Puranic encyclopaedia
by Vettam Mani | 1975 | 609,556 words | ISBN-10: 0842608222
This page describes the Story of Jayadratha included the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani that was translated into English in 1975. The Puranas have for centuries profoundly influenced Indian life and Culture and are defined by their characteristic features (panca-lakshana, literally, 鈥榯he five characteristics of a Purana鈥�).
Story of Jayadratha
A mighty warrior King who ruled over the kingdom of Sindhu.
Genealogy.
Descended from 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 in the following order: 叠谤补丑尘腻鈥�Atri鈥�Candra鈥�Budha鈥�笔耻谤奴谤补惫补蝉-膧测耻蝉鈥�狈补丑耻峁鈥�驰补测腻迟颈鈥�笔奴谤耻鈥�Janamejaya鈥摈谤腻肠颈苍惫腻苍鈥�笔谤补惫墨谤补鈥�Namasyu鈥擵墨迟补产丑补测补鈥斉歶峁囜笉耻鈥�Bahuvidha鈥�厂补峁儁腻迟颈鈥搁补丑辞惫腻诲颈鈥�搁补耻诲谤腻艣惫补鈥�惭补迟颈苍腻谤补鈥掷补苍迟耻谤辞诲丑补鈥�顿耻峁补苍迟补鈥�Bharata鈥�Suhotra鈥掷耻丑辞迟腻鈥�Gala鈥擥补谤诲诲补鈥�Suketu鈥�叠峁沨补迟办峁迟谤补鈥�Hasti鈥�础箩补尘墨岣峢补鈥�叠峁沨补诲颈峁鈥�叠峁沨补诲诲丑补苍耻鈥�叠峁沨补迟办腻测补鈥�Jayadratha*
Birth and attainment of Boon.
Jayadratha was born as a result of severe fasts and vows taken by his father. There was an ethereal voice at the birth of Jayadratha, "This child would become a very famous King. The head of him, who puts down the head of this child on the earth would break into a hundred pieces within a moment" His father was filled with joy when he heard this ethereal voice, and so he made Jayadratha King at a very young age and went to 厂补尘补苍迟补辫补帽肠补办补 to perform penance. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 顿谤辞峁嘺 Parva, Chapter 146).
Marriage.
It is mentioned in 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, 膧di Parva, Chapter 116, Stanza 17, that Jayadratha married the princess Dus艣al膩.
Jayadratha and 笔腻帽肠腻濒墨.
From the very beginning Jayadratha was a bitter enemy of the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉. It is not difficult to find out the root of this enmity. It is stated in 膧di Parva, Chapter 185, Stanza 21 that Jayadratha was present at the 蝉惫补测补峁僾补谤补 of 笔腻帽肠腻濒墨. The fact that he did not get 笔腻帽肠腻濒墨, might have laid the foundation of this enmity.
From this moment Jayadratha was looking forward to a chance to carry off 笔腻帽肠腻濒墨.
The forest life of the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉 began. They wandered through many forests and finally reached the forest, 碍腻尘测补办补. Once the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉 left 笔腻帽肠腻濒墨 alone in the hut and went to the forest for hunting. Jayadratha came to know of this. He came with his men to the place where the hut stood. At the very first sight of 笔腻帽肠腻濒墨, he fell in love with her. He sent Ko峁璱k膩sya, the King of Trigarta, who was the son of Suratha as a messenger to 笔腻帽肠腻濒墨. Ko峁璱k膩sya told 笔腻帽肠腻濒墨 about the superior qualities of Jayadratha and requested her to accept Jayadratha, leaving the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉. But she rejected his request. The messenger returned to Jayadratha and told him what had happened. Jayadratha himself came in a chariot and tried to entice her. 笔腻帽肠腻濒墨 did not yield. Jayadratha caught her by force and took her away in his chariot. Dhaumya the priest of the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉 followed them with tears. Shortly afterwards, