In this episode of Mahabharata, Dronacharya adjusts his strategy to capture Yudhistir by first distracting Arjun.
As Duryodhan frets about Dronacharya’s loyalty, Karna reveals that he is fighting alongside Duryodhan because of his indebtedness Details instead of pure loyalty. Duryodhan is deeply hurt by this. As both of them argue, Dronacharya walks in and complains that Arjun is an impediment to his goal of capturing Yudhistir. Dushasan suggests that someone be used to distract Arjun and lure him away from Yudhistir so that Dronacharya can get to him unobstructed. Karna refuses to do this, as he feels that feigning retreat is dishonorable and cowardly. Shakuni suggests that the princes of Trigarta kingdom be used to lure Arjun away. The Trigarta princes take an oath that on the next day, they will either kill Arjun or die trying.
On day twelve of the war, the Trigarta princes insult Arjun and challenge him. A fired up Arjun ignores Bhim’s pleas to not leave Yudhistir unprotected. As Arjun is lured away, Dushasan complains that the decoys aren’t running away fast enough. Dronacharya waits until Arjun is far enough away, and then attacks.
This time, he disarms all four remaining Pandavas one by one. First Bhim is disarmed, then Nakul, then Sahadev. Finally Yudhistir is left weaponless and vulnerable. But once again Arjun rushes back just in time to challenge Dronacharya to combat before the sun sets.
Back at camp, Duryodhan berates Dronacharya once more for failing him. A frustrated Dronacharya decides to deploy the impregnable Chakravyuh formation the next day, as only Arjun and Krishna know how to infiltrate and exfiltrate it. However, the spy that Dhrishtadyumna has placed in the Kaurava camp learns of this. But this time, alert sentries catch him. Dronacharya orders him confined till the conflict ends. King Susharma of Trigarta agrees to do more running and less fighting the next day, so that his defeat by Yudhistir can be avenged.
In the Pandava camp, Abhimanyu reveals while playfully flirting with Uttara that he knows how to infiltrate a Chakravyuh formation, but not how to extract himself from it.
Tropes found here are
- Draw Aggro: The Trigarta princes deliberately challenge Arjun and then make him chase them, so Dronacharya can go straight for Yudhistir.
- Just in Time: This time Arjun saves Yudhistir from capture mere seconds before sunset.
- He Knows Too Much: Dronacharya orders the caught spy confined indefinitely for this reason.
- Hold the Line: Bhim, Nakul, Sahadev and even Yudhistir hold out against Dronacharya’s onslaught long enough. When Yudhistir was disarmed, sunset was mere seconds away. Arjun returning and challenging Dronacharya allowed them to hold for those precious few more seconds till the sun set.
- I Owe Him My Life: King Susharma of Trigarta reveals that Yudhistir had captured him but spared his life and freed him after the invasion of Mathsya kingdom. Which is why
- Please Spare Him, My Liege!: Susharma insists that Duryodhan similarly set Yudhistir free after capturing him. However
- Manipulative Bastard: Duryodhan agrees only to get Susharma to lure Arjun away even farther. Duryodhan has no intention of actually sparing Yudhistir if captured.
- Please Spare Him, My Liege!: Susharma insists that Duryodhan similarly set Yudhistir free after capturing him. However
- Incompletely Trained: Abhimanyu reveals that he is I completely trained on the Chakravyuh formation. He knows how to infiltrate it, but not how to exfiltrate from it.
- As You Know: Abhimanyu reminds us all why his knowledge of the Chakravyuh is incomplete. Arjun was explaining all the tactics of the Chakravyuh to Abhimanyu’s mother, but she fell asleep from boredom, after which Arjun stopped talking. Abhimanyu listened and learned while in the womb. Later, he asked Krishna to explain the rest of it, but Krishna cryptically declined. Abhimanyu couldn’t ask Arjun as he was in exile and later on in hiding or preparing for war.
- Too Happy to Live: Abhimanyu is shown playfully flirting with his newly wed wife Uttara. This will be the last time he sees her.
- You Have Failed Me: Duryodhan gives Dronacharya a tongue lashing for his failure to capture Yudhistir.
