KURUKSHETRA DAY - 1

The Kurukshetra War detailed in the Hindu epic Mahabharat was between the ancient Hindu clans of Kaurav and Pandav and lasted eighteen days.

 

On day one, Kaurav army stood facing west and the Pandav army stood facing east. On day one wind blew from east to west, against the Kauravs. In the morning when the war started, the Padavs appeared illuminated due to the sunshine on their faces and the Kauravs appeared shaded and dark.

 

Krishna revealed the sacred revelation of Bhagvat Gita to Arjun on this day.

 

Outcome of the Day One fight : Pandavs defeated.

 

Military formation of the Kaurav Army :

(MBh 6.17)

 

Name : Missing

Shape : With face towards all sides

Architects : Bhishma, Dron, Bahlik, Kripacharya

Nature : Elephants formed its body; the kings, its head; and the steeds, its wings.

War-elephants, were a speciality of ancient Indian armies. A war elephant with a bowmen placed on its top, forms a powerful unit. A few such elephants can form a defensive wall around a small army-unit. It can protect an important war-hero in a chariot, deploying his long-range weapon, viz the arrows, shot with high-precision. Such heroes, usually the kings from various kingdoms, act like the intelligence-unit or the heads of the army. The steeds or the cavalry is the most mobile element of an army. Hence a fleet of cavelry is considered as the wings of an army. The wing also means the sides of an army, in military terminology employed in Mahabharata. Thus, this cavelry could be places on the sides (wings) of the army, ready to be mobile, as and when it is required.

 

Military formation of the Pandav Army :

(MBh 6.19)

 

Name : Vajra

Shape : Needle mouthed

Architects : Yudhistir, Arjun

Nature : Faces on all sides, bows its lighting

Policy employed : Few must be made to fight against many by condensing them. (This is because the Pandavs knew their army is only 7/11th in size to that of their enemies)

The concept called bow its lighting is explained as follows: The enemy-army will be attacked with a surprise-shower of arrows from the bowmen hidden behind the smitters in the frond. This sudden shower of arrows will be as silent and lethal as a lighting, followed by the loud thunder, which is nothing but the charging of the smitters in the frond. The smitters in the frond are equipped with short-range weapons like the maces, battle-axes, swords, lances etc.

 

The name Vajra have dual meaning. One meaning gives the shape of the array, viz, it is needle-shaped (in other words, a thin array, due to its lesser number of warriors). The small Pandav army will act like a needle, that will pierce into the huge array of the Kauravs. A hard needle used to bore diamonds and gems is called Vajra. Another meaning of Vajra is thunder-bolt. This meaning gives the initial action performed by the array as a lighting (arrow-shower from behind) followed by the thunder-sound (the charging of the smitters).

The heroes of the Kaurav army in Day One :

(MBh 6.17)

 

The Kaurav's formed a hero-centric approach, from day 1 to day 10 of the war. They were alwas alert in protecting their main asset viz their commander-in-chief Bhishma, who though aged, was still a high precision bowmen with keen eye-sight, excelling even Arjun. But owing to his old age, he had less stamina, and required more protection, against counter-attack. The whole of the narration of the war from day one to day ten is replete with passages mentioning protection to Bhishma. Dushashan, the brother of king Duryodhan, was the military-officer in-charge for Bhishma's protection. On day one, Dushashan, Durvishah, Durmukh, Dussah, Vivinsati, Chitrasen and Vikarn -- all brothers of Duryodhan -- protected Bhishma.

Besides this his army was protected by the armies of the following 12 tribes/kingdoms : Abhishahs, Surasens, Sivis, Vasatis, Swalyas, Matsyas (Matsyas on Kaurav side was located in western regions), Amvashts, Trigarts, Kekayas, Sauvirs (The kingdom of Sauvir was founded by Prince Suvir, one of the sons of Sivi), Kitavs and Other mixed tribes.

 

The above army was surrounded by the Magadh army containing 10000 elephants, lead by Magadh king (Jayatsen).

