique musk, mingled faintly with the turmeric he had used as a disinfectant during his bath. Her heart began to beat faster and Uttara tried hard to appear unaffected. But when Abhimanyu’s eyes narrowed, and he bit his lower lip without knowing he was doing so, she was left with no doubt that he felt just as she did. They stood that way in silence, Abhimanyu unable to look away from Uttara’s large eyes, just as she could not bear to take her hand off him. The sound of footsteps passing by brought them both back to their senses.
Uttara said, keeping her voice deliberately casual. ‘We are at war. There will be scars. Anyway, I came to tell you that the Chief is here. He and his men are camped in the valley to the south-east. I sent word for them to remain there till I came for them. I asked them to be patient. Dharma Yudhisthir hasn’t made up his mind about doing battle on the day of the eclipse as yet; who knows when our leaders will be able to raise the matter of the Chief’s arrival with him.’
‘Eclipse… That is in five days, is it not?’
Uttara sighed. ‘Yes. A solar eclipse. Unless you still believe what you were told as a child – that it’s a demon who chases the sun and gobbles it up?’
‘Give me a hungry demon any day! I’ve been listening to completely useless and boring debates amongst some of the commanders on whether it contravenes the ethics of war to fight during the eclipse, and if it does do the usual rules not apply, and do the muhurttas after the eclipse count as a new day… And always, always, it comes back somehow to astra weapons. The enemy has them and we don’t. That singular fact is used to support the idea that we, too, should use astra weapons, and also to argue against their use. But then, you know all that…’
‘Yes. But about the eclipse…what have they decided?’
Abhimanyu groaned. ‘They haven’t! Of course, Emperor Dharma insists the eclipse is an omen that Syoddhan will surrender, but King Dhrupad has said if we were going to bring in omens and all that, we could well interpret it the other way, too. That shook the Emperor up a bit, but Father…that is, Uncle Govinda, actually fell asleep during the discussion, or he pretended to! Have you told him yet, by the way? About the Chief and his men?’
‘No. I came to tell you first. I’ll go find him now.’ Uttara turned to leave, but then glanced at Abhimanyu over her shoulder. ‘It wasn’t unpleasant, you know – our trip. To go find Chief Hidimbya, I mean. You weren’t half as irritating to spend time with as I thought you’d be. I could get used to you.’
By the time Abhimanyu could put words together in response, Uttara was gone. Pushing aside the temptations that flooded his mind and wracked his body, he retired for the night.
The soft scrape of fabric was all it took to rouse Abhimanyu from his sleep. He sat up at once in bed, in the same move drawing the dagger that he kept under his pillow.
‘Shh. It’s me.’ He heard Uttara’s voice through the darkness. Throwing aside the dagger, he stoked the wick lamp next to his bed into a bright flame to see her standing by his bed.
‘What happened?’ he asked.
‘I-I had to tell you… I love you, Abhimanyu….’
Abhimanyu looked up at his wife, surprised and overjoyed by her frank tone. Her eyes glowed with desire and unrestrained affection. At that, he felt something die in him and something else come to life instead. No longer was his the raging passion of youth but it was more. He wanted to be close and closer still; to revel in the precious, private intimacy that was theirs and theirs alone. He wanted every joy life had to offer to be theirs till they were old and wrinkled and still irrevocably in love. Reaching out, he pulled her to him, wanting nothing more than to be one with her in the most intimate way possible.
Later, as they lay awake in each other’s arms, Abhimanyu said, ‘I love you too, Uttara. I did not think I’d fall in love with you so quickly or so deeply, but I have…’
Uttara swallowed hard and tried to will back the tears, but could not. Neither could Abhimanyu. Gently, they brushed each other’s tears away and bundled their naked forms tighter against each other, cherishing the moment. They lay that way for a long time, talking of things past and dreaming of their future together till they fell into a content sleep.
5
MORNING BROUGHT WITH IT SETTLED TEMPERS AND RENEWED focus. Dharma, particularly, seemed determined to show firmness and benevolence at once. He refused to compromise on his strategy with the formations, but did agree to some changes in the arrangement of the different divisions – though few thought his decisions were of consequence. Some sections of the Matsya and Kashi infantry were replaced with archers and sharp-shooters from one of the Naga-descended tribes of the north whom Partha had brought under submission decades ago during the Imperial campaign. Rumour had it that Partha enjoyed more than just loyalty from the princess who led these tribes, and it was these affections that had brought her people to Kuru’s Fields. Dharma tried hard to ignore all such talk and to gratefully accept the strength his forces gained from their numbers.
‘It will help to have archers in the vanguard,’ Dhrstyadymn admitted, but then added, ‘we…we could do with reinforcements. We can barely scrape a full formation together with the infantry we now have. I hate to say this, Dharma, but a day or two longer is all we can last before it comes down to us – the unit commanders – and only us. What few elephants we have are nearly all dead. Our horses remain, but… We need to find a way to destroy Bhagadatta, and for that we need reinforcements.’
Dharma was adamant. ‘We don’t need reinforcements. And if we did, who would we call on?’
‘We’ve had this conversation before, Dharma.’ Dhrstyadymn said.
‘And you know I disagree with you. Besides, it’s too late now. They’re too far away to help.’
Govinda said, ‘They are here. They’re in the woods on the northern face of the hills. They are ready to join battle at our command. Send Uttara to bring them to camp. Tell her to take Balahak.’
The oth
ers watched, perplexed, as Dharma floundered and then found a grip on himself. ‘Uttara…Now I see, Govinda. Now I see why you sent Abhimanyu and Uttara on this particular task. You had planned it all along, haven’t you? What have you tempted Hidimbya here with? My crown? And is that a false promise that you have made, or do you indeed intend to…’
Govinda interrupted, impatient. ‘Yes, I’d planned it all along, despite your objections. You can try me for treason in peacetime, if that’s what you want. But right now there’s a war going on, and we are not winning it.’
‘Stop treating me like a fool, Govinda. You know well why I refused to heed your advice on this.’
Govinda looked around at the others, and chose his words carefully. ‘Because it upsets your precious Divine Order? Abhimanyu! Come here.’ The young man complied. Govinda laid an affectionate hand on his back and continued, ‘If it’s of any interest to you, Dharma, he knew. He has known all along. In fact, all Hidimbya wanted was to be left alone, but Abhimanyu and Uttara are the ones who have brought him here, convinced his people to fight on your side.’
Dharma turned to Abhimanyu, who nodded in agreement. Dharma was visibly disappointed. ‘All right,’ he said, in a choked voice. ‘But I don’t want to see that Rikshasa here in the Command Tent, ever. Is that clear?’ With that, he left the tent. At a sign from Govinda, Bhim followed him out.
Chief Virat waited till they were gone, and then asked, ‘Who’s waiting in woods?’
‘Hmm?’
‘Govinda, tell us! Who?’
‘Bhim’s son. He was born before Panchali and Dharma were married…’
‘But that would make him…’
‘I know. It makes him the eldest of all the children and heir to Dharma’s throne. Abhimanyu has planned to install him as Crown Prince in his stead once this was over…’
The Aryavarta Chronicles Kurukshetra: Book 3 Page 24
