'I am 'Meghvarna', the leader of bandits. And I, and all of my warriors are just the disciples of my mentor. And we were getting trained since years, just to end the rule of evils in Vidarbh. Today is just a beginning, but now we assure you that no one will dare to touch the innocent villagers of Vidarbh. Our troops have started spreading over all the villages of Vidarbh. Since two years we are robbing the army of Vidarbh, and now we are capable enough to protect you all. So don't be in fear from nowonwards.' The leader of bandits 'Meghvarna' tried to convince the villagers.
Listening this, Sarvdaman came out from behind the tree and stepped towards Meghvarna, 'And how you will do this?'
Meghvarna turned back listening this voice, 'Sarvdaman, the prince of Hastinapur. I was waiting for you.'
Sarvdaman came nearer to Meghvarna, 'You are fighting for a great cause, Meghvarna. I really appreciate you for this.'
Meghvarna smiled, 'How could I believe you? You too belong to the royal people.'
'But I want to help you.' Sarvdaman replied.
Meghvarna stared at Sarvdaman, 'I don't have any reason to trust you. You can leave now.'
'But….'
'I am saying, you can leave now. I don't need your support.' Meghvarna confronted Sarvdaman.
Sarvdaman stepped back and turned towards his horse. He ascended on his horse and stared at Meghvarna, 'All royal people are not same, Meghvarna.'
Meghvarna ignored his words. Sarvdaman pulled the rein of horse and rushed towards the jungle.
While Vrihdutt reached in the court of Vidarbh. King Jaivardhan was astonished to see his condition.
'How this happened?' Jaivardhan asked Vrihdutt.
'The group of bandits in the jungle, my lord.' Vrihdutt replied.
Furious Jaivardhan stood up from his throne, 'It means, today they dared to attack on our army openly. It's enough, now I will handle this.'
'Sure, my lord.' Vrihdutt joined his hands in front of Jaivardhan.
Jaivardhan stepped down from his throne and came nearer to Vrihdutt, 'What's their count?'
'They are five thousands in number. And their leader has challenged you that if you have the guts, then only you should dare to touch the innocent villagers.' Vrihdutt tried to provoke Jaivardhan at his level best.
Jaivardhan was furious listening this, 'Prepare the army. I will crush all those bandits. And that will be the example and symbol of terror for those villagers who are supporting these robbers.'
'Sure, my lord.' Vrihdutt smiled.
Within a day, two akshauhini army was prepared. Jaivardhan ascended on his chariot inspected the whole army. Then he came near to army chief Vrihdutt.
'So what's the strategy?'
'They are bandits, my lord. They will never attack face to face. I think we should use some part of our army to capture the villagers. That is the only way to bring out those bandits in the battlefield. We should attack at least two villages, so that they get divided and confused. They have only one leader. And if they get divided, there power will surely reduce. I will lead one part of our army, and you will lead the second. And in case of emergency we have two secret weapons, you know what I mean.' Vrihdutt explained the plan.
'Yes, I know what you mean. We will use those weapons in case of emergency.' Jaivardhan smiled.
While the groups of bandits were in the cave. Soon one bandit came to his leader and informed him, 'The information has arrived, my lord. They have planned to attack on two villages, to bring us out and to confuse us.'
The leader of bandits stood up and smiled, 'They think that we have only one leader. They think that we are only five thousand in number. But we are five thousand more, and they didn't know that. Go and inform my friend 'Chandraketu', the time has come that he too joins us, with his Gandharvas troops.'
'Sure, my lord.' The messenger left.
The army of Vidarbh was divided in two parts. One was under leadership of Jaivardhan and another part was under the guidance of Vrihdutt.
They both set out to attack on the two villages of Vidarbh. But Meghvarna and Chandraketu were alert for this.
Vrihdutt was travelling through the jungle with his army. Suddenly bunch of arrows arrived from all the four sides, those arrows injured many troops of Vrihdutt.
'How can this happen? How come they know that we are passing from here?' Vrihdutt was astonished.
'Proceed towards the open ground.' Vrihdutt ordered his troops.
Many troops were killed by those arrows, and rest others followed the command of their leader.
Soon they all reached in an open ground. Thereafter, Vrihdutt challenged, 'You coward bandits, attacking from back. Don't you have guts to come in front?'
Listening this, one warrior jumped from the tree and came in front of Vrihdutt. His face was covered, 'We are not bandits. We are Gandharvas, and we are here to protect the villagers from you.'
Soon five thousand Gandharvas were behind their leader. All faces were covered with the brown clothes and turban brown turban on their heads.
'Why you all are coming in between? We are here to fight with the bandits, who have been continuously robbing us since years.' Vrihdutt was quite astonished.
The leader of Gandharvas stepped forward and said, 'Those bandits are not alone, we are with them.'
