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77. THE TWELFTH DAY
THE attempt to capture Yudhishthira alive
failed. Drona was speaking to
Duryodhana about this. "It is clear we
cannot succeed in our efforts to seize
Yudhishthira so long as Dhananjaya is
nearby. It is no want of interest on my
part. If by some stratagem we could draw
Arjuna away to some other part of the
field, I could pierce the Pandava
formations and capture Yudhishthira. I
promise to seize him and deliver him to
you provided he does not flee from the
battle, renouncing honor. If he does that,
then also we win indeed, do we not?"
The chief of the Trigartadesa who heard
Drona say this talked it over with his
brothers, and they made a plan. They
resolved to take the samsaptaka oath and
challenge Arjuna to battle and draw him
away from Yudhishthira's side.
Accordingly, together with a large force,
they gathered, and sat before the fire,
dressed in matted grass, and went through
funeral gifts and ceremonies for
themselves as if already dead, and took
their oath: "Not till we have killed
Dhananjaya will we turn back. If we flee
in fear from battle, may we be punished as
for deadly sin!"
Having adjured themselves thus before the
sacred fire, they marched south for that
was the direction of Death, and shouted
"O Arjuna!" challenging him to battle.
It was a great suicide squad organized to
achieve what Drona had pointed out to be
essential. Arjuna turned to Yudhishthira
and addressed him thus: "King, the
samsaptakas are calling me to battle. I am
pledged to accept a challenge thus thrown
out. Susarma and his men are calling me
to battle. I shall destroy them all and
return. Permit me to go."
"Brother beloved," said Yudhishthira,
"you know Drona's intentions. Keep that
in mind and do whatever you think fit. He
has promised Duryodhana to take me
alive. He is a matchless warrior, brave,
strong and skilled in, every branch of
archery. He knows no fatigue and nothing
escapes his watchful eyes."
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