 

The heroes of the Pandav army in Day One :

(MBh 6.19)

 

The Pandav army on day one, had Bhima at its frond. He was the foremost of the smitters, skilled in mace-fight. He can, with his mace slew large number of warriors on foot or on horses. He knew to fell the chariots by striking at the weak points of a chariot, viz its horses, its yokes and its wheels. He knew how to fell a war-elephant by striking its vulnerable parts, like cutting its trunk, or by mounting on it and striking at the center of its head. There was none equal to him in this act. (Duryodhana was more skilled than Bhima in mace-fight, but only in a dual-fight.). Nakula and Sahadeva protected Bhima's sides (wings). Both were smitters skilled in sword fight. The five sons of Draupadi, all bowmens, protected the rear of Bhima. They were the surprise bowmen. Behind them was Abhimanyu for additional protection. In the middle was the king Yudhisthira the think-tank. He was followed by Dhristadyumna, skilled as a bowmen and as a smitter using sword. Behind him was Shikhandi and behind him Arjun. This greatest of all bowmen viz Arjun, was in charge of the surprise attack involving a shower of arrows at the enemy army. Behind him was the Yadava chief Satyaki, Arjun's disciple in bow fight. He was followed by Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas two Panchala princes. They were followed by the Kekaya brothers. Behind them was Chedi king Dhristaketu, followed by the Yadava chief Chekitana. The rear of the army was protected by king Virata of Matsya and king Drupada of Panchala, both old in age.

 

The highlights of Day One fight :

Bhishma clashed with Arjun, Satyaki with Kritavarma, Abhimanyu with Brahdal, Bhimsen with Duryodhan, Dushashan with Nakul, Durmukh with Sahadev, Yudhishtr with Shalya, Dhristadyumna with Dron, Maharathi Dhristketu with Bahlik, Ghatotkach with Alambush, Shikhandi with Ashwathama, Virat with Bhagadatt, Kripacharya with Brahatkshatra, Drupad with Sindhu Raj Jayadrath, Vikaran with Sutasom, Susharma with Chekitan, and Shakuni with Yudhishtr's son Prativindhya. Similarly Srutakaram, son of Sahadev attacked maharathi Sudakshin of Kamboj (Sudakshinaam tu rajendra Kambojanam maharatham). Sudakshin covered Srutakaram with numerous sharp arrows; Srutakaram too responded in kind (6.45.60-68). Later in the day, after the slaying of Uttar (son of Virat) by Shalya, his brother Shwet was greatly upset. He gave a very fierce fight to Srutakaram and later also he clashed valiantly with seven maharathai of the Kauravs viz., Brahadal, Jayatsen, Rukamrath, princes Vind and Anuvind of Avanti, Sudakshin of Kamboj and Jayadrath of Sindhudesh (6.47.47-49). Shwet was also finally slain by Bhishma.

 

Pandavs were defeated at the end of the day, their commander slain.

 

Warriors Slain :

 

Virat's son Uttar, slain by Shalya

Virat's son Shwet, slain by Bhishma

Chapters-wise Summary :

 

6,44-Day1 Forenoon - First encounter

6,45-Day1 Forenoon - Many dual encounters

6,46-General combat description

6,47-Day 1 Noon - Virata's son Uttara's death

6,48-Day 1 AfterNoon - Virata's son Sweta's death

6,49-Day 1 AfterNoon - Virata's son Sankha's fight

Virat's son Shwet was a great warrior, described as a commander of Matsya army. However the role he played was that of a commander-in-chief, for the whole of Pandav army for Day One.

 

Then when their commander (Shwet) was slain, Arjun and Krishna, slowly withdrew the troops (for their nightly rest). And then the withdrawal took place of both the armies. Kauravs made shouts of victory.

The Pandavs entered (their quarters) cheerlessly, thinking, of that awful slaughter in single combat of their commander. (6,48).

 

On Day One night, after the death of this hero, and after the Pandav's defeat in the day's battle, there is mention of a meeting in which Dhristadyumn was elected as the commander of Pandav army. This arises a doubt, that Dhristadyumn was not the commander in chief for day one. He might have taken that position only after Shwet's death.

 

Refer (6,5) :

 

Yudhisthir to Dhristadyumn in the meeting :"O Dhrishtadyumn, mark these words that I say unto thee. Approved by Vasudev Krishna, thou hast been the commander of our forces. As Kartikeya, in days of old, was ever the commander of the celestial host, so also art thou, O bull among men, the commander of the Pandav host. Putting forth thy prowess, O tiger among men, slay the Kauravs. Rest of us will follow thee"

References :


C. Rajagopalachari, Mahabharat, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. 1994

Kamala Subramaniam, Mahabharat, Bhavan's Book University, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai 2001

 

Source :

 

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