The Aryavarta Chronicles Kurukshetra: Book 3 (39 page)

‘You’re right, Yudhamanyu. But won’t the young lady need an excuse too?’

‘Oh, I think she can take care of herself…’

‘If the two of you don’t mind….’ Uttara took the banter in her stride.

‘Oh not at all, Mahamatra, we don’t mind at all. Now, with your permission, we shall leave you two love-birds alone,’ Pradymna said, leading Yudhamanyu out. Their laughter could be heard for a long time, fading eventually into the distance.

‘We’re late! I need to get ready. My armour’s still in my tent.’ Uttara made to leave.

‘Forget it,’ Abhimanyu said. ‘Come here.’ He pulled Uttara into his arms again.

‘For a quick kiss?’ she teased.

‘A kiss and more. I intend for us both to be very, very late for the muster today…’

Abhimanyu felt time pass in a pleasant daze long after Uttara had left him. He arrived at the Command Tent feeling guilty, but also quite pleased. As he had expected, the troops had left for the day, but to Abhimanyu’s surprise Uttara’s horse was also not in the stables – she had managed to join her divisions with only a little delay. He smiled to himself at the thought of his determined wife, wondering how she had been able to apply herself to the task of leading forces when he knew well that she had enjoyed their intimate morning as much as he had, but his mirth gave way to concern when he found Dharma, Shikandin and Dhrstyadymn inside the Command Tent, along with Virat, Dhrupad, Bhim, Nakul, Yuyudhana and Sadev. Nearly all the commanders were back at camp. Panchali and Dhaumya were, as always, present, and so was his mother, Subadra.

‘What took you so long? Where have you been?’ Dharma began, as soon as he noticed Abhimanyu.

‘Let it be,’ Dhrstyadymn said. ‘We’ve got more urgent things to discuss. The armies cannot hold their defensive positions any longer. We need to give them orders, and soon.’

‘What orders can we give them? Do you know what to do now, Commander?’ Dharma snapped.

‘I don’t,’ Dhrstyadymn confessed. ‘To be honest, I’d always thought that the wheel formation was more of legend than reality. At the end of the day, one can spout theories and principles all they like but organizing the wheel takes sheer genius, not to mention great leadership. Dron has truly proved that he is the best strategist of our times, maybe in all history.’

‘Never mind the adulation,’ Yuyudhana said. ‘What are we going to do?’

‘Do you have any suggestions?’

‘Yes. Let me take a single horse and go find Govinda. Of course, if he doesn’t know what to do…’

‘He does,’ Abhimanyu suddenly spoke. ‘Uncle Govinda knows how to form and break the wheel. And I suspect that Acharya Dron expects him to know. What else could explain the fact that most of the unit commanders are here right now, but for my father and Uncle Govinda?’

‘He’s right,’ Dhrstyadymn said. ‘Our lookouts and scouts report that Dron has drawn Partha right to the other end of the battlefield. The entire Samsaptaka clan of warriors stands between them and us. This would explain why. Even if you tried to take a message through, Yuyudhana, I doubt…’

‘That leaves us where we started,’ Dharma said.

Abhimanyu hesitated, then said, ‘Not exactly.’

‘What do you mean?’

In response, the young man stepped up to the huge table and took up a piece of parchment. ‘The idea of the wheel,’ he began drawing on the parchment as he spoke, ‘is to force the enemy between two fronts, and crush them in between. As you all must have seen, the arrangement begins with one battalion or division in the middle. This is the metaphorical hub of the wheel. Around it, you have spokes – more battalions, each with their backs to the hub and facing outwards in different directions. At the edges are the rims. These divisions are spread out wide, unlike the spokes, which are concentrated lengthwise.’

Bhim scowled. ‘That is a complex formation, no doubt. It must be tough to move it – what if we do nothing? What if we don’t attack and simply wait for the enemy to break out of the Wheel?’

‘No,’ Abhimanyu said. ‘The wheel is an attack formation. What happens is that each division, each man, moves diagonally, making the wheel rotate as a whole and come forward at the same time. See…’ He drew some more lines on the parchment as he continued to explain. ‘Assume we wait for them to come to us. The first division of their wheel would hit our front at an angle, like a wedge. We would be forced to move in an arc. By then their second division – the neighbouring bit of their rim – would hit our arc from the other side. We’d be crushed between the two segments of their rim.’

‘What if we attack? We can break through between segments or divisions…’ Dharma said.

