792
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 1, Ch. 15]
very severely, almost dead. Then all but five hairs were cut off his head and he was taken to all the kings and introduced as the slave of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. He was forced to admit himself to be the slave of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira before all the princely order, and in the same condition he was brought before Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was kind enough to order him released, and when he admitted to become a tributory prince under Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Queen Draupadī also desired his release. After this incidence, he was allowed to return to his country. Being so insulted, he went to Gongotri in the Himalayas and undertook a severe type of penance to please Lord Śiva. He asked his benediction to defeat all the Pāṇḍavas, at least one at a time. Then the Battle of Kurukṣetra began, and he took sides with Duryodhana. In the first day's fight he was engaged with Mahārāja Drupada, then with Virāṭa and then with Abhimanyu. While Abhimanyu was being killed, mercilessly surrounded by seven great generals, the Pāṇḍavas came to his help, but Jayadratha, by the mercy of Lord Śiva, repulsed them with great ability. At this, Arjuna took a vow to kill him, and on hearing this, Jayadratha wanted to leave the warfield and asked permission from the Kauravas for this cowardly action. But he was not allowed to do so. On the contrary, he was obliged to fight with Arjuna, and while the fight was going on Lord Krṣṇa reminded Arjuna that the benediction of Śiva upon Jayadratha was that whoever would cause his head to fall to the ground would die at once. He therefore advised Arjuna to throw the head of Jayadratha directly onto the lap of his father, who was engaged in penances at the Samanta Pañcaka pilgrimage. This was actually done by Arjuna. Jayadratha's father was surprised to see a severed head on his lap, and he at once threw it to the ground. The father immediately died, his forehead being cracked in seven pieces.
TEXT 17
सौत्ये वृतः कुमतिनाऽऽत्मद ईश्वरो मे
यत्पादपद्मभवाय भजन्ति मव्याः ।
मां श्रान्तवाहमरयो रथिनो भुविष्टं
न प्राहरन् यदनुभावनिरस्तचित्ताः ॥१७॥
sautye vṛtaḥ kumatinā 'tmada īśvaro me yat-pāda-padmam abhavāya bhajanti bhavyāḥ mām śrānta-vāham arayo rathino bhuviṣṭham na prāharan yad-anubhāva-nirasta-cittāḥ