Satyaki

Kampilya:
Three well-built warriors rode with a young man in the center bound by ropes to his horse. They moved leisurely towards a hidden valley among the hilly ranges of Kampilya.

Yuyudhana struggled to maintain posture as he attempted to cut through the ropes.

He wondered about the circumstances that led to this situation. Everyone had warned him about the Yadava army at the borders, but no one heeded caution about the Magadhan army on the way to Ayodhya.

'Ah, this is the valley they used to spring an attack on the Panchal forces up north,' he began to realize as a stunning sight interrupted his thoughts.

He witnessed an army camp almost the size of the Mathuran fort. There were large sections of elephants and archers preparing themselves. The warriors assembled the siege equipment at another corner. The three soldiers led Yuyudhana toward a large tent at the center of the camp.

Yuyudhana was dismounted from his horse and brought inside the tent. He noticed a giant war game table at the front surrounded by elderly ministers.

'We march towards Mathura and camp at the banks of Yamuna tomorrow. There is a tunnel that can take us directly into Mathura. I'll take a few Ghatak forces and enter the city.' the tall, lean man at the head of the table ordered.

He stopped as the prisoner entered the tent.

'Ah! Captain Prabhakar tells me you were a Yadava spy loitering around our base. Tell me, what message do you have for the Yadavas after seeing such a camp?' asked Shishupala, the Chedi king.

One of the soldiers pushed Yuyudhana to the front, nudging him to respond.

'Aiyya. I'm a student of Satrajit. I'm on my way to Ayodhya to study the Anjaneya caves. I'm no spy.'

'Do students of Satrajit now carry a bow and arrow with them?'

'Aiyya, a Ramanandi sadhu, had warned me of wild beasts and ghosts around these parts. He suggested I take these for my protection.'

'Ah, so you were sent by Dantavakra.'

'Aiyya, who is that?'

'Child, I should be asking you the questions. Send for the Naga sadhu. I'll let him interrogate you,' Shishupala gestured to his minister nearby.

Yuyudhana skipped a heartbeat when he heard Shishupala. 'Did he refer to Anantha Swami as Dantavakra? What Naga sadhu is this man talking about? Is Bhargava here?' Yuyudha was flooded with thoughts.

'Ah, you have a good supply of cold water, my King. It's been a year since I took a cold shower…' Bhargava entered the tent, still drying his hair, an axe in his hand, and his body covered with a fresh coating of holy ash.

‘Ah! Yuyudhana, Thambi! What are you doing here?'

Yuyudhana was shell-shocked.

'Bhargava, is this the boy you mentioned seeing on your way here?' Shishupala asked.

'Yes, Your Highness. This is the same boy.'

Bhargava stood eye to eye with a confused Yuyudhana.

'Yuyudha, convey Anantha's message to King Satyasariyar Shishupala of Chedi. Do not fear anything,' Bhargava says with a stealthy eye wink that only Yuyudhana could have caught.

The word 'Satyasariyar' echoed in his mind. Yuyudhana tried to remember where he had heard this name before. 'Ah, wasn't this Anantha Swami's guru? It looks like they are asking for the scroll.' He points to the scroll hidden in his Pancha.

'Prabhu, this message is in the Ikshvaku language,' says Captain Prabhakar, handing the scroll to Shishupala.

'Ah! Who else knows this damn language? My brother seems to use this for important messages.'

'Prabhu! Let me read it,' the Commander next to Shishupala begins to read the scroll aloud.

'It says the Yadava prince had tried to cross the Yamuna, but Dantavakra planned to sabotage the boats. This should take care of the younger prince. The older prince will likely stay back in Mathura to protect Ugrasena.'

Everyone in the tent looks keenly at the Commander as he reads the scroll. Only Bhargava and Yuyudhana exchange looks as Bhargava conveys a consoling look to the young boy.

'However, before leaving, the Yadava princes have asked Arjuna of Hastinapur to take the latest WMD shipment to Anga…'

The Commander trembles as he continues reading.

'Ugrasena has requested King Romapada of Anga to use these weapons and attack Magadha with an army under Arjuna's command. The attack will begin in a fortnight' completed the minister.

'What! How could this be possible? I thought we had blocked all the major routes out of Mathura. Bhargava took care of the highway through Gokulam; Captain Prabhakar caused the landslide that shut down the mining in Syamantaka. I had ordered Dantavakra to attack the stocks in Mathura. How else are they transporting the rest?'

'Prabhu! It looks like Arjuna had a cache of WMDs stocked up in Hastinapur. He might have transported them to Anga' interpreted Bhargava.

'Bhargava, tell me what to do. It is you who have helped us thus far. Your battle plans are the only reason we have made it this close to Mathura.'

Yuyudhana was now immune to the shock value of the events transpiring before him. He was now finding it funny to trust anyone in this court.

