Srimad Bhagavatam, Volume 3

Droupadi could be arrested. But Dronacharya rebuked them for such
conspiracy and they refrained from the action. Karna was defeated many
times not only by Arjuna but also by Bhimsena. He was the king of the then
kingdom of Bengal Orissa and Madras combined together. Later on he took
active part in the Rajsuya sacrifice of Maharaj Yudhisthira and when there
was gambling chess between the rival brothers designed by Sakuni, Karna
took part in the game and he was very pleased when Droupadi was offered as
bet in the gambling to feed his old grudge. When Droupadi was in the game
he was very enthusiastic in declaring the news and it is he who ordered
Duhsasan to take away the garments of both Pandavas and Droupadi. She
asked Droupadi to select another husband because being lost by the Pandavas
she was rendered a slave of the Kurus. He was always a dead enemy of the
Pandavas and whenever there was opportunity he wanted to curb down them
by all means. During the battle of Kurukshetra he fore-saw the conclusive
result of the battle and he expressed his opinion that due to Lord Krishna
being the chariot driver of Arjuna, the battle should be woned by him. He was
always in difference of opinion with Bhisma and sometimes he said that he
would not fight till Bhisma was living. And he was proud enough to say that
within five days only he could finish up the Pandavas and fight if Bhisma
would not interfere with his plan of action. But he was too much mortified
when Bhisma died. He killed Ghatotkach by his Sakti weapon obtained from
Indra-deva His son Brisasena was killed by Arjuna. He killed the largest
number of soldiers of the Pandavas. At last there was severe fight with Arjuna
and it is he only who was able to drop the hemelt of Arjuna. But it so
happened that the wheel of his chariot became stuck in the battlefield mud and
when he got down to set the wheel right Arjuna took the opportunity and
killed him although he requested Arjuna not to do.
Naptri or Bhurisrava:—Bhurisrava was the son of Somadutt a member of
the Kuru family. His other brother was Salya. Both the brothers and the father
also attained the Sayambara ceremony of Droupadi. All of them appreciated
the wonderful strength of Arjuna due to his becoming the devotee friend of
the Lord and thus Bhurisrava advised the sons of Dhritarastra not to pick up
any quarrel with nor to fight with them. All of them also attended the Rajsuya
Yajna of Maharaj Yudhisthira. He possessed full one Akshanini regiment of
army. cavalry, elephants, chariots and all these were employed in the battle of
Kurukshetra on behalf of the Duryodhon's party. He was counted by Bhima as
one of the Yuthapatis. In the battle of Kurukshetra he was specially engaged
in fight with Satyaki and he killed ten sons of Satyaki. Later on Arjuna cut off
his hands and he was ultimately killed by Satyaki. After his death he merged
into the existence of Viswadeva.
Trigarta or Susarma:—Son of Maharaj Briddhakshetra and the King of
Trigarta Desha and he was also present in the Sayambara ceremony of
Drouprdi. One of the allies of Duryodhone and he advised Duryodhone to
attack the Matsadesha (Darbhanga). during the time of cow-stealing in
Viratnagar he was able to arrest Maharaj Virat but later on Maharaj Virata
was released by Bhima and in the battle of Kurukshetra he also fought very
valiantly but at the end he was killed by Arjuna.
Jaidrath:—Another son of Maharaj Briddhakshetra and was the King of
Sindhu (modern Sind Pakistan) Desha and his wife's name was Duhsala. He
was also presenet in the Sayamvara ceremony of Droupadi desired very
strongly to have the hand of beautiful Droupadi but he failed in the
competition game thus failed to have the celebrated princess as his wife. But
since then he sought always the opportunity of getting in touch with
Droupadi. When he was going to marry in the Salya Desha on the way at
Kamyavan he happened to see Droupadi again and was too much attracted by
her. The Pandavas and Droupadi were then in exile after losing empire in
gambling and Jaidrath thought it wise to send news to Droupadi in an illicit
manner through Kotisashya an associate of Jaidrath. Droupadi at once refuted
vehemently the proposal of Jaidrath but being too much attracted by the
beauty of Droupadi he tried for again and again. Every time being refused by
Droupadi he tried to take her away forcibly on his chariot and at first
Droupadi gave him a good dashing and he fell like a cut-root tree. But he did
not get it disappointed and was able to force Droupadi sit on the Chariot. This
incidence was seen by Dhoumya Muni and he strongly protested against the
action of Jaidrath. He also followed the chariot and through Dhatreyak the
matter was brought to the notice of Maharaj Yudhisthira. The Pandavas then
attacked the soldiers of Jaidrath and killed them all and at last Bhima caught
hold of Jaidrath and had beaten him very severely as almost dead. Then he
was made bare headed with five hair spot on the skull and was taken to all the
kings to introduce him as the slave of Maharaj Yudhisthir He was forced to
admit himself as the slave of Maharj Yudhisthir before all the princely order
and in the same condition he was brought before Maharaj Yudhisthir, Maharaj
Yudhisthar was kind enough to order him get released and when he admitted
to become a tributory prince only under Maharaj Yudhisthir, Queen Droupadi
also desired that he should be released. After this incidence he was allowed to
return back to his country. Being too much insulted like this he went to
Gongotri in the Himalaya and undertook a severe type of penance to please
Lord Shiva and asked His benediction for defeating all the Pandavas at least
once a time. Then the battle of Kurukshetra began and he took side with
25
Fifteenth Chapter - The Pandavas Retire Timely
Duryodhona and in the first day's fight he was engaged with Maharaj Drupad
then with Virata and then with Abhimanyu. While Abhimanyu was being
killed mercilessly surrounded by seven great generals and the boy was
fighting alone the Pandavas came to his help but Jaidratha by the mercy of
Lord Shiva repulsed them with great ability. On this Arjuna took a vow to kill
him and on hearing this he wanted to go away from the warfield and asked
permission from the Kouravas for this cowardly action. But he was not
allowed to do this act of cowardice but on the contrary he was obliged to fight
with Arjuna by all sides and while the fight was going Lord Krishna reminded
Arjuna that causing the fall down of the head of Jaidratha means death of the
killer. That was the benediction of Shivji upon him that whoever would cut
his head would die at once with the falling of Jaidrath's head on the ground.
