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 ||
毗舍波耶那说道：“噢，婆罗多族中的雄杰啊，那场战斗持续了三夜。阿周那与国王金刚达多交战，正如昔日百祭主（因陀罗）与弗利陀罗交战一般。”
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.