FOUR
Madri’s brother and Nakula and Sahadeva’s uncle, the mighty Shalya, heard that the Pandavas’ exile was over. He was thinking of visiting them in Upaplavya, when Yudhishtira’s messenger arrived in his court.
“My lord Yudhishtira wants you to know there may be war between the Pandavas and the Kaura-vas. He sends word to ask you to fight for him.”
“Tell my nephews I will come at once to Upaplavya.”
Shalya set out the next day with one aksauhini. It was some way from his kingdom to the Matsya city and the going was hard. Duryodhana heard of Shalya’s march. He decided he wanted to win the powerful kshatriya to his side and strike the first blow off the field of battle.
Duryodhana arranged for luxurious camps for Shalya’s army along its tedious progress. Wine flowed, the food was fit for kings, the music was sweet and the dancing-girls were seductive. Duryo-dhana even had his agents lead Shalya some way from his true route and feted him lavishly in mansions built within Kuru lands. Duryodhana’s arrangements quite overwhelmed Shalya, who thought Yudhishtira was his host. Duryodhana had instructed his men not to reveal for whom they worked.
One day, in the fourth or fifth haven, Shalya was awash on his secret host’s hospitality, particularly on the heady wine. He said to the servants, “Call your masters who serve my nephew Yudhishtira. I want to thank them.”
A little puzzled, the servants bowed and withdrew. Duryodhana himself was waiting in that mansion. The servants came to him and told him what Shalya said. With a smile, the Kaurava walked into his unsuspecting guest’s presence.
Duryodhana bowed and said, “I hear you wanted to see me, my lord.”
“Duryodhana! But I thought…”
“I am pleased to be of service to such a great kshatriya.”
Shalya got up and embraced him. “You have looked after me and my men with unforgettable affection. I must reward you! Ask me for anything and it shall be yours.”
Duryodhana knelt before Shalya, “My lord, I want just one boon from you: that you fight the war for me.”
Having given his word, Shalya could hardly refuse. “I will fight my nephews for you, Duryodhana. But I was on my way to meet Yudhishtira. You go back to Hastinapura and I will come there after visiting Pandu’s sons. You have my word.”
Duryodhana said, “I trust a kshatriya will not forget his word?”
“No, Duryodhana, my word is sacred. I will fight on your side.”
Duryodhana embraced Shalya. “Then hurry to Upaplavya and meet your nephews. So you can join me quickly in Hastinapura.”
And Duryodhana was gone. Shalya was left wondering if he had not been more than a little rash under the influence of the excellent wine with which the Kaurava’s men had plied him. He pushed the thought aside and gave orders for his army to march within the hour to Upaplavya.
Shalya was quite sober when he arrived in that city. When he saw his nephews and they welcomed him so warmly, he regretted having agreed to fight for Duryodhana. He embraced each of them, crying, “My poor children, what an ordeal you have been through. I am so pleased it is over now and you are back among us. Draupadi, my child, how good to see you again. And just as beautiful as you always were!”
When they sat together in the palace, Yudhishtira said, “Our trials are not yet over, uncle. It seems we must still have war with our cousins.”
He saw Shalya flush. Yudhishtira looked at him curiously. Shalya took a deep breath and said, “Yudhishtira, I have promised Duryodhana I will fight the war on his side.” He told Yudhishtira how he had been enticed into making that promise.
As he spoke, he saw Yudhishtira’s eyes fill. When Shalya finished and lapsed into a sorry silence, the Pandava said gently, “I understand how it happened, my lord. Duryodhana planned the whole thing. But it pains me that we will have to fight our own uncle in this terrible war.”
Red-faced, Shalya mumbled, “Yudhishtira, you know how much I love you. Especially when I think of your exile, I could cut my tongue out for giving my word to Duryodhana. But having given it, I must keep it.”
Yudhishtira was thoughtful. Suddenly, he said, “I think I have a way in which we can turn this defeat into a victory. As a kshatriya, you must not break the word you gave Duryodhana. But you must make me also a promise.”
