Karna-The legendary ruler

Karna's strategy

Hastinapur,

The news of Kaurav princes defeat reached Hastinapur. A letter was also reached to Hastinapur stating that the princes were still alive. The new king of Magadha clearly said that he never expected that Hastinapur was so weak that they sent a bunch of kids to fight. So if the Hastinapur Royals had guts, then they should send their best warriors. Reading that letter everyone was angry. So they discussed the strategies.

Dronacharya, 'Hoe dare he. The new king thinks that just by defeating Jarasandh, he can win over Hastinapur. Never. I myself will go and see that impudent person.'

Arjun, 'Gurudev, you don't need to dirty your hand with that Sutas blood. We five brothers are more than capable enough to defeat Magadha.'

Bheem, 'We will bring that arrogant king on your feet Gurudev.'

Bheesm, 'Rajkumars, I will not be wise to take your enemy lightly. Magadha defeated our army and took our princes as hostages. Our spies cannot give any proper information about how did it happen as no one knows what happened inside the forest. Everyone present there is either dead or missing. So we need a proper strategy. I think Drona should go with you. And this time don't take the forest route near the eastern border. Use the northern mountain and southern river. I think Yudhistir, Bheem and Sahadv shall take the southern river route with our war boats and Dronacharya, Arjun and Nakul shall take the Northern mountain route.'

Everyone agreed. The Pandavas came to their room to inform their mother about the upcoming war. 

Nakul, 'Mata prepare a good feast for us as it will be piece of cake for us to defeat Magadha without Jarasandh.'

Bheem, 'And I think from now on it will be our job to rescue the Kauravas. In every war they faced defeat and we have to go and protect them.'

Everyone laughed except Yudhistir, 'Bheem, they are our brothers, it is our Dharma to protect them.'

  The Pandavas and Drona started their journey. According to plan, they reached the border from two sides along with the army but little did they know that Karna was ready. He got the news from his spies. Karna had his spies stationed in the palace among the servants, charioteers, maids. So he sent his trained Kaivarta soldiers to capture Yudhistir, Bheem and Sahadv. Karna knew that Kaivarta soldiers could easily defeat the army on the boat. Vishvanu and Gajraj were enough to defeat Yudhistir and Bheem using their ability in spear and elephant taming. Propaganda was spread that Bheem had a strength of 1000 elephants but Karna knew that Bheem got a special herb that made him strong but not like 100 elephants. And that herb was prepared by the Naga tribe. Karna during his early life while living in the forest met a Naga tribe once and in exchange for saving their leader's wife from a leopard, he learned to prepare the herb. So he gave the special medicine to Gajraj as well so that he could fight with Bheem. Gajraj was the leader of Ataviks. They were very good elephant tamers and for many years they were captured and used as a slave by the kings to tame elephants. They had enough grudges against the upper-class royals. Now in Magadha, they were respected, the king himself gave them a position in the court. So now it was a payback time to all the royals. 

The southern border of Magadha,

   Hastinapur army was traveling by boat. In each boat, 15 soldiers could sit. The three princes were also with them. Their boat entered the border but till now they did not get any resistance. In a boat ahead the princes were present where all other soldiers were trailing behind them. The prince's boat reached the shore.

Bheem, 'Why did not we get any resistance or anyone attack us? I think Magadha soldiers  were scared of the valor of the Panduputras.'

Yudhistir, 'Bheem, we shall not underestimate the enemy.'