Shloka 8
इन्द्रजिद्-लक्ष्मणयुद्धम्
Indrajit and Lakṣmaṇa: Escalation through Concealment
पार्थ: पञ्च शतान् शूरान् पर्वतीयान् महारथान् | परीप्समान: सौवीरं जघान ध्वजिनीमुखे,इसी प्रकार अर्जुनने सौवीरराज जयद्रथको पकड़नेकी इच्छा रखकर सेनाके अग्रभागमें स्थित पाँच सौ शूरवीर पर्वतीय महारथियोंको मार डाला
pārthaḥ pañcaśatān śūrān parvatīyān mahārathān | parīpsamānaḥ sauvīraṃ jaghāna dhvajinīmukhe ||
毗湿摩波耶那说：阿周那一心要擒拿娑毗罗之王（阇耶陀罗），便在军阵前沿斩杀了五百名勇猛的山地出身的大车战士。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents martial action as goal-directed within kṣatriya-dharma: Arjuna’s violence is narrated as serving a specific pursuit—bringing a culpable king (Jayadratha) to account—rather than as aimless slaughter, highlighting intention and responsibility in warfare.
As Arjuna advances to seize Jayadratha, he meets resistance at the army’s front line and cuts down five hundred elite mountain warriors positioned in the vanguard, clearing the way toward his target.