Shloka 56
इन्द्रजिद्-लक्ष्मणयुद्धम्
Indrajit and Lakṣmaṇa: Escalation through Concealment
सैन्धवस्तु हतान् दृष्टवा तथाश्चान् स्वान् सुदुःखित: । अतिविक्रमकर्माणि कुर्वाणं च धनंजयम्,सिन्धुराज अपने घोड़ोंको मारा गया देख और अलौकिक पराक्रम कर दिखानेवाले अर्जुनको आता जान अत्यन्त दुःखी हो गया
saindhavastu hatān dṛṣṭvā tathāś cān svān suduḥkhitaḥ | ativikramakarmāṇi kurvāṇaṃ ca dhanaṃjayam |
Vaiśampāyana said: Seeing his Sindhu horses slain, and likewise his own men struck down, the Saindhava (Jayadratha) was overwhelmed with grief. And as he beheld Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) advancing—one who performs deeds of extraordinary valor—his sorrow deepened, for the consequences of unrighteous aggression were now returning upon him in the form of irresistible retribution.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral logic of consequence: when one aligns with wrongful aggression, the inevitable counterforce of dharmic resistance arrives. Jayadratha’s grief is not only personal loss but also the dawning recognition that reckless or unrighteous action invites powerful retaliation.
Jayadratha (the Saindhava) sees his horses and his own forces killed. At the same time he perceives Arjuna—renowned for extraordinary feats—approaching. This combination of immediate loss and the sight of an unstoppable warrior fills him with intense sorrow and fear.