Sieze Drupada

Mahabharata Adiparva Sambhavaparva section 141
Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

Drona, having satisfied himself that his pupils are well learned in the art of warfare, then assembles them and demands them his fee (Gurudakshina). He says 'Sieze Drupada, bring him as a captive to me'.

At this command, all the Kauravas, Karna, and other pupils with a massive army invades Panchala, the kingdom of Drupada. They lay sieze to the capital city. Arjuna tells his master that Drupada cannot be captured by these people, let them try their might. After they fail, Pandavas will try and stand outside the battlefield.

The 100 Kauravas, Karna, and other warriors fight valiantly , but Drupada turns out to be a far superior warrior than them. In that battle that ensued, Drupada fights with such fierceness that Kauravas think that there are 10 drupadas fighting. Kauravas lose the battle and they come running to Pandavas for rescue.

Arjuna tells Yudhistir not to come to battlefield, and He along with Bhima, Nakula and Sahadeva enter the battlefield like a Makara (Crocodile) enters ocean causing huge commotion in the enemy ranks. The tide of battle immediately changes on the entry of these Pandavas.

Bhima is merciless, His hunger for fight is unsatiable. He enters the enemy ranks, with mace in hand like Yama (God of death) and immediately sets his way towards the elephants and starts felling them down one with each blow. Elephants fell by thousands by the gadaghaat (mace blow) of Bhima with their heads blown to smithereens. Enemy ranks starts fleeing in front of Bhima's ferocity and it looks like Bhima is herding the enemy soldiers like a shepherd.

Arjuna fights with general of Panchala army Satyajit, and King Drupada. Satyajit is a mighty warrior, but he cannot match Arjuna's skill in archery. Nobody seem to realise when Arjuna took an arrow, aimed it, and shot it. Having his bow repeatedly been broken by Arjuna, Satyajit desists from fighting. King Drupada showers Arjuna with arrows. Arjuna having countered all of them, breaks the flagstaff of King Drupada, kills his horses, and takes a quiver and a sword and jumps onto the broken chariot of Drupada and captures him alive, thus ending the battle. The army of panchala starts running away in fright. Arjuna tells Bhima not to go after them. Bhima listens to him even though his hunger for battle is unsatiated.

Pandavas bring captured Drupada in front of Drona who says "Once upon a time you said, only equals can be friends. Your kingdom is mine now, I will give you half of kingdom to you. I ask for your friendship again. Since we are equals now, I hope you wont mind to be my friend."

Drupada, being humiliated thus, answers, "O Brahmana, you are a noble person and highly skilled in warfare. I am not surprised at your words. I desire your friendship".

Drona sets Drupada free and gives him half his panchala kingdom, south side of river Ganga with capital as kampilya while Drona retains north side of panchala kingdom.

Drupada having realised that he cannot match Drona by his kshatriya might alone, started yearning for a son who can vanquish Drona in battle in revenge.

Hari OM