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King Drupada was no ordinary ruler—he was an experienced, seasoned master of warfare.
Sensing the way the army was approaching towards his city, Kampilya, after observing them for a while, he knew this army had not experienced the struggle of war.
Drupada swiftly made the decision to fight the battle inside his fort city; he ordered his soldiers to swing the grand gates open and launch a swift counter-offensive.
The Panchala forces poured out in disciplined formations, filled with fighting spirit, and took their positions according to the orders of their king.
In contrast, the Kaurava soldiers, having marched continuously for ten or twelve Prahars (approximately four days) of relentless exertion, could barely lift their weapons or shields.
"Rummmble....!!"
Seeing his infantry stumble, Duryodhana personally drove his chariot forward alongside Dushasana and Karna to turn the tide. But King Drupada, riding his royal chariot like a gust of wind across the battlefield, met them head-on.
Drupada's strategic superiority quickly dismantled the overconfident, arrogant Yuvraj (Prince) Duryodhana.
King Drupada and his generals, taking the high ground, rained down showers of arrows on Yuvraj Duryodhana and his army.
The weary Kaurava horses panicked, causing chaos and trampling their own foot soldiers.
When Duryodhana tried to confront Drupada directly, the Panchala King bypassed Duryodhana's reckless attacks. Drupada targeted only the weak points of Duryodhana's chariot—severing its flagstaff, snapping the reins, and killing the horses within moments. It happened so fast that Yuvraj Duryodhana didn't understand how King Drupada had done it, and panic started to show on his face.
As the Kaurava soldiers tried to push into the city streets, the able-bodied citizens of Kampilya joined their own soldiers in fighting the enemy army, raining iron darts, heavy stones, and boiling liquid from the elevated rooftops onto the trapped soldiers.
Faced with heavy casualties and Drupada's fierce attacks, the multi-directional pressure and the weariness from their journey finally broke the Kaurava army's spirit. They panicked, which quickly led to them being overwhelmed by the high-spirited Panchala army. Then the Kaurava soldiers turned around and fled in complete disarray, abandoning their crown prince on the battlefield.
Yuvraj Duryodhana, brutally bruised and disarmed by the Panchala King, was left exposed as his broken troops scattered back toward the outskirts. Forced into a bitter, humiliating retreat, he feared the angry citizens of Panchala might beat him to death if he didn't run away. He quickly left the city and headed back to where Guru Drona, his Mama Shree Shakuni, and the Pandavas were waiting.
"Hahahaha.... Look... look who came back running!" Watching the Kaurava army running back in a miserable condition made Arjun and his younger brothers let out a laugh from atop their chariots.
"Bhrata Shree (Elder brother), it took us a march from Hastinapur to reach Kampilya—120 Ghatikas (roughly four days), and it was quite exhausting. Here, our Yuvraj Duryodhana took his army to capture Panchala Naresh, but he came out after less than a single Muhurta (48 minutes) of actual battle with King Drupada," Arjun said in a purely sarcastic tone, shaking his head at the pure idiocy of his cousin.
"Seriously, that's hilarious, Hahaha...!" Nakul and Sahadeva laughed loudly, hearing Arjun's comment on the humiliating defeat of Duryodhana.
Yudhishthira remained calm, watching the cloud of dust raised by the fleeing Kaurava soldiers. "Their pride blinded them to the basics of warfare, Partha. They fought the weariness of their journey even before they met the army of King Drupada. Now, it falls upon us to pay our Guru Dakshina."
Arjun and his brothers nodded, hearing their elder brother's words.
Duryodhana, his armor in tatters and his face pale with rage and humiliation, rode his damaged chariot back to where Guru Drona, Shakuni, and the Pandavas stood. He could not bring himself to meet Drona's eyes.
Arjun gave a mocking look at Duryodhana, who could only gnash his teeth in anger and hatred, because Arjun then ignored him and stepped forward, bowing respectfully before Guru Drona.
"Guruvar," Arjun said with calmness and confidence. "Allow us to fulfill your demand, and we shall bring the King of Panchala bound to your feet before the sun completes two more Prahars of its journey."
"Very well. You have my permission. March forward, my Shishyas, and come back with victory." Guru Drona nodded and smiled, seeing Arjun's calm and collected look as he gave them his permission.
After getting permission, the five Pandava brothers didn't linger there and quickly boarded their chariots, brimming with confidence yet maintaining a calm and collected demeanor.
They organized in a tight formation with whatever small army they had, and marched toward the gates of Kampilya.
"Bhrata Shree, I will take this high wall so I can cover everyone from here." After arriving at the gate, which was still open, Arjun turned to his eldest brother, Yudhishthira, and informed him of his decision.
"Go on, Partha. You have chosen a good position. You can quickly assess the situation from there and support whichever of your brothers gets in a bind." Yudhishthira nodded in understanding upon hearing Arjun's decision and supported him.
"As for me, I will keep King Drupada in check so he won't try to catch us in another of his strategies." Yudhishthira also shared his decision with the others, which he thought was a necessary move so they wouldn't suddenly get ambushed by a veteran like King Drupada.
Yudhishthira didn't forget to remind Bheem to round up all the generals and strong soldiers quickly, with Nakul and Sahadeva following right behind him.
After finalizing their strategy and giving a stern warning to his brothers, Yudhishthira and the others separated into three groups and scattered around the city to begin the battle against the Panchala King.
As the Pandava brothers split to execute their plan, the high-spirited Panchala army had already reassembled near their positions after their easy victory over the Kauravas. King Drupada, standing tall on his chariot near the central square of Kampilya, watched the small force of five brothers enter the gates. Unlike the chaotic rush of Duryodhana's army, these warriors moved with quiet, calculated precision. Drupada knew that this battle wouldn't be an easy one and that he would have to put in more effort, just like in the old days.
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