A play based on 'Abhimanyu badha parva'

The earliest reference of India's mixed unit warfare is seen in the Drona Parva (where Dronacharya takes command of the army of Kauravas) of Mahabaratha. One of India's most revered epics, written by Veda Vyasa, the tale revolves around the brethren of Kuru Vamsha (Kuru clan) and their strife for the throne of Indraprastha (Delhi). I have been more than fascinated by the vivid descriptions of battle sequences, right from numbers of various units and their formations, to the battle colors and standards carried by the famous commanders who led the carnage machine. My inclination to military history had been coddled by the very sinews of the battle images blushered by the verses of Mahabaratha. What follows is my sincere effort to make a play of the battle sequence of Abhimanyu (son of Arjuna and Subhadra) who against supreme odds breaks through a well formed Kaurava army. Amidst foes he finds himself alone cut off from the army of Pandavas. Refusing to surrender, he fights to death and sets stage and reason for all the 'adharma yudha' that would follow(war won on bent rules; adharma - lawlessness).

Prelude
With a bosom kissed by hundred arrows, the Gangaputra (son of Ganges - Bheeshma) lies marveling Arjuna's well aimed shots that cleaved his immortal flesh. His senile physical self not touching the fuddled ground of 'adharma' (grave injustice), is held aloft by a bed of arrow-heads. His head hanging down in mid air, finds a heroic rest in another smartly placed arrow off Gandeeva(Arjuna's bow). The pain, burning through his flesh creates an unquenchable thirst. Arjuna's bow sings again and the arrow bores down into the strata of Kurukshetra and up comes Ganga herself beseeched by her son's thirst. The cornucopic trickle easing his pain, Bheeshma awaits his end...
With the mightiest of the archers down, it has fallen to Dronacharya(Guru of the whole Kuruvamsha) to bear the brunt of the onslaught as the new commander. He now held the reins steering the war to a much greater slaughter. Hoping to end the war with the capture of Yudhishtra (eldest of the Pandavas), he devises a plan and draws Arjuna away form the main field of combat; in his absence, devices a formation none can challenge. Arjuna's son Abhimanyu knows only to break the formation; not to break out of it. Urged by a desire to win, Yudhishtra asks Abhimanyu to penetrate the enemy's arrayed ranks.

Sequence
Act 1
Scene 1
Says Yudhishtra, "O young one! May thy be blessed with victory! O mighty heart! It is known that none can break this formation of foes save Arjuna and the great lord Krishna. Youngest of us all! You know the passage into this fray. Our men start to waver; we are losing. In their (Arjuna and Krishna) absence, this is your chance for a great deed worthy of songs!"
Replies Abhimanyu, "O king of kings! I know the passage into this well formed army. But once I'm inside and surrounded by foes innumerable, I will fail to find a way to break out."
Assures Yudhishtra, "O little one! Eternally blessed be thy soul! Myself, Bheema, Nakula, Sahadeva, Saathyaki, Kunthiboja, Drishtadhyumuna, sons of Paanchali, Vindha, Anuvindha, Chekitana and all great charioteers are ready to follow you. Break the organised foe and we shall enter with you. This deed will make your father (Arjuna) and uncle (Krishna) proud!"
Abhimanyu emboldened at Yudhishtra's promise, looks at the Kaurava army. Red battle standards flying in the morning wind, they formed as a bright lotus under a starless sun(Padma Vyooha).
Says he, "Today I will enter the array of Drona's defenses. The Kaurava army will fall like dead flies before a forest fire. This I promise on my uncle and father."
Blesses Yudhishtra, "May your strength and prowess in battle shine! You seek to enter the formation of our foes and hence O son of Arjuna, may the length of your days be increased!"

