Droṇa Becomes Senāpati

When Bhīshma fell on the tenth day of the Kurukshetra war, the Kaurava army lost its great protector. On Karṇa’s advice, Droṇācārya was made senāpati (commander) of the Kaurava armies in a formal ceremony with puṇyāhavācana and svastivācana (spoken blessings) and the blessings of brāhmaṇas. Droṇa accepted on one condition. He could capture Yudhishṭhira alive only if Arjuna were first drawn away from his side. He set up the Śakaṭa Vyūha and attacked the Pāṇḍava centre fiercely, driving the Pāñcāla, Sṛñjaya and Pāṇḍava forces back in every direction.

The Kaurava army after Bhīshma’s fall

When news of Bhīshma’s fall reached the Kaurava camp, the army of eleven akshauhiṇīs was left as if without its very life. Bhīshma had been its fixed north star, the one around whom all its courage was gathered. Now the army was like a night sky without stars, a river without water, a field without its crop. Commanders and soldiers alike felt that darkness had come over their cause.

At this hour all eyes turned to Karṇa. He had refused to fight under Bhīshma’s command, because the Pitāmaha had counted him as an ardha-rathika (half-chariot-warrior) and not a mahāratha. Now Bhīshma lay on his bed of arrows, waiting for the auspicious time of Uttarāyaṇa, and Karṇa was free. The Kaurava chiefs called out his name aloud, “Karṇa! Karṇa!”, and he rose to the moment. He went to Bhīshma’s side, wept and paid his respects. Then he declared that he would fight and either destroy the Pāṇḍava forces or die trying. His words lifted the army and gave back its courage.

Karṇa recommends Droṇa

Duryodhana was looking for a new commander and turned to Karṇa. Karṇa spoke of Droṇācārya’s unmatched gifts. He knew the Vedas and all six Vedāṅgas. He knew Manu’s Arthaśāstra. He had the divine bow-science given by Paraśurāma and mastery of every weapon. Above all, he had unmatched skill in planning a battle.

No other living warrior had all these gifts together. Karṇa said the Kauravas had no hope of beating the Pāṇḍavas by courage alone. They needed a commander who could outthink Kṛshṇa and outmanoeuvre Arjuna. That commander was Droṇācārya.

Duryodhana’s appeal to Droṇa

Duryodhana came to Droṇācārya with long praise. He named the gifts that made the ācārya the right man to command: birth in a high family, mastery of the śāstras, great age joined with the strength of a young fighter, invincibility in battle, wealth of wisdom and proven loyalty. He compared Droṇa to Rudra among the eleven Rudras, to Agni among the Vasus, to Indra among the devas, and to Vasishṭha among the brāhmaṇas. Droṇa, he said, was the best of his kind among all living commanders.

Duryodhana made one request. Droṇa should lead the army as Kumārasvāmī (Kārttikeya) led the devas, with all the Kaurava kings following him like calves following a bull. He ended with confidence: “With you as our commander, even Arjuna with his Gāṇḍīva will be unable to shoot.”

The assembled kings greeted this choice with loud cheers of “Jaya! Jaya!”, and the sound of war-drums filled the sky.

Droṇa’s acceptance and his condition

Droṇācārya accepted the command. He said he would give all his knowledge to Duryodhana’s cause: the Vedas with their six Vedāṅgas, Manu’s Arthaśāstra, and the bow-science given by Parameśvara. He also said of himself: “I will not kill Dhṛshṭadyumna in any case. He was born from the fire to kill me.”

Duryodhana then pressed him for the vara (boon) of capturing Yudhishṭhira alive. Droṇa set a condition: “If Arjuna is separated from Yudhishṭhira’s side, the capture becomes possible. Without Arjuna, no one can protect Yudhishṭhira from me.” This remark began the whole plan of sending the Saṃśaptakas to draw Arjuna away from the Pāṇḍava centre on the following days.

The formal installation then took place. The prescribed puṇyāhavācana and svastivācana were performed. The sūtas and māgadhas (bards) sang praises, the brāhmaṇas gave blessings, and the sound of conches and drums rose to the sky. The Kaurava forces believed that with Droṇa installed, the Pāṇḍavas were as good as beaten.

