Shloka 1
Arjuna Confronted by Saindhava Forces during the Aśvamedha Circuit (श्वेतवाहनस्य सैन्धवसंघर्षः)
अपन क्रात बछ। 2 षट्सप्ततितमो<ध्याय: अर्जुनके द्वारा वज्दत्तकी पराजय वैशम्पायन उवाच एवं त्रिरात्रमभवत् तद् युद्धे भरतर्षभ । अर्जुनस्य नरेन्द्रेण वृत्रेणेव शतक्रतो:
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: evaṁ trirātram abhavat tad yuddhe bharatarṣabha | arjunasya narendreṇa vajradattena vṛtreṇeva śatakratoḥ ||
ವೈಶಂಪಾಯನನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಓ ಭರತಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠನೇ! ಆ ಯುದ್ಧವು ಮೂರು ರಾತ್ರಿಗಳವರೆಗೆ ನಡೆಯಿತು. ಶತಕ್ರತು ಇಂದ್ರನು ವೃತ್ರನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಯುದ್ಧ ಮಾಡಿದಂತೆ, ಅರ್ಜುನನು ರಾಜ ವಜ್ರದತ್ತನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಸಮರ ಮಾಡಿದನು.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya endurance and steadfastness in duty: a righteous warrior persists through prolonged hardship, and epic tradition frames human struggle through divine parallels to emphasize courage, resolve, and the gravity of conflict.
During the Aśvamedha-related campaign, Arjuna engages King Vajradatta in a fierce battle that continues for three nights; the narrator likens it to Indra’s famed combat with Vṛtra to convey its intensity and scale.