Why was the third pandu putra as dear to #Satyaki as he was to SriKrishna himself? So dear that the brave Vrishni warrior did not think twice before riding away into the heart of the Kaurava battle formation when Yudishitra bid him to go see why Arjuna's gandiva

no longer resonated across Kurkshetra on that terrifying day following the death of brave Abhimanyu? Why did Satyaki not think twice before facing off against a furious Drona as he rushed in on the path created by Arjuna in the Kaurava forces?

And why did the usually easy to anger Satyaki choose NOT to engage with Drona although challenged? What made the valiant Satyaki turn it down relatively calmly and stay focussed upon his mission of finding Arjuna?

Was it because Arjuna was his Guru?? Was it merely a sense of duty towards his teacher?

Was it because Arjuna was his hero in many ways and Satyaki sought to emulate Vijaya, yearned to showcase his prowess to him and desire to be known as Arjuna's best student?

Was it because Arjuna was a dear friend who would, and did, protect him at huge personal cost if he ever was in trouble?

Or was it all of the above that drove Satyaki deep inside the Kaurava army despite his own exhaustion after battling the core Kaurava warriors

since daybreak on the 14th day? Satyaki's decision to ignore Arjuna's own instruction to him to NOT leave Yudi's side shows that he was not merely obeying the call of duty of a student to the mentor.

His absolutely confident declaration to Yudi that Arjuna cannot be defeated by the kauravas all put together shows that he knew Vijaya did not require his assistance to fulfill his terrible vow.

But as a FRIEND he could not stay behind knowing that Arjuna was battling alone. While I would not go so far as to equate Krishna- Arjuna's soul brother friendship with that of Satyaki- Arjuna, there is something very similar at play here

On the battlefield, Krishna stepped in to protect Arjuna just as Arjuna stepped in to protect him, although neither needed the other's protection in physical terms. The call of friendship, the inability to simply be bystander when the friend was threatened, an instinctive,

protective reaction that is not subject to logical analysis of whether or not the friend can handle the danger. Satyaki's mad rush to get to Arjuna's side perhaps had a healthy dose of the same emotions: A pressing need to just be by Arjuna's side, offer moral support as

he completed the terrifying mission he had undertaken. Perhaps a keen desire to witness his victory and take immense pleasure in his friend's success?