The Śakaṭa Vyūha

When the ceremony was over, Droṇa at once drew up the Kaurava forces in the Śakaṭa Vyūha (the cart formation). The arrangement was exact. Jayadratha, Karṇa and the sons of Dhṛtarāshtra held the key places. Śakuni with his Gāndhāra cavalry covered the right flank. Kṛpācārya, Kṛtavarmā, Citrasena, Viviṃśati and Duḥśāsana guarded the left flank, backed by the Sudarśana and Kāmboja forces. The Madras, Trigartas, Ambashṭhas, Śūrasenas, Sudakshiṇa of Kāmboja and many other warriors made up the battle array.

The Pāṇḍavas answered with the Krauñca Vyūha, with Kṛshṇa and Arjuna at its tip and Arjuna’s Kapi-dhvaja banner (the monkey banner) rising to the sky. Karṇa stood at the Kaurava front and Arjuna at the Pāṇḍava front. The two great warriors faced each other across the field, each burning for victory.

The eleventh day of battle

When the armies met, Droṇa was like the fire at the end of an age. He burned on without pause and moved through the Pāṇḍava forces with arrows that seemed to cover the sky. He went straight toward Yudhishṭhira, meaning to keep his vow to take the king alive.

Yudhishṭhira sent Sātyaki, Dhṛshṭadyumna, Śikhaṇḍī, the Kekaya princes, Abhimanyu, Ghaṭotkaca and other commanders to hold Droṇa back. All of them attacked together. Yet Droṇa passed through them like a gale through clouds, scattering the Pāñcāla, Matsya, Kekaya and Sṛñjaya warriors who tried to stop him.

Sātyaki struck him with a hundred arrows. Śikhaṇḍī struck him with five, Kshatradeva with seven and Utkamauja with three. Droṇa met each attack and kept on. A Pāñcāla hero named Satyadhita came forward to guard Yudhishṭhira and fought a fierce duel with Droṇa, matching him arrow for arrow and bow for bow, while Droṇa broke his weapons again and again. In the end Droṇa cut off Satyadhita’s head with an ardha-candra arrow, and Yudhishṭhira had to leave his place.

Dhṛshṭadyumna then came forward, his dove-coloured horses carrying him straight at Droṇa. The ācārya was uneasy at the sight of the man who was fated to kill him. Seeing Droṇa shaken, Duryodhana’s son Durmukha fought Dhṛshṭadyumna to protect the teacher, and a fierce battle followed.

Droṇa used this chance to advance on Yudhishṭhira again. Vṛka, a Pāñcāla warrior, tried to stop him and was also overwhelmed. Śatānīka, the younger brother of King Virāṭa, struck Droṇa’s charioteer and horses with six sharp arrows and then attacked Droṇa himself with a hundred shafts. Droṇa’s kshura arrow cut off his jewelled head.

The slaughter went on. Droṇa moved through the Cedi, Karūsha, Kekaya, Pāñcāla and Sṛñjaya forces like fire through dry grass. By the end of the eleventh day the Pāṇḍava forces had suffered heavy losses and were glad when the sun set and the fighting stopped. Under Droṇa the Kauravas had gained a clear advantage in the battle, but Yudhishṭhira had not been captured.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Droṇa Parva, Chapters 1–2: the state of the Kaurava forces and Karṇa’s words
• Mahābhārata, Droṇa Parva, Chapters 5–6: Karṇa’s recommendation of Droṇa
• Mahābhārata, Droṇa Parva, Chapters 6–7: Duryodhana’s appeal to Droṇa
• Mahābhārata, Droṇa Parva, Chapters 7 and 12: Droṇa’s acceptance, his condition and the installation
• Mahābhārata, Droṇa Parva, Chapter 7: the Śakaṭa Vyūha and the Krauñca Vyūha
• Mahābhārata, Droṇa Parva, Chapters 8, 13–14 and 21: the eleventh day of battle