'Prabhu! I'm a simple Naga Sadhu. My interpretation is that Magadha will face an inevitable war in a fortnight. There isn't hope in saving Magadha or King Jarasandha. 3/4ths of the Magadha army is currently with us stationed at Kampilya. Jarasandha cannot defeat Arjuna with a five-akshauhini army. Let's leave Magadha to its fate and attack Mathura in a week.

'How dare you? Do you think we will let the Magadha army fight here while Romapada is pounding our homeland?' shouted the Commander who read the scroll.

'Commander Vijayendra! He is right; we can win the war against Mathura if we stay put,' Shishupala concurred.

'Prabhu! My standing orders are to help the Chedi army in their siege of Mathura, but my oath as Commander of the Magadha Ghatak forces compels me to act on any credible threat to my homeland. I'll have to leave today to reach Magadha in time before Arjuna and Romapada attack,' said an anxious Vijayendra.

'Commander, we understand, but we need your help to defeat the Yadavas. Even without the younger Yadava, Balaram and his uncle Akrura are strong enough,' Bhargava interjected.

'To hell with it then, we'll fight the Yadavas some other day.'

'We might never have another opportunity. Vijayendra, how small of a force can you leave behind for our attack on Mathura?' Shishupala asked.

'I can spare a five akshauhini army with the Chedi forces and leave with the remaining 17 akshauhinis,' Vijayendra concurred.

'Fine, Bhargava, you leave immediately for the banks of Yamuna. Report back on the siege preparedness of the Mathura army,' Shishupala ordered.

Bhargava grabbed his axe and walked out with a straight face. Not many would have noticed the reassuring head nod that Yuyudhana and Bhargava exchanged as he left the tent.

'Captain Prabhakar, you'll get our forces ready for war. We have ten akshauhinis left, with Vijayendra leaving. It is still larger than the Mathura army,' Shishupala continued.

'Prabhu! I'll need to leave early to inform King Jarasandha of the attack. The remaining Ghatak forces will start leaving at midnight. I'll take the boy with me; King Jarasandha will need an explanation for this mess, '

Vijayendra delivered the message as he left the tent without waiting for Shishupala's approval.

The Magadha soldiers escorted the boy outside to the Commander's quarters. Yuyudhana was perplexed but happy that the odds now favored the Mathura National Guard.

The Commander wanted to be the one delivering the message to King Jarasandha. He gathered a small party of 20-odd men and began riding towards Magadha. The traveling party reached a dilapidated rest house along the borders of Chedi.

An older man answered the door as the soldiers enquired if they could rest for the night. The older man was mute and gestured for them to relax on the lawn. As night fell, the soldiers were beginning to sleep. Yyudhana was the first to fall asleep after the tiring ordeal. He was mentally and physically exhausted like most of the readers at this point.

Yuyudhana dreamt of a life in a Maghadan prison with Jarasandha riding an elephant over his head. Just as the elephant lifted his foot, Yuyudhana was woken up by the older man of the rest house. He gestured towards the two horses waiting at the entrance of the house.

As Yuyudhana got up and tip-toed towards the entrance, he couldn't help but notice the rudrakshas placed near the soldiers' heads. He saw one of the horses already had a rider—a fit Naga Sadhu with a broad axe and an even broader smile.

'So Yuyudha, do you want to go to Magadha or Mathura?' Bhargava shouted.

'Shhh! Why are you shouting? You'll wake up those soldiers.'

'Get on your horse quickly, boy! He is shouting precisely to wake them up.' The older man urged, helping Yuyudhana mount the other horse.

'Aiyya! Who are you? You sound very familiar,' Yuyudhana asked the old man.

'No time for stories, child. But I'm eager to hear about your immigration check the next time we meet,' said Akrura as Bhargava and Yuyudhana rode off into the dark.

After covering a distance, the duo reaches a narrow pass-through with hilly slopes surrounding the highway.

'Slow down your pace, son. We don't want to miss the Magadha soldiers chasing us,' Bhargava said, slowing down his horse.

'Bhargava! Why do you want them to catch us?'

'How else will we kill them? Don't you think we owe it to King Romapada?' said Bhargava, dismounting his horse. Yuyudhana followed.

'Yuyudha, you can leave on your way if you choose to. I can deal with these men on my own.'

'No, I think you might need my help,' joked Yuyudha as he grabbed his bow.

Bhargava noticed Yuyudha's hand trembling.

'Child, you have good instincts for an archer, but your trembling breath is affecting your aim.'

Yuyudhan tried to control his breath.

'Don't control your breath. Aim and shoot between consecutive breaths,' Bhargava advised.

He grabbed Yuyudhana's bow at the center with a three-finger grip and held the arrow with the tip of his fingers. Bhargava pointed Yuyudhana to follow the same technique. The duo positions themselves on opposite sides of the hilltop as they hear the horses approaching the narrow pass-through.

Captain Veera reaches the pass-through and slows down upon seeing the standing horses. Before he realizes it, he hears a metal object swooping through the gushing wind. A sudden thud, and he falls with an axe stuck to his torso.