“I will do anything except break my word.”
“It is not an honorable thing I am going to ask you, but it is something that must be done. When I think of all the enemies ranged against us, I truly fear only one of them: Karna. Only he can kill Arjuna, the rest are no match for my brother. Perhaps Karna is not his equal either, but my heart tells me to beware of him.
Krishna will be Arjuna’s sarathy during the war and Karna will want a sarathy who is as good as Krishna. We all know you are the finest sarathy on earth, my lord. At some time, Duryodhana will ask you to drive Karna’s chariot. I am certain Arjuna and Karna will come face to face on the field and the duel between them shall decide the outcome of the war. Dharma is with us but, somehow, I fear that against Karna dharma alone won’t suffice.”
“What would you have me do?”
Now Yudhishtira spoke as if he was another man. He whispered, “Talk to Karna when he rides into battle. Dishearten him! Compare him to Arjuna. Extol my brother to the sky and make Karna believe he is inferior to him. Fill his heart with doubt. Tell him a sutaputra can never be the equal of a kshatriya and a Devaputra. I know it is base; but I fear the earth shall be lost to us, if Karna fights as he can. His inconfidence is his only weakness, we must take advantage of it.”
A grim smile touched Shalya’s face. “Perhaps it was a Godsend, after all, the rashness which made me commit myself to Duryodhana. It may be that I shall be a deadlier foe when I am near him. As you say, it is hardly what a kshatriya should do; but when I think of the thirteen years you spent in the wilderness and of Draupadi’s shame, my blood cries out for revenge. Yes, at the critical time, I will whisper doubt and fear into Karna’s soul. I bless you, Pandava. Victory shall be yours and you will rule the earth as you deserve to.”
More than a little ashamed, Yudhishtira said, “Of all of them it is only Karna I fear. I am not sure why.”
It was as if some part of his mind murmured to him, insistently, that Karna was not what he seemed. Yudhishtira could never quieten the niggling fear he had of that warrior, not though Arjuna had beaten him convincingly outside Virata. When it came to a duel to the death, Yudhishtira was afraid Karna would prove invincible.
Shalya left Upaplavya and marched to Hastinapura with his legion. Duryodhana welcomed him like a brother.
The first of Yudhishtira’s allies to arrive in Upaplavya was Satyaki, with his one aksauhini. Then, Dhrishtaketu, king of the Chedis, came with another aksauhini. Jarasandha’s son Jayatsena came from Magadha with a glittering legion and the five Kekaya brothers, with theirs. Drupada arrived with his army, with the brilliant Shikhandi, whose roots were deep and strange, the fire-born Dhrish-tadyumna and with Draupadi’s sons, the young tigers chafing to prove themselves worthy of their fathers in battle. Virata brought one aksauhini, as well, from his capital and came to Upaplavya with his sons and brothers and Uttara Kumara who was a celebrated kshatriya now! The Pandya king and Neela, king of Mahishmati, came with their legions.
Seven oceanic aksauhinis flowed across the earth, a tide of fighting men and swarmed around Upaplavya; and they were the Pandavas’ to command.
But if immense legions came together at Upaplavya, the legions that swelled the ranks of Duryodhana’s army in Hastinapura were vaster. Bhagadatta was the first to answer the Kaurava’s call and he brought an aksauhini. Then Shalya arrived with his army, as did Bhoorisravas. Kritavarman came from Dwaraka with the promised Yadava force. Jayadratha of Sindhu, Sudakshina of Kambhoja, Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti, all brought an aksauhini each. And there was a host of other, lesser kings of the earth, loyal to Duryodhana, who answered his summons to war and their combined forces amounted to another three aksauhinis.
The Pandava army numbered seven aksauhinis and Dhritarashtra’s son had eleven to call his own. Duryodhana kept his legions on the banks of the Ganga and employed another army of servants to cater to the soldiers’ every need. The Kaurava was lord of the earth. After the years of the Pandavas’ exile, his coffers overflowed with their wealth and his own. Duryodhana’s army camped outside Has-tinapura was well cared for.