As the mighty Kaurava host beheld the swift advance of Arjuna and Krishna, a strange mixture of fear, reverence, and foreboding arose within their hearts. The two heroes, sounding their resplendent conches, moved with effortless majesty through the field, as though the very currents of destiny bore them onward. Princes and warriors rushed to obstruct their course, yet they were swept aside like frail embankments before the surging tide of the ocean. The evening sun hastened toward the western horizon, and with every passing moment the urgency of their vow deepened.
At the command of Duryodhana, the foremost Kuru warriors converged from every quarter. Like countless rivers pouring into the sea, they gathered in dense and formidable ranks, rendering the path nearly impassable. Yet Krishna and Arjuna, like two mighty fish that had escaped the fisherman’s net, or like the sun and moon released from the shadow of Rahu, passed undeterred through the hostile host. Amid the tumult, they fixed their gaze upon Jayadratha, the Sindhu king, standing at the center of a formidable circle of protection.
Around Jayadratha stood the greatest of Kuru champions—Kripa, Shalya, Ashwatthama, Bahlika, Karna, Vrishasena, and many other illustrious warriors. Surveying this imposing formation, Arjuna smiled and said to Krishna, “These heroes, however renowned, cannot preserve Jayadratha from his ordained fate. Even if the hosts of heaven, together with Indra himself, were to stand in his defense, I shall slay him before the sun sinks beneath the horizon.”
Sanjaya, recounting these events to Dhritarashtra, said, “When your sons heard Arjuna’s terrible vow, they surged forward like towering waves. Their onset resembled merchants scaling the lofty walls of a prosperous city, eager to secure its treasures. Yet Krishna and Arjuna passed through the ranks of dread warriors, including Drona, as one crosses a flooded river to reach the far shore, as one escapes from a blazing inferno, or slips free from the deadly coils of venomous serpents.”
The two heroes were pierced by innumerable arrows. Their bodies streamed with blood, and they shone like twin mountains adorned with blooming red lotuses. Observing them thus, the Kaurava soldiers lost heart and said among themselves, “Jayadratha is already as good as dead.” When Krishna and Arjuna finally caught sight of the Sindhu king, they roared like lions, exulting that the object of their vow lay within reach.
At that critical moment, Duryodhana, clad in the celestial armor bestowed upon him by Drona, cast aside his fear. Mounting his chariot, he placed himself before Jayadratha as a final bulwark. His guards and surrounding warriors shouted with renewed confidence. Seeing him stand forth, Krishna addressed Arjuna in grave and deliberate tones.
“O Partha,” said Krishna, “when danger presses upon a warrior, steadfastness and courage become his highest virtues. Duryodhana has long nourished enmity toward us. Though reared in luxury, his heart is hardened by pride and arrogance. He will never retreat, for his conceit will not permit him to turn back. In this moment, he has become the central stake in our great endeavor. Strike him down with all your might.”
Krishna continued, “This man is the root of all your sorrows. It was he who conspired to cheat Yudhishthira in the deceitful game of dice. It was he who permitted the unspeakable humiliation of Draupadi. He knows nothing of the power that resides in your arms. If he truly understood your strength, he would never have approached you so boldly. Providence itself has delivered him into your hands. Sever the head of this offender, and the burden that has long oppressed the earth will be greatly lightened.”
“By unrighteous means he sought wealth and dominion,” Krishna said further. “Now he stands before you as prey for the arrows of the Gandiva. This is the fruit of merits earned in your former lives—that this king has come within your reach. When Duryodhana falls, his army will scatter. If Jayadratha remains and confronts you, he will perish. If he abandons his pride and flees, your vow will still be fulfilled. Therefore, O mighty-armed hero, begin the battle.”
Hearing these words, Arjuna fixed his eyes upon Krishna and replied, “Whenever I behold this wicked king, the sufferings of Draupadi rise vividly before my mind. To see him still strutting proudly after such heinous crimes doubles my resolve. My heart burns at the very sight of him. I shall slay this sinful man and bring you satisfaction.” Then he said, “Drive the chariot toward Duryodhana.”
Thus urged, Krishna guided the divine chariot straight toward the Kuru prince. Duryodhana advanced with lofty pride, while the surrounding army trembled with conflicting emotions. His bold demeanor rekindled the spirits of his men, and Krishna and Arjuna again sounded their conches, filling the sky with a thunderous note that inspired terror and awe. Warriors rushed from every direction to support their king. Though inwardly despondent and doubtful of his fate, they remained bound by duty and prepared to fight to their last breath.
Perceiving their unease, Duryodhana proclaimed, “Why do you despair? Today I shall consume Krishna and Arjuna in the fire of my arrows and delight your eyes with my valor.” Turning to Arjuna, he said with haughty confidence, “You have prospered thus far upon the reputation of your skill with celestial weapons. Now I shall halt your progress. I have come to witness both your prowess and Krishna’s mastery. If you are truly the son of Pandu, display the strength of your bow.”
With these words, Duryodhana loosed three arrows at Arjuna, four at Krishna’s horses, and ten at Krishna himself. He even struck and shattered the whip with which Krishna guided the steeds. Enraged, Arjuna shot fourteen arrows at Duryodhana, but they struck the enchanted armor and fell harmlessly to the earth. He then discharged twenty-eight more shafts, yet these too proved futile against the impenetrable protection granted by Drona.
Krishna, seeing Arjuna’s arrows rendered ineffective, spoke with concern. “O conqueror of foes, never before have I witnessed such a marvel. How has the power of the Gandiva become fruitless? Have your methods changed? Your shafts once fell upon the enemy like thunderbolts, shattering entire armies. Why do they now fail? My heart is troubled by this unexpected turn.”
Arjuna replied calmly, “This is the effect of the celestial armor he wears. Drona, who taught me the secret of its power, must have bestowed it upon Duryodhana. This armor cannot be pierced by the beings of the three worlds. Yet Duryodhana understands nothing of its true nature. He wears it as a dancer dons a costume, ignorant of its hidden mystery. Behold now the strength of my arms and the might of the Gandiva. I shall strike him so fiercely that even his enchanted armor will not preserve his peace.”
He added, “The great weapon capable of cleaving any armor was once given by the sage Angirasa to Indra, and from Indra it came into my possession. With that irresistible missile I shall rend this armor and shatter Duryodhana’s pride.”
Thus spoke Arjuna, his eyes blazing with righteous wrath. And Sanjaya, narrating these events to Dhritarashtra, declared that since Arjuna knew the secret of the armor, the fate of Duryodhana now hung by a slender thread, and the events that followed would reveal the irresistible power of destiny.
