As the sun rose on the sixth day, it saw the battlefield erupt in an unprecedented frenzy. The battle started with a duel between
Bheema and Drona. Although Bheema’s hand faltered when he trained his bow at his former guru, his arrows did knock Drona’s charioteer to the ground. His charioteer’s death provoked Drona to a new fury. Although he let Bheema drive away, his arrows now began to slaughter the enemy’s soldiers with such intensity that the Pandava army was struck with terror.
As for Bheema, he was possessed by only one thought – how to kill the remaining brothers of Duryodhana. This, he knew, was the only way to break Duryodhana’s nerve.
Leaving his chariot in the care of Visoka, his charioteer, Bheema penetrated deep into the enemy ranks on foot. Driven by some inner force, he swept like a whirlwind into the heart of the Kaurava army, seeking his prey. Since Duryodhana’s brothers stood in the middle, fortified by several Kaurava soldiers, he continued killing anyone who confronted him, till he saw Duryodhana’s brothers. Then he fell upon them like a lion upon a herd of deer.
In the Pandava camp, Dhrishtadyumna was worried to see Bheema missing. He saw only Visoka, sitting alone in his chariot.
‘Where is Bheema?’ Dhrishtadyumna asked him.
‘Out there, Sir,’ replied the charioteer, pointing towards the inner ranks of the Kaurava army.
‘Gracious heavens!’ exclaimed Dhrishtadyumna. ‘It would be a disaster if he got killed.’
Terribly shaken, he decided to drive into the enemy lines, regardless of the grave risk to his own life. But he was overjoyed to see Bheema safe. There he was, battling Duryodhana’s brothers, who saw nothing but death hovering over them. In a short while, several of them were slain.
Now assured of support from Dhrishtadyumna, Bheema fought with still greater vigour. But his eyes were roving anxiously all around to locate his primary target, Duhsasana.
‘I must get him,’ he said, turning to Dhrishtadyumna. ‘But he seems to have escaped.’
‘There is always another time, dear Bheema,’ consoled Dhrishtadyumna.
Just then, the two warriors saw Duryodhana advancing towards them at the head of a large force. For a moment, Bheema found both of them surrounded on all sides. But Dhrishtadyumna pulled out an arrow from his quiver and shot it in the air. It was a miraculous arrow that ejected smoke which put to sleep everyone around them. So, as the Kaurava soldiers lay on the ground in a state of unconsciousness, both warriors managed to find their way back to their own army.
But they had hardly covered some distance when they were confronted by Duryodhana, who seemed to have appeared from nowhere. Then followed a duel between Bheema and Duryodhana, in which the Kaurava prince was hit by Bheema’s mace. As Duryodhana lay unconscious on the ground, bleeding, Bheema thought it would be unchivalrous to kill him in that state of his helplessness.
Back in their camp, Bheema and Dhrishtadyumna learnt that Drona was still shooting his deadly arrows, even though the sun had already set.
‘Hasn’t Drona violated one of the basic rules of war?’ asked Bheema.
‘Having stayed very long with Duryodhana and Dhritarashtra,’ quipped Dhrishtadyumna, ‘the great teacher may have lost his moral sense.’
‘Indeed, they are all doomed to perish,’ said Bheema.
When Sanjaya reported it all to Dhritarashtra, the king just muttered: ‘How will I sleep tonight, Sanjaya, imaging my sons lying dead on the battlefield?’