Vrihdutt was astonished, but he laughed at the very next moment, 'Are you serious? You are just around five thousand, and look at the army behind me. It's more than one lakh, how you will face us?'
The leader of Gandharvas stared at Vrihdutt and smiled, 'You will soon get to know what we can do and what we cannot.' He then turned towards his soldiers.
'Soldiers, Swastika (an ancient symbol in the form of an equal-armed cross with each arm continued at a right angle) vyuha.' He commanded the five thousand Gandharvas to form the vyuha.
Within few moments the vyuha was formed as they were prepared earlier for this. Vrihdutt was astonished to see their perfection.
'Shields…' The leader of Gandharvas commanded his troops.
All the soldiers covered themselves with long huge shields and pulled out spears.
'What type of strategy is this? Never seen before or heard about this vyuha.' Vrihdutt was completely shocked to see the Swastika vyuha.
'Rotate the Swastika with full speed.' The leader of Gandharvas commanded.
'Attack…' Vrihdutt commanded his troops to attack.
The army of Vidrabh rushed towards the opponent. But they got scared to see the tremendous speed of Swastika vyuha.
That vyuha begins the destruction of his opponents. The troops of Vidarbh were falling like fruits of the shaking tree. They were unable to match the speed of the Gandharvas.
Vrihdutt was completely shocked, 'Who has trained these warriors? Our troops has lost confidence in front of them. It seems that each one of these warriors have capability to defeat hundreds of soldiers. I have to alert the King.'
Vrihdutt called one of his soldier, 'Go and inform the King. It's the time of emergency, he should use our secret weapon.'
'Sure, my lord.' That soldier ascends on his horse and rushed towards King Jaivardhan.
While Vrihdutt was still in deep thoughts, 'Who is the traitor among us? How come they got to know our strategy? If the Gandharvas are here, then surely King Jaivardhan would be facing the bandits.' Vrihdutt pulled out his sword and rushed towards the Swastika vyuha.
While on the other side Jaivardhan was proceeding towards one village with very small part of his army. The groups of bandits were astonished to see him with very less amount of soldiers.
'What's happening? Why King Jaivardhan has come up with only this much army?' Leader of bandits Meghvarna was astonished.
'It seems that he is too much confident because of his archery skills. That's why he has come with only around ten thousand troops.' One of the bandit said.
'The situation doesn't seem so simple, let's wait and watch.' Meghvarna and other bandits were hidden behind the tree.
King Jaiva
rdhan and his army was in open ground. After few moments, Jaivardhan evocated the divine weapon Agneyastra, and announced, 'This is a divine weapon which can alone destroy a village. So I am warning you all, if you want to save the villagers, come out. I will wait for very limited time, come out.'
Meghvarna was in dilemma, 'We don't have time to work on any other plan neither we have any other option. I cannot put the life of villagers in danger, we have to come out.'
'But you can destroy this divine weapon of Jaivardhan within moments.' One of the bandit suggested.
'I am not a coward. I will face him from front. Also we don't have any reason to step back, they are just ten thousand. Don't you trust me?' Meghvarna asked that troop.
'We believe you, my lord.'
'Then trust me, we have to face him.'
Meghvarna and his bandits came out in the open ground. Jaivardhan stared at those bandits, all faces were covered with black clothes.
Jaivardhan smiled, 'So you were the warriors who challenged me? Who is your leader?'
'I am the one.' Meghvarna came in front with a bow in his hand.
'Oh, so you are an archer. What do you think? You can compete with me?' Jaivardhan (Subaahu) laughed at him.
'It seems that you are too much confident. Let's see who wins. Believe me, our each troops are capable to kill your hundreds of soldiers. Let's do it.' Meghvarna ascended on his horse and raised his bow.
'Attack…..' Jaivardhan ordered his troops.
Ten thousands troops of Vidarbh rushed towards the bandits.
'Suchimukh vyuha (needle formation of army)…' Meghvarna commanded his troops.
Jaivardhan was completely stunned to see the speed of those bandits while forming the vyuha, 'Who trained these warriors? Really, they are much better than our troops.'
While Jaivardhan was in deep thoughts, Meghvarna challenged him, 'What happened King? Are you scared?'
Jaivardhan was furious listening this, he raised his bow and shoots an arrow towards Meghvarna.
Meghvarna also shoots an arrow to reply him. Jaivardhan was astonished to see the speed and strength of his arrow.
'You are a skilled warrior. It will be a great fun fighting with you.' Jaivardhan started his rain of arrows towards Meghvarna. While Meghvarna replied him too.
Soon a soldier ascended on his horse arrives there and informed Jaivardhan, 'My lord. Army chief Vrihdutt has turned weak. The army of Gandharvas are also with these bandits. Army chief Vrihdutt has ordered me to give you the signal of emergency.'