Captain Vajra sees this from afar and warns the remaining soldiers to approach cautiously. They are met with a barrage of arrows to their foreheads. This time, Yuyudhana does not miss.

Old-man’s cottage:
Commander Vijayendra is the first to wake up and see the youth escaping on horseback. The older man tries to wake the soldiers out of their slumber.

'Veera, Vajra! Wake up! Follow the boy. I want him alive.'

The soldiers scramble to their horses and follow the young man.

Deep in conversation about the prisoner's escape, Vijayendra, and the remaining Magadhan soldiers do not notice the older man walking towards a hay stack nearby and grabbing a mace beneath it.

Highway-18 Gokulam:
’Bhargava, I don't think there's anything coming. What will happen if Commander Vijayendra reaches Magadha and informs Jarasandha of your deceit?' asks Yuyudhana as the duo are now inspecting the bodies of the fallen soldiers.

'Yuyudha! Didn't you recognize that old man at the rest house?'

'Ah yes! He was the cart man that brought me to Mathura.'

'He'll take care of Commander Vijayendra and the rest of the Magadhan soldiers. King Romapada will sleep peacefully tonight.'

'So, did you use the same Rudraksha on the soldiers to make them fall asleep?'

'Yes, tell me where else I used it? I seem to have forgotten.'

'So you were the one that swapped the scroll that Anantha had sent for his guru Shishupala?'

'Clever boy! Now, wouldn't that make me your enemy? Shall we finish this with a duel?' Bhargava lifted his axe and positioned himself in a battle stance, mocking Yuyudhana.

'I think you are a Commander of the Yadava army and were sent to spy on Shishupala.' Yuyudhana concurred.

'Bingo Appane! Bingo! Now, what next? Ayodhya is down that road. I'll be heading south, though.'

'I'd like to come with you. I don't know if I'll ever be good at researching caves, but after this encounter, I have a feeling Kshatriya dharma could be my destiny.'

'Oh, Hari Om! How many more young boys can I mold in this lifetime?' the Naga Sadhu mockingly prays to Lord Shiva.

The duo mount their horses and ride southward. Bhargava continues narrating the Yadava history to an eager Yuyudhana. They reach a small camouflaged camp on the outskirts of Gokulam.

'Yuyudha, I have begun to take a liking to you. I'll introduce you to the Yadava prince and take you under my command.'

'Oh, so you are a captain with the Vrishnis?'

'Commander. I'm Commander Parasuram of the Vrishni Special Forces. You see, that camp has a battalion of battle-hardened Vrishnis waiting to attack our enemies on my command.'

Yuyudhana is speechless as he comprehends that his friend Bhargava is a Special Forces Commander in the Yadava army.

'I can mentor you if you leave the bow for an axe, but I see you're skillful in archery. I plan to tie you up with a cousin of mine. You'll meet him at the other end of this war.'

'Bhargava, I do not know how to thank you for this opportunity…'

'You can thank me later. First, tell me your call sign. I need to register it at the camp,' Bhargava interjects, deflecting the awkward situation.

'Why don't you suggest something?' Yuyudhana concurs.

'Yuyudha! I have seen many strong and skillful warriors but not many righteous ones. You would fit perfectly in the Satya Yuga. I think I have a name for your Vrishni call sign now.'

'Thank you! Bhargava. How do we plan to defeat Shishupala's remaining forces? They still have a ten akshauhini army waiting for us at Kampilya.'

'Do not worry, Yuyudha, as long as I'm alive, I can protect Mathura from 18 such sieges. We will attack Kampilya tomorrow. The Vrishni SF will attack from the South, and that cousin I mentioned will lead the attack at Ahicchatra from the North.'

Yuyudhana's eyes glowed as he listened intently to Bhargava's battle plans. The rain gods responded with a slow drizzle to dampen Yuyudhana's racing heart.

'Wait here, and I'll send someone for you. I'll need to enter the Vrishni camp and brief them about our travels before you can enter.' Bhargava bid farewell to Yuyudhana as he rode along the hilly road.

Yuyudhana watched as Bhargava rode off with the axe on his back. The young boy's mind was flooded with questions.

'How did a simpleton boy from Bajra end up at the entrance of a Vrishni camp in a fortnight? Who is that archer Bhargava mentioned? What about Anantha Swami? How did Bhargava single-handedly change the odds of this war?'

As he rode up the elevated highway, he was lost in thought as he observed the crystal blue sky in the background merging with the Bhargava's torso.

As a confused Yuyudhana looked, Bhargava looked back in Yuyudhana's direction with a captivating smirk that whispered of confidence and allure.

Moments later, the Vrishni camp turned tumultuous with sounds of conches and trumpets. A soldier with the Vrishni flag arrived to escort Yuyudhana into the camp. Yuyudhana asked the joyous soldier about the reason for the celebrations.

'Yuvraja Krishna has arrived,' exclaimed the soldier enthusiastically.