He therefore advised Arjuna to throw the head of Jaidrath directly on the lap
of his father who was engaged in penances at Samanta Panchak pilgrimage.
This was actually done by Arjuna. Jaidrath's father was at once surprised to
see a cut head on his lap and as soon as he threw it on the ground, the father
also died at once on account of his forehead being cracked in seven pieces.
Soutyeh vritah kumatina atmada Iswaro me
Yad padapadmam abhavaya bhajanti bhbyah.
Mam sranta vaham arayo rathinam bhubistam
Na praharan yadanubhava nirasta chittah.
Soutyeh—in the matter of a chariot driver, Vritah—engaged, Kumatina—by
bad consciousness, Atmada—one who delivers, Iswara—the Supreme Lord,
Me—mine, Yad—whose, Padapdmam—lotus feet, Abhavaya—in the matter
of salvation, Bhajanti—do render service, Bhavyah—the intelligent class of
men, Mam—unto me, Sranta—thirsty, Vaham—my horses, Arayo—the
enemies, Rathinam—a great general, Bhubistam—while standing on the
ground, Na—did not, Praharan—attack, Yad—whose, Anubhava—mercy,
Nirasta—being absent, Chitta—mind.
It is by His mercy only that my enemies were unmindful to kill me at a
time when I got down from my chariot to bore water for my thirsty
horses and it was due to my illestimation of my Supreme Lord that I
dared to engage Him as my chariot driver although He is worshipped and
offered services by the best men for attaining salvation.
The Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead Sri Krishna is the object of
worship both by impersonalists as well as the Devotees of the Lord. The
impersonalists worship His glowing effulgence emanating from His
transcendental body of eternal form, bliss and knowledge and the Devotees
worship Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those who are below
even than the im personalists consider Him as one of the great historical
personalities. The Lord however descends to attract all by his specific
transcendental pastimes and as such He plays the part of the most perfect
Master, Friend, Son and Lover. His trascendental relation with Arjuna was in
the humour of friendship and the Lord therefore played the part of a perfect
friend as He did it with His parents lovers and wives. While playing such
perfect way of transcendental relation, the devotee forgets, by the internal
potency of the Lord, that his friend or son is the Supreme Personality of
Godhead although sometimes such devotee is bewildered by the acts of the
Lord. After departure of the Lord, Arjuna is conscious about his great friend
but there was no mistake on the part of Arjuna or any ill-estimation of the
Lord by Arjuna. Such atmosphere was needed by the superior will of the Lord
and the best intelligent man may be attracted by such transcendental acting of
the Lord with His pure unalloyed devotee like Arjuna.
In the war field scarcity of water is an well known fact. Water is very rare
there although both the animal and man working strenuously in the war-field
require constantly water for quenching thirst. Especially wounded soldiers and
generals feel too much thirsty at the time of death and it sometimes so
happens that simply for want of water one has to die unavoidably. But such
scarcity of water was solved in the battle of Kurukhetra by means of boring
the ground at once. By God's grace water can be easily obtained from any
place if there is facility for boring the ground. Modern tubewell system is the
same principle of boring the ground but modern engineers are still unable to
dig up immediately a tubewell wherever necessary. It appears however from
the history of olden days as far back as the days of the Pandavas, big generals
like Arjuna could at once supply water even to the horses and what to speak
of human being by drawing water from underneath the hard ground simply by
penetrating the stratum with sharp arrow enforced by a method still unknown
to the modern scientists.
Narmani udarani ruchira smitasobhitani
Hay patrha hay' arjuna sakhe kurunandana iti.
Samjalpitani naradeva hridi sprisani
Smartur luthanti hridayam mama madhavasya.
Narmani—conversation in jokes, Udarani—talked very frankly, Ruchira—
pleasing, Smitasobhitani—decorated with smiling face, Hay—note of address,
Partha—the son of Pritha, Hay—note of address, Arjuna—of the name,
Sakhe—friend, Kurunandana—son of the Kuru dynasty, Iti—and so on,
Samjadpitani—such conversations, Naradeva—Oh the king, Hridi—heart,