EIGHTEEN
After Krishna left Hastinapura at noon, Duryodhana ordered his eleven aksauhinis to march to Kurukshetra the next day. The same night, he gathered his brothers and his intimate coterie together. He was somber as the hour of truth drew near, somber as one who, at least in his deepest heart, was aware of having incurred a greater debt than he could ever hope to discharge. But there was no turning back and if Duryodhana was anxious after Krishna’s revelation in the court of Hastina, he gave no sign of it.
Evenly, he said to those he had called to his apartment, “Krishna has gone back to Yudhishtira without having fulfilled his ostensible peace mission. I know he wants war; he has always plotted for it. He will not forget to tell Yudhishtira how we planned to take him hostage. He will exaggerate everything that happened here and Satyaki will bear him out. Already, Bheema and Arjuna are keened for battle and now Krishna will break down Yudhishtira’s last resistance. They have Virata and Drupada with them, who also want this war for their own reasons.”
He paused, then said, “For years we have dominated them with strategy and guile. Now they are certain they can have revenge on the field of war. What they forget is that we have eleven aksauhinis against their seven. Krishna may be more powerful than anyone else in the world; but he has sworn he will carry no arms during the war. Long privation robs men of their reason. The Pandavas will find swift death at the end of their exile, for the folly of daring to fight us. And that will finish the contention that began when our cousins came out of the wilderness, as they never should have. When they lie dead upon the earth, we shall be undisputed masters of the world, as we were born to be.
Dusasana, my brother, Karna, dearer to me than a brother, let us not waste another day of this precious, fleeting life. Let word go forth that we march at dawn!”
The next morning, at crack of dawn, Duryodhana’s army marched toward Kurukshetra. Weapons and armor glinting in the early sun, wave on wave of soldiers flowed in tide across the earth. Eleven aksauhinis, each with a great commander at its head: Kripa, Drona, Shalya, Jayadratha, Sudakshina, Kritavarman, Aswatthama, Bhoorisravas, Shakuni, Baahlika and Somadatta. Duryodhana stood among these kshatriyas, all of them ready to die for him and watched his interminable legions wind their way out of Hastinapura.
The Kaurava prince turned to Bheeshma and said, “Look, Pitama, don’t our men seem like an unending line of ants?”
After months, he spoke in the friendliest tone to his grandsire. The others around them fell silent, knowing what Duryodhana was about to ask the Kuru patriarch. Duryodhana continued, “This is perhaps the greatest army ever mustered under the Kuru flag; and, to my mind, there is only one kshatriya among us who can command this force.” Emotionally he knelt at Bheeshma’s feet. “Pitama, I beg you, be the Senapati of the army of Hastinapura!”
Bheeshma’s face softened. Gently, he said, “If you truly want me to command these legions, so be it, my child. But I have two conditions before I accept. The Pandavas are as dear to me as you are; I will not raise my bow to kill any of them. But I will harry their soldiers and their allies. I will kill ten thousand men each day we fight!”
Duryodhana said, “Pitama, you have no equal in this world.”
But Bheeshma replied, “That isn’t true, even if it pleases my old heart to hear you say it. Arjuna is a greater archer than I ever was. If anyone can kill me, it is he. But hear my second condition, before you decide you still want me to be your Senapati.”
“What is it, Pitama? There is no condition I will not accept to have you lead our army into battle.”
“I will not fight beside Karna. I cannot brook his arrogance, either he fights or I do.”
This was no more the Kuru sabha that Duryodhana could walk out of it. He turned pale. He had no answer to Bheeshma’s second condition.
But Karna said quickly, “I am happy with this condition! As long as Bheeshma fights I will not.” Then his voice grew softer, “But if Bheeshma is killed, Karna will come to fight for Duryodhana. Besides, your Pitama has granted me my dearest wish: that he will not kill Arjuna, but let me have that satisfaction. What else do I live for but to prove I am the best bowman on earth?”
No expression touched Bheeshma’s face. After a moment’s silence, he said, “I will command the Kuru army.”
Beaming, Duryodhana touched his grandsire’s feet again and embraced him. Word flashed forth that Bheeshma had agreed to be Senapati of the army of Hastinapura and a sea of cheering rose among the soldiers. Amidst the solemn chanting of mantras, Bheeshma was given the ceremonial bath of consecration. Then he climbed into his chariot and rode to the head of that endless force.