Scene 2
Hearing Yudhishtra's words Abhimanyu encourages his charioteer, "Steer faster! Still faster!"
Says Abhimanyu's charioteer, "O great one! May thy be blessed with eternal life! What Yudhishtra has laid on you is a burden too heavy for your young shoulders. Standing in front of you are seasoned, battle tested warriors, who have seen countless wars led by mighty Dronacharya. With all due respect, reconsider, O young one!'
Replies Subhadraputra(Abhimanyu), "With Arjuna as my father and lord Krishna as my uncle, what do I have to fear? And who is this Drona? What is this Kshatriya host that stands before me? Hath Indhra himself on his white elephant cast his spear at me, I shall face him. Of what measure is this host that would not scale to a sixteenth of my strength? You shall hold the reins firmly and steer me to victory!"


Act 2
Scene 1
As Abhimanyu breaks through the Kaurava army, Jayadradha, the ruler of Sindh, with great agility checks the rest of the Pandavas and closes the gap in the formation. In vain the Pandavas, try breaking through. Inside stranded from the Pandavas, fights Abhimanyu. Slaying men, elephants and charioteers in thousands, he approaches the key members of the Kaurava army. Drona, Aswathama, Duriyodhan, Karna, Kripacharya, Shalya, Shakuni, Dushasana surround him. Undaunted he defeats each one of the great charioteers surrounding him. Dushasana faces him and is defeated.

Battle-weary and having slain thousands of foes, Abhimanyu roars, "Thou hath insulted Yudhishtra and dishonored Draupadi by dragging her clad in a single cloth to a court of men. O son of the blind king! You live today, since my uncle Bheemsena, has vowed to avenge thee by drinking thy blood. To all that stood in the court aiding the wicked Duriyodhan, death shall come swift by my shafts borne by the wind. Surrounding me from all sides, you fight against an unaided opponent. Who taught you this form of warfare? This injustice will not go unpunished! Doubt naught for I shall fight and I fight naught to find a way out!"
Drona admiring Abhimanyu's valor, counsels the Kauravas assembled around him, "This son of Arjuna, hath by far surpassed in prowess his father. He alone exemplifies the true Kshatriya spirit. I stand spellbound at the nimbleness of his hand that holds the bow. I cannot by far, find a flaw in his tact."
Hearing this and enraged Duriyodhan retorts, "It is indeed my ill fate, bound to be helped by you. Of all the love you garner for you dear student Arjuna, you fail to see a way to kill his son. Its thy love for thine student that hath indeed blinded you. O great acharya! It is ridiculous that someone so naive could stand upto you in a battle, save for your heart that refuses to slay the son of Arjuna!"
Dronacharya with great remorse says, "His art of war is flawless. His armour cannot be pierced. You can but cut his bowstring and his bow. Kill his horses and bring down his chariot."

Scene 2
With all his weapons broken, Abhimanyu resorts to holding a wheel from his broken chariot aloft; fighting all the supreme warriors of the Kaurava clan. With the dust from the wheel falling on him and his body red with the wounds of battle he is seen by his foes as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu at dusk. In a split second the wheel is shattered from his hand and he is hit on the back of his head with an iron warhammer by a son of Duriyodhan. He falls succumbing to his wounds and dies instantly.

Act 3
At Hastinapur, Sanjaya narrates the events of the battle to the blind king Dhridhrashtra.
Scene 1
Sanjaya laments, "Grave injustice has been done! Nine warriors, urged by your son's desire to win, surrounded and killed the young son of Arjuna! O great king! Mightiest of the race of Kuru! This is not a time to celebrate. With a great warrior of the Pandava's, killed, your sons danced and rejoiced over his fallen corpse like a wolfpack after a hunt. For hunt they did as lays slain the son of Subhadra not by one, but by many! Yudhishtra and his followers grieved in mourning leave the field with heads bowed low. Even the birds at sundown seemed to sing the praise of Abhimanyu against the shameful acts of your sons.
True spirit of a Kshatriya was the son of Arjuna and Subhadra; slayer of thousands of foes; the better of all of your sons put together! Honor him! O great king of the line of Santanu! He shall find a fitful place in heaven."

Dhridhrashtra and Sanjaya bend their heads in silence and mourning.

Curtains close!