The Gurus of Hastinapur - Part 35

'Back into the Kaurava, army!' Satyaki said grimly. The reason for his grimness was obvious. Satyaki had come out of the Chakravyugha. And now on the way inside, he had to meet Dronacharya again. This time the acharya would make sure that Satyaki would not get off as easily as before.

Satyaki met Drona. Unlike the previous time, Drona wasted no time in talking with the warrior. He had probably realized that Satyaki just needed half a chance to win and the veteran was fighting constantly without a break. Much to Drona's outrage, he realized that Satyaki was effortlessly able to counter his moves. Drona realized something that Arjuna had known for some time ago – Like Arjuna, Satyaki too was a perfect student of archery....someone who had learnt the art so well that the bow and the arrows seemed to obey Satyaki's thoughts instead of his fingers....

Unfortunately for Drona two things were against him – his age and his temper. Drona was too much of a seasoned warrior to be affected by anything in the battle. But Satyaki right now was fighting mad. The battle between him and Kritivarman had brought out the perfect rage inside Satyaki who was learning to temper it in battle and in the battle between Drona and Satyaki, slowly Satyaki was winning...

Suddenly Drona broke Satyaki's bow. Shocked, Satyaki threw his mace at Drona with a perfect aim. It was Drona's turn to be shocked, as he fired three arrows one behind the other, breaking Satyaki's iron mace. Quickly, Satyaki picked up another bow, as Drona realized that he could not touch Satyaki. Suddenly Drona fired straight at the charioteer of Satyaki. With his new bow, Satyaki was unable to react in time, as the arrow as usual found its aim and Satyaki's charioteer swooned in the chariot. The horses were going wildly, when Drona saw something that he had rarely seen in his life...in fact it was something that very few people in the battlefield had seen. Satyaki effortlessly managed the horses and fired back at Drona as if nothing had changed...

Satyaki watched as his charioteer was slowly waking up, when he realized what he had to do....Satyaki fired one after another arrow at Drona and suddenly he fired at Drona's charioteer. Drona was not quick enough as the charioteer fell...Unfortunately Drona was not able to manage his horses.

'SAVE THE TEACHER!' A shout went through the Kaurava army. Most of the warriors ran after Drona's chariot and Satyaki smiled as he saw the almost empty battlefield before him...

'Drive!' Satyaki said to his charioteer who was now recovering.....

Winning that battle against Drona made Satyaki feel almost invincible right now. The first king he met after Drona was Sudarsana. It was a wasted affair. The king was nowhere near the class of Satyaki and Satyaki killed him in no time. 'The path where there is most destruction in the Kaurava army – that is the path which Arjuna has taken! Follow it!' he told his charioteer.

The Kamvojas, Sakas and Barburas....all threw their armies before Satyaki and Satyaki destroyed all them. Jalasandha's troops were no match for Satyaki. As Satyaki destroyed Jalasandha's division, he was surrounded by the troops of Duryodhana, Chitrasena, Duhshasana, Vivinsati, Shakuni, Duhsala and Durdarshana and Kratha. It is said that in that single encounter, Satyaki killed three hundred horsemen and four hundred elephants.....

The brilliance in the battle suddenly shifted from Arjuna to Satyaki and the way he fought it seemed like there was almost no difference between teacher and the pupil....Satyaki destroyed the troops and moved closer to Arjuna.

Having no other choice, Duryodhana asked the Samshaptakas to attack Satyaki in a useless attempt to stop him.

Watching the carnage by Satyaki, Dushasana had a sudden idea. Duryodhana had befriended some people from the mountains, who were skilled in fighting with stones. Dushasana went to the mountaineers. 'Fight for Duryodhana! Your methods of fighting are something that neither the Kauravas nor the Pandavas know!' Dushasana said hastily, as he swallowed painfully watching Satyaki destroy the last unit of the troops which were against him.

The mountaineers rallied and picked up huge boulders and had them thrown at Satyaki. It did not stop Satyaki at all. In fact it did not matter to Satyaki what was before him....And Dushasana's move was being counterproductive. As Satyaki destroyed the boulders being thrown at him, the sharp shards of the stones, hit the soldiers of the Kaurava army, further injuring them....Dushasana panicked and ran from the battle.....

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'My Lord!' Drona's charioteer outside the Vyugha, suddenly turned the horses towards the Chakravyugha. 'Inside!' he said.

Drona watched and was shocked as Dushasana came running from inside the Vyugha, looking terrified.

'Your elder brother trusts you!' Drona said angrily. 'It was you who insulted Draupadi in the open court, because of which we are seeing this day! And now you are facing the fruit of your actions, you are running away?' Drona asked in a sneering tone. 'And you are facing one man – one man from the Satwata race! What will you do when Arjuna, Bhima or the twins come and face you?' Drona demanded angrily. 'You are a warrior! You cannot run away like this! What will your soldiers do, when they watch their prince running scared? Go back and fight!' Drona thundered angrily.

Wordlessly Dushasana watched Drona and then went back and fought Satyaki again.

In his anger Dushasana was fighting better than before. The Kauravas who accompanied Dushasana, ran away in fright, but not Dushasana. Seeing Dushasana fighting passionately, Satyaki abandoned the normal arrows and using the mantras, made himself, his horses and his charioteer invisible. Being invisible, Satyaki attacked Dushasana.

Duryodhana who was across the battlefield, shouted wildly as his brother suddenly disappeared under the constant barrage of arrows. 'Trigarthas!' Duryodhana shouted. 'Protect Dushasana!'

Three hundred Trigarthas surrounded Satyaki. But then today Satyaki was determined to teach Dushasana a lesson. Quickly moving in close to Dushasana, Satyaki, killed Dushasana's horses, charioteer and broke Dushasana's chariot. The leader of the Trigarthas watched shocked as he threw his men at Satyaki to let Dushasana escape on the chariot with him....

'My Lord!' Satyaki's charioteer shouted as Satyaki still seemed intent on Dushasana. 'We are here for Arjuna under Yudhishtara's orders! Please let the Kaurava prince go!'

Satyaki frowned angrily, and finally nodded.

Meanwhile outside in the Vyugha, Drona, wanted nothing more than to go and face Satyaki. But he was having quiet a job in his hands. The Panchalas had surrounded him. Dhrishtadhyumna and Drona fought a spirited battle in the outskirts of the Vyugha. It almost seemed like the battle was going to go Dhrishdhyumna's way, and that he was going to keep the oath for which he was born. Drona however killed Dhrishtdhyumna's charioteer. Dhrishtadhyumna fled the battle....

Drona watched the Pandavas angrily, picking out random soldiers. But the Pandava soliders were too scared and none of them countered the attack.