'I will decide when to use those secret weapons. You go from here right now.' Jaivardhan continued fighting with Meghvarna.
While on the other side, the rotating Swastika vyuha of Gandharvas army destroyed almost half of the army of Vidarbh under Vrihdutt.
Vrihdutt was completely disturbed, he was unable to think what to do. He tried to inspect the Swastika vyuha, suddenly his eyes noticed the eight muscular men who were at the center of the Swastika vyuha. Four of those muscular warriors were having one each poles in their hands through which the soldiers were tied along with the spears and shield in their hands. Rest four were pushing the other four respectively to rotate the Swastika. The four lines of Swastika were attached through those eight warriors.
'If any one warrior will fall, then may be this whole vyuha will be disturbed.' Vrihdutt picked up his bow and sets a target towards a warrior at the center of the Swastika vyuha.
But the leader of Gandharvas noticed it, who was at one point of that Swastika vyuha. He commanded his troops, 'One from each point, come out.'
On his command, one warrior from all the other three points of Swastika opened their knots rushed out, they gets into position and covered themselves with shields. Seeing this, Vrihdutt shoots the arrow without wasting any time.
The leader of Gandharvas jumped on the shields and takes that arrow on his chest. But he didn't bothered about that, he jumped towards Vrihdutt and made a fierce smash on his face.
Vrihdutt falls from his horse, and soon was under the feet of Gandharva's leader. The leader of Gandharvas pulled out the arrow from his chest and confronted Vrihdutt, 'I am very thankful to you, that you made me realize my mistakes. But it's not too easy to destroy this vyuha. This is my vyuha, the Swastika vyuha of 'Chandraketu'.' 'Chandraketu', the leader of Gandharavas announced proudly.
Thereafter, leader of Gandharvas 'Chandraketu' stared at Vrihdutt, 'People like you don't deserve to survive, today I will free you from all your sins'. Then he took a spear and was about to stab Vrihdutt.
Vrihdutt closed his eyes in fear of death, but Chandraketu failed to kill him. One rotating sword arrives and breaks the spear in two parts. Chandraketu was stunned to see the warrior in front of him, 'King Jaivardhan, how come he has arrived here?'
Seeing this, Vrihdutt kicks Chandraketu and pushed him back.
Thereafter, Vrihdutt stared at Chandraketu, 'Don't be surprised, Chandraketu. He is not King Jaivardhan, he is one of the secret weapons of Vidarbh's army. He is the eldest son of King Jaivardhan, who look same as like his father, and the fierce warrior like him too. The crown prince of Vidarbh, Prince 'Digvijay' is now here to challenge you.' Vrihdutt introduced his prince proudly in front of Chandraketu.
Pince Digvijay ascended on his horse, rushed towards Chandraketu. While Chandraketu made a fierce blow on Vrihdutt's face. The army chief of Vidarbh falls down and loses his consciousness.
Thereafter, Chandraketu stared at Digvijay and commanded his troops, 'Soldiers, the Swastika vyuha should not be disturbed, keep destroying your opponents.'
Chandraketu picked up a spear and a shield and waited till Digvijay arrived there. Prince Digvijay stepped down from his horse and came nearer to Chandraketu, 'Your eyes says that you are too much confident.'
'And your eyes represent your vanity, as like your father.' Chandraketu stared at Digvijay.
'Soldiers, move backward.' Digvijay raised his hand and commanded his troops.
The soldiers of Vidarbh stepped backward. Chandraketu also signaled to stop rotating the Swastika vyuha.
Digvijay smiled, 'Well, you predicted my intentions. I was thinking that, what is the use of sacrificing all these soldiers? Let us decide the result of this war between us.'
'The duel among us. Am I right?' Chandraketu smiled.
'Yes, you got it right. Bring my weapons.' Digvijay ordered his soldier.
Soon a shield and a spear was in hands of both the warriors Digvijay and Chandraketu. They both rushed towards each other, one more duel started.
While on the other side, Jaivardhan continued fighting with Meghvarna. Jaivardhan looked over his army, the troops of Vidarbh were continuously falling.
'It's time to use the second secret weapon.' Jaivardhan raised his bow and shoots the arrow in the backward direction.
Thereafter, Jaivardhan again started fighting with Meghvarna.
That arrow shot by Jaivardhan at the backward side, embeds in a tree.
Perhaps, this was a signal. Around one lakh soldiers came out from the dense forest. A warrior ascended on his horse with a bow in his hand was leading that part of army.
Meghvarna was stunned seeing this. When he was thinking that he has almost won this war, one lakh more warriors came in front of him. Seeing this Meghvarna commanded his troops 'Soldiers, increase your speed.'
Return of the Demon Lord Durbheeksh Page 24
