Shloka 9
Strī-parva Adhyāya 22 — Gāndhārī’s Battlefield Lament for the Fallen (Āvantya, Bāhlika, Jayadratha, and Duḥśalā)
श्रीकृष्ण! पुत्रशोकसे संतप्त हो अपनी की हुई प्रतिज्ञाका पालन करते हुए इन्द्रकुमार अर्जुनने युद्धस्थलमें वृद्धक्षत्रके पुत्र जयद्रथको मार गिराया है। यद्यपि उसकी रक्षाकी पूरी व्यवस्था की गयी थी, तब भी अपनी प्रतिज्ञाको सत्य कर दिखाने की इच्छावाले महात्मा अर्जुनने ग्यारह अक्षौहिणी सेनाओंका भेदन करके जिसे मार डाला था, वही यह जयद्रथ यहाँ पड़ा है। इसे देखो ।। सिन्धुसौवीरभर्तरिं दर्पपूर्ण मनस्विनम् । भक्षयन्ति शिवा गृध्रा जनार्दन जयद्रथम्,जनार्दन! सिन्धु और सौवीर देशके स्वामी अभिमानी और मनस्वी जयद्रथको गीध और सियार नोच-नोचकर खा रहे हैं
śrīkṛṣṇa! putraśokena santaptaḥ svayā kṛtāṃ pratijñāṃ pālayan indrakumāro 'rjunaḥ yuddhasthale vṛddhakṣatrasya putraṃ jayadrathaṃ nipātitavān. yadyapi tasya rakṣāyāḥ pūrṇā vyavasthā kṛtā, tathāpi svapratijñāṃ satyīkartuṃ icchan mahātmā 'rjunaḥ ekādaśākṣauhiṇīḥ senāḥ bhittvā yaṃ jaghāna, sa eṣa jayadratha iha patitaḥ—enaṃ paśyata. sindhusauvīrabhartāraṃ darpapūrṇaṃ manasvinaṃ bhakṣayanti śivā gṛdhrā janārdana jayadratham.
Vaiśampāyana said: “O Śrī Kṛṣṇa! Tormented by grief for his son, yet steadfast in the vow he had made, Indra’s son Arjuna struck down Jayadratha, the son of Vṛddhakṣatra, on the battlefield. Although every measure had been arranged for Jayadratha’s protection, Arjuna—resolved to make his pledge true—broke through eleven akṣauhiṇīs of troops and killed him. There lies Jayadratha; look upon him. O Janārdana, vultures and jackals are tearing and devouring Jayadratha, the lord of Sindhu and Sauvīra, proud and high-spirited.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the ethical weight of a solemn vow (pratijñā): Arjuna’s resolve to make his pledge true overrides fear and obstacles, showing that commitment to one’s word is treated as a form of dharma. It also underscores the moral logic of consequence in war—pride and wrongdoing culminate in a stark, humiliating end.
Vaiśampāyana reports to Kṛṣṇa that Arjuna, driven by grief and bound by his vow, has killed Jayadratha despite extensive protection. Arjuna is said to have pierced through eleven akṣauhiṇīs to accomplish this. The verse then points to Jayadratha’s corpse on the battlefield, being torn by vultures and jackals.