Shloka 8
Bhagadatta’s Astra and the Fall of the Prāgjyotiṣa King (भगदत्त-वधः / वैष्णवास्त्र-प्रसङ्गः)
त्रिगर्ताधिपतेश्लापि भ्रातरं पड़भिराशुगै: । साश्वं ससूतं त्वरित: पार्थ: प्रैषीद् यमक्षयम्,साथ ही त्रिगर्तमजके भाईको भी छः: बाण मारकर अर्जुनने उसे घोड़े और सारथिसहित तुरंत यमलोक भेज दिया
trigartādhipateś cāpi bhrātaraṁ ṣaḍbhir āśugaiḥ | sāśvaṁ sasūtaṁ tvaritaḥ pārthaḥ praiṣīd yamākṣayam ||
Sañjaya said: Arjuna, acting with swift resolve, struck down even the brother of the Trigarta king with six rapid arrows, and promptly dispatched him—together with his horses and charioteer—to the abode of Yama. In the harsh ethic of battlefield duty, this depicts the uncompromising execution of a warrior’s task amid lethal combat.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the stern logic of kṣatriya-dharma in war: when combat is joined, a warrior must act decisively and without hesitation. It also underscores the moral gravity of battle—death is immediate and total, extending to the entire chariot-team—showing how warfare consumes not only the principal fighter but all who are bound to the martial enterprise.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna swiftly shoots the brother of the Trigarta ruler with six fast arrows and kills him, sending him to Yama’s realm, along with his horses and charioteer—indicating a complete destruction of the opponent’s chariot unit.