TWENTY-TWO
Word reached the Pandavas in their camp at Kurukshetra that Bheeshma had been made Supreme Commander of the Kaurava army. Here, Dhrishtadyumna was the Senapati of Yudhishtira’s legions.
While the Pandava force waited for Duryodhana’s army to arrive on Kurukshetra, Yudhishtira received a visitor. Balarama came to see him. Yudhishtira welcomed him in some excitement. Had the great Yadava, perhaps, changed his mind about not fighting the war? Yudhishtira prostrated himself before Balarama and the other Pandavas did as well. Krishna stood by, his arms crossed over his chest and a slight smile on his face.
Balarama’s eyes were red with wine. He was tense. Yudhishtira led him into his tent. For a long moment, the visitor sat silent, his gaze resting on all the Pandavas, in turns and on Krishna. When he spoke he seemed to address Yudhishtira, but his eyes kept straying to Krishna’s face. The Dark One stood there, laconic, the smile never leaving his lips.
Balarama said thickly, “I hear a great war will be fought on Kurukshetra. I hear the kings of the earth have come here to die and their blood will flow in rills on this field. I have come to tell you I pray that all of you cross this sea of peril safely.”
He paused, moistened his lips and continued, “I am told this war could not be avoided. Repeatedly, I said to Krishna, ‘Be impartial to the Pandavas and the Kauravas. They are both dear to us; Yudhishtira is dear and so is Duryodhana.’
But it seems my words fell on deaf ears. Against my wishes, Krishna has decided to take sides in this war. He has chosen to be with you, though he will only be Arjuna’s sarathy and bear no arms.”
He gave a short laugh. “But Krishna doesn’t need to carry weapons to give you victory. I know him, we all do. In his hands, the reins of Arjuna’s horses will be more terrible than all the Kauravas’ arrows. Poor Duryodhana, I pity him. What chance has he of winning, when my brother is against him?
But I did not come here to tell you what you already know. Bheema, I see the questions in your eyes. Yes, indeed, you are my sishya and dear to me; but Duryodhana was always my favorite. Why, I love him as much as Krishna does Arjuna. But I will not be part of Duryodhana’s army, though he has sent word begging me to fight for him. How could I even think of fighting against my brother, however much I may abhor what he does?”
He drew a breath. “I mourn the ancient House of Kuru, at war with itself! I mourn the House of Kuru, which no enemy could ever bring down, but which now turns on itself and thus to its doom. Why, I mourn the earth, as we have known it; this war will be its end. Yudhishtira, I have come to tell you I am going on a tirtha-yatra, because I cannot watch this war, let alone fight in it. I cannot watch brother slaughter his noble brother. I am going on a pilgrimage, first to the banks of the Saraswati and then to a hundred other tirthas, to the very south of Bharatavarsha. And I will pray for you all, yes, I will pray for you all.”
Suddenly, tears stood in his eyes. Krishna stepped forward. Balarama rose and clasped his brother in his arms. Choking back his grief, he blessed the five Pandavas. Abruptly, the mighty Yadava stalked out and rode away from Kurukshetra. Krishna had tears in his eyes, too and memories of a wild and wonderful childhood and youth spent with Balarama in the green arms of a virgin forest: enchanted Vrindavana on the banks of the midnight-blue Yamuna.
At about that time, another kshatriya came to Yudhishtira, unexpectedly. Rukmi of Vidarbha, Krishna’s brother-in-law and his sworn enemy, arrived in Kurukshetra with an aksauhini of his own. The world knew how Krishna had once humiliated Rukmi. The Dark One carried away his sister, Rukmini, on the day she was to marry Rukmi’s dearest friend, Sishupala. Since then, Rukmi had secured Siva’s blessing and had become a king of some conquests and influence. Yet, he was known more for his arrogance than his considerable valor; and today he came haughtily before Yudhishtira.
Yudhishtira received his visitor cordially. When Rukmi sat in the royal tent, he began to speak before Yudhishtira could ask what had brought him to Kurukshetra. Rukmi did not address Yudhish-tira at all, but Arjuna.
“I have come to help you win this war, Arjuna! Fear the Kaurava army no more, I am here to raze it for you. Without your lifting your bow, Pandava, I will make corpses of Duryodhana’s best kshatriyas. No matter if they have eleven aksauhinis or a hundred, they will not stand against Rukmi of Bho-jataka.”
He smiled smugly around him, then, declared, “And when I have slain your enemies, I shall make a gift of the earth to you! Fear nothing any more, Arjuna, your war is already won.”
Arjuna’s eyes glittered. He glanced at Krishna, but his cousin was impassive. Tense as he was on the eve of battle, the Pandava flashed angrily at Rukmi, “Dare you come here and speak to me of my being afraid? Rukmi, there are many kshatriyas here, twice as strong as you; none of them has ever mentioned the word fear to me. Who are you, that you dare speak of winning the war for us and of making us a gift of the earth? We have no need for the likes of you. You may stay or leave, as you please.”
For a moment, Rukmi sat very still. Without a word, he rose and walked out of the tent; he left Kurukshetra with his aksauhini. Rukmi rode straight to Duryodhana and spoke to the Kaurava in much the same vein. Duryodhana laughed in his face and the lord of Vidarbha returned to his capital, seething. Thus, Balarama and Rukmi were the only two kings of Bharatavarsha who did not fight the war at Kurukshetra.
The Kaurava army arrived on the banks of the Saraswati and made camp there. The golden river separated the two immense forces and their soldiers stared at one another across the water. Duryo-dhana called his cousin, Shakuni’s son Uluka.
“Take a message from me to the Pandavas, Uluka. Go into the presence of Yudhishtira. Be certain the five brothers are there; be sure Krishna is there and all the kings who are their allies. Then speak boldly to them, your head held high and your words ringing clear. Tell them Duryodhana says: ‘The time for bragging is over, cousins. We shall have no more words, but war. Thirteen years ago, you swore many oaths of the revenge you would take on me and mine. More recently, you sent back an arrogant message to Hastinapura with Sanjaya. The time is here when you cannot brag, or threaten me any more. The time for deeds is here, for keeping the oaths you swore so loudly. The time for arrows and swords and maces is here, the time for war, your time to die.’
Don’t be cowed by them, Uluka, their fame is greater than their worth. Speak defiantly, remember you are Duryodhana’s messenger.”
He took Uluka aside privately and gave him individual messages for each of the Pandavas and one for Krishna. When he heard what he must say to the sons of Pandu, poor Uluka trembled. But he had no choice except go; indeed, Duryodhana thought he was conferring a rare honor on Shakuni’s son by making him his messenger. With trepidation, Uluka set out for Yudhishtira’s camp.