‘Which is precisely what the enemy hopes we might be tempted to do. It becomes easier for them to catch us in between. You see, Uncle Bhim, we tend to think of these battalions as usual, stationary groups that move only on command. But in the wheel formation, nothing is stationary; the divisions are constantly moving. Imagine twenty thousand elephants bearing down from your left, while you’re already fighting with a front on your right…’

Every face turned grim, as it became clear what Abhimanyu was talking about. He continued, ‘Uncle Govinda said that it’s unimaginably difficult to get this formation right. It takes, as Dhrstyadymn rightly said, a military genius, an excellent commander. But, if it’s well done, then…’ he shrugged.

‘Then, there’s no way…?’ Dharma asked, in a small voice.

‘There is…’ Abhimanyu said. ‘But I know just a part of it…’

‘How?’ Bhim asked, excitement creeping into his voice.

‘Well, if you go in between the rims…that is, any two divisions of the wheel, quickly enough… Instead of engaging with the first two fronts here,’ he pointed to the sketch he had drawn out, ‘if you kept going, breaking through the gap, you wouldn’t be stopped till you reached the hub or the central division of the formation. Once the centre is destroyed, you can start breaking the wheel from the inside out, but… I’m sorry; I don’t know how that’s done.’

Dharma pursed his lips and studied the diagram before him. ‘But you know how to get in? How to break into the wheel?’

‘Yes…’

‘Fine. You lead us in then. We’ll be right behind you.’

‘No, Dharma! This is too dangerous…’ Shikandin protested.

‘Nonsense. We’ll be right behind Abhimanyu. Once we are all in, the formation is as good as broken. We can take it from there.’

Dhrstyadymn began, ‘Dharma, I don’t think…’

‘By Hara, what’s gotten into you all?’ Dharma shouted, silencing the murmurs. He glanced around, meeting each one’s gaze, daring them to object. However, he could not bring himself to look at the visibly horrified Panchali.

‘I’ll ask you once again, Abhimanyu. You do know how to break into the wheel formation, right?’

‘Yes, I do. The trick is to hold off the enemy to both sides instead of waiting for attack from the front. It’ll take a lot arrows, but well-supplied as we are by Matsya’s forges that is hardly a constraint for us.’

‘All right,’ Shikandin said, ‘I shall lead the attack then. Get our armies into position. Abhimanyu can tell me once again how it’s done, and
I’ll
break into the Wheel.’

‘And since when does a Prince of the Kurus need an irreverent woodsman to lead him?’ Dharma snapped. ‘Abhimanyu is Partha’s blood. He’s
my
son and heir to
my
throne. He doesn’t need you to show him how to fight!’

‘This isn’t the time for whatever grudges you may bear against me, Dharma. What you’re asking Abhimanyu to do: it isn’t brave, it’s foolish. He will some day be a great warrior, a better fighter than all of us put together. But to be that warrior, he must live and learn!’

Dharma ignored Shikandin and turned instead to Abhimanyu. ‘Are you afraid? Be honest! Or do you believe the rumours that the Firewrights can control the eclipse and use it to infuse power into their astras? You call yourself Abhimanyu Karshni, of the line of Krishna the Dark-skinned, Govinda Shauri’s son. Don’t tell me you believe in such irrational tales…?’

Panchali stood up meaning to speak, but Dharma held up a hand. A strange air came over Abhimanyu as he looked from one to the other. He declared, resolute, ‘No, Your Highness, I don’t believe in such tales. I am not afraid!’

‘Then it is settled. Lead us.’

The commanders stormed out, ready for battle. Dharma gave a sign, and heralds trilled orders out to the waiting armies, to make ready to march.

Abhimanyu went up to Subadra and Panchali. ‘Wish me well. I shall see you both in the evening, then.’ He began walking towards his battle rig.

Subadra took a few dazed steps forward and stood staring at Abhimanyu as he issued instructions to his captains. ‘Rudra, please don’t let him be hurt,’ she prayed out loud.

‘Don’t worry,’ Dhaumya’s voice, dull and lifeless, sounded behind her. See, Shikandin is with him.’

Despite Dharma’s insults, Shikandin had no intentions of letting Abhimanyu break into the wheel on his own. The two men now had their vehicles alongside, and Shikandin was, to Abhimanyu’s amusement, issuing firm instructions to both their horsemen.

And then, with a cheerful wave at those who remained behind, Abhimanyu was gone.

‘Don’t tell me Dharma has sent a
boy
to break this formation!’ Vasusena said to Dron, as they watched Abhimanyu and his men move, determined, towards the rim of the wheel. He added, ‘He can’t, can he?’

‘No, not unless…’ Dron hesitated, but then said, vehement, ‘No, he can’t. But he is a grown man, and it wouldn’t do to underestimate him either. Far too many have paid with their lives for that mistake in these past days.’

‘I don’t like this. Shikandin is with him…’ Dussasan observed.

‘We’d better inform Syoddhan. Where is he?’

‘With the rearguard. He wanted to make sure that Partha and Govinda don’t head back here at any cost. He’ll be here any time.’

‘And till then?’

‘He left me in charge,’ Dussasan gleefully informed Dron.

‘Very well. Get Asvattama and Jayadrath ready with the flanks. Tell them to strike at the middle of Dharma’s formation. That way, we can split them into two groups and trap them.’

Dussasan grinned again at the prospect of the ensuing carnage and left to do Dron’s bidding.

18

ABHIMANYU NOTICED THE TWO INTERIOR FLANKS OR SPOKES OF
the wheel move in. Twitching with anticipation, he instructed his charioteer, ‘Keep moving ahead, no matter what. I’ll take care of the rest, just keep moving forward.’ He threw back a quick glance and saw Shikandin order his horseman to keep up. Dharma and the others trailed further behind.

By Hara, today they’ll all be proud of me
, Abhimanyu promised himself. He thought of Uttara, of the gleam in her eyes as she gave him a warrior’s welcome. Filled with joyful energy at the prospect, Abhimanyu raised his bow and attacked. He shot alternately to his left and right with unbelievable speed. Both enemy flanks rippled with confusion and fear. It seemed the formation would be strained, possibly broken under his unrelenting onslaught. But Asvattama and Jayadrath rallied their men, and the flanks continued to squeeze in.

Abhimanyu engaged once again. He was now past the near edges of the enemy flanks, and fast approaching the central sections. As the sounds of a skirmish began to ring out behind him, he glanced back. The flanks on the rim had fallen on the last of Dharma’s men. Bhim and Dhrstyadymn were issuing frantic orders to hold the rear, and Dharma was already falling back. Shikandin, however, did not bother to look anywhere but ahead.

‘Puuya!’ Jayadrath swore out loud as Shikandin’s intentions became clear to all on the field. After a hushed conference with his lieutenants, the Sindhu King began to move his men diagonally, clustering his forces behind Abhimanyu’s advancing position rather than directly to the side.

Shikandin saw the offensive and called out to Abhimanyu to hold back, but the young warrior was now a man possessed. The thrill of battle was on him; the sense of power at taking human life with impunity had made him unstoppable.

Spitting out a curse, Shikandin ordered the men with him to broaden their defensive formation while he moved up alongside Abhimanyu. Jayadrath had anticipated the attempt. ‘Now!’ he shouted and led the charge. A whirlwind force of men and horses rushed at Shikandin from the side. Shikandin tried to hold off the advancing front with a steady stream of arrows, and ordered his charioteer to pick up speed in an attempt to avoid crashing into the enemy.

But Jayadrath’s plan was more subtle than that. At the last moment, he swung aside, throwing his men into the gap between Shikandin and the others behind him. In the meantime, Asvattama, seeing what Jayadrath had in mind, concentrated his attack on Abhimanyu. As the gap between Abhimanyu and Shikandin increased, Jayadrath turned his men around, now forming a perfect circle around Shikandin. The Sindhu King himself stood squarely in Shikandin’s path.

Oblivious to the fact that Shikandin was no longer with him, Abhimanyu burst ahead like wildfire. He cheered as he saw the central or hub division ahead of him, Acharya Dron seated on an elephant at the centre of the formation. In a fit of feverish excitement, Abhimanyu aimed at the Acharya.

Dron swatted the single shaft aside with his sword, but was nevertheless impressed. He turned to Kripa and said, ‘Thank the gods this boy is one of a kind. If they had all been like him, this war would have been forfeit from the beginning. But,’ he added, ‘he is young and immature. The intoxication of battle is already upon him. He has allowed himself to be separated from the others: an act of stupidity rather than valour, but he is too young to know the difference.’ He looked up as Asvattama came riding towards them. A sign from his son told Dron that Dharma’s army had been thrown back and could not break through – Asvattama would not have left his position otherwise.

Dussasan snarled and urged Dron, ‘Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s get him…Acharya.’

Dron raised his bow and let fly a single, precise arrow. The shaft whizzed its way through the tumult to hit the wooden cross-pole on the underside of Abhimanyu’s vehicle. The pole broke, causing the car to collapse. Abhimanyu’s horses neighed with fear, as they were dragged to the ground by the change in momentum. His charioteer was flung into the air and landed on the ground with a hard thud, never to move again.