Shloka 8
इन्द्रजिद्-लक्ष्मणयुद्धम्
Indrajit and Lakṣmaṇa: Escalation through Concealment
पार्थ: पञ्च शतान् शूरान् पर्वतीयान् महारथान् | परीप्समान: सौवीरं जघान ध्वजिनीमुखे,इसी प्रकार अर्जुनने सौवीरराज जयद्रथको पकड़नेकी इच्छा रखकर सेनाके अग्रभागमें स्थित पाँच सौ शूरवीर पर्वतीय महारथियोंको मार डाला
pārthaḥ pañcaśatān śūrān parvatīyān mahārathān | parīpsamānaḥ sauvīraṃ jaghāna dhvajinīmukhe ||
قال فايشَمبايانا: إنّ أرجونا، وقد عقد العزم على أسر ملك ساوفيرَا (جايادراثا)، قتل في مقدّمة الجيش خمسمائة من الأبطال العظام من فرسان العربات، من أبناء الجبال.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents martial action as goal-directed within kṣatriya-dharma: Arjuna’s violence is narrated as serving a specific pursuit—bringing a culpable king (Jayadratha) to account—rather than as aimless slaughter, highlighting intention and responsibility in warfare.
As Arjuna advances to seize Jayadratha, he meets resistance at the army’s front line and cuts down five hundred elite mountain warriors positioned in the vanguard, clearing the way toward his target.