To make Father proud: The Tale of Abhimanyu

𝓦𝓪𝓻𝓻𝓲𝓸𝓻 𝓫𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓭

When Abhimanyu was eight, he discovered the training grounds.

It was Pradyumna who took him. It so happened that Samba mentioned the training grounds one day at breakfast.

"The training grounds?" Abhimanyu asked, perking up.

"It is nothing of your interest," Samba had said superiorly. "It is not meant for kids like you."

Abhimanyu looked at Pradyumna, who frowned at Samba and said, "Nothing like that. If you want to see them, I'll take you today, Abhi."

Samba snorted. Abhimanyu, who was a bit hurt at the way his daredevil cousin, being six years older than him, acted like children his age were beneath his notice, cheered up when his jyesht made true his promise.

Located a fair distance outside the palace grounds, the training grounds were spread over an enormous expanse. There was incessant motion whichever direction he looked. Some groups were racing on horses, wielding swords. Others were wrestling in enclosures, covered in mud but apparently uncaring. Then there were groups who practiced with maces, and those who shot targets with the bow and arrow. Another group's weapon Abhimanyu could not identify.

"What are those, jyesht?"

"Spears," said Pradyumna.

Once the questions had started, they did not end.

"What are they doing, jyesht?"

"Practicing a formation, the garudavyuh."

"What is a formation?"

Pradyumna put an arm around him as they walked towards the enclosure where hundreds of soldiers were practicing the 'garudavyuh.'

"Formations are arrangements of soldiers while they charge into battle. Each formation is designed to provide you a specific advantage, and they derive their name from the physical shape they resemble--see how this one looks like an eagle?"

Abhimanyu squinted, trying to visualize it.

"That is the beak?" he asked, pointing.

"Exactly. Usually the commander of the army positions himself at the beak. Two of the most competent warriors occupy the eyes. Two more at the head..."

"Who is the commander of Dwaraka's army?"

"My father," said Pradyumna with a hint of pride. "With him as commander, our Narayani Sena is arguably the most powerful army in our land."

They walked deeper in. Abhimanyu wished he had about ten more eyes so he could take it all in.

"That is the chakravyuh, isn't it, jyesht?" Abhimanyu indicated at another formation.

Pradyumna looked surprised. "How do you know?"

Abhimanyu blinked.

"I don't know," he said truthfully as he watched a soldier riding in on his horse towards the formation. "Look, someone's trying to enter the chakravyuh..."

They watched in silence.

"He's going wrong," said Abhimanyu. "He should not have approached that opening, it's the trap--"

A moment later, the soldier was trapped inside and overcome. Someone, possibly an instructor, shouted a rebuke.

"Did you hear anyone talking about how to enter a chakravyuh, Abhi?" asked Pradyumna as the soldier emerged, much beaten.

Abhimanyu could not recall any such instance. He frowned as he racked his brains, intrigued.

"Hey there, Pradyumna, Abhimanyu!"