Drona saw how Arjuna had become subdued and withdrawn after the exhibition. The princes' educa- tion was complete; their guru called them all, Pandavas and Kauravas and said, "Your siksha is com- plete. Now give me my dakshina."
They saw the deep fire in his eyes.
Bheema said, "We can never pay you back for everything you have taught us. But say what you want, Acharya; we will move the earth for you."
"All the wealth of the Kurus is at your disposal," said one of the Kaurava princes.
Drona turned on him and snapped, "It isn't wealth I want. All my needs are already seen to." A wistful look came into his eyes. "It is revenge I want, much sweeter than all the wealth in the world." Yudhishtira said evenly, "What revenge, Guru? We will give our lives to get you whatever you
want."
A spasm of darkness twitched on Drona's face. "I want you to bring Drupada to me as a prisoner.
Go to the Panchala kingdom, defeat him in battle and bring him to me alive. But remember, it was said no archer on earth could match Drupada." He paused and looked at Arjuna, then, added softly, "Somehow, I don't think that is true any more. Well? Will you give me my dakshina?"
The Kuru princes, Kauravas and Pandavas, cried together, "We will!"
Bheeshma, Vidura and Dhritarashtra supported Drona's cause. An army was mustered. With the young Kurus at its head and Drona himself going with them, that force set out for the Panchala king- dom. Exhilarated at the prospect of a real battle, they rode to Drupada's capital. Their acharya was the most excited of them all, like his pupils had never seen him before.
When he saw the army from Hastinapura surround his city Kampilya, Drupada was puzzled. He had no quarrel with the Kurus. But he was a kshatriya too and a great one. In no time, his legions were ready to repulse the invaders. Outside the city-walls Kuru horsemen took their positions for the attack; but the Kaurava princes were almost coming to blows, each one was so eager to lead the first charge. Drona was having trouble keeping them calm and now the Pandavas won their first battle. Not that their blood wasn't up as well, but the sons of Pandu behaved with composure. The five of them stood aside quietly under a tree.
Duryodhana wanted to lead the first onslaught; Yudhishtira, the eldest prince, said he had no objection. When the Kaurava force charged the Panchala army, the Pandavas stayed back with their guru. Arjuna's dejection of the past weeks fell away from him. He was confident, "Drupada will prove too much for our cousins. They have no archer who can face him."
Drona murmured, "Let us wait and see", but he knew Arjuna was right. The brahmana knew what a warrior Drupada was. He also knew his own fortunes had changed; he could feel it in his body. Let Drupada tire himself against the Kauravas. Then Arjuna could go into battle.
Weapons flashing, chariots thundering, their roars deafening, the Kaurava legion charged the defending Panchala force. The front-line of the defense fell to Duryodhana, their heads crushed by his mace blows. His brothers were terrible around him and it seemed the Panchalas would be quickly overcome.
The Kauravas breached the front gates of Kampilya. On horseback and in chariots, they stormed up the streets, felling Drupada's soldiers at will. They gained the central square of the Panchala capi- tal. The sides of his chariot bloody, a triumphant Duryodhana was about to hoist the Kuru flag there. Suddenly, deep sea-conches boomed and the palace-gates flew open. From them rode Drupada in a white chariot, like a wheel of fire.
Cutting down everything in his way he came and his arrows were a wave of wizardry. His chariot, too, was not less than magical: it seemed to be everywhere at once. Now the blood-soaked square rang with the screams of Kuru soldiers mown down like stalks of wheat. His horses were so swift it seemed there was not one Drupada, but a hundred, a thousand of him. By himself the Panchala king was like an army of Yama. Not an arrow left his bow but it claimed an enemy life; and his shafts flowed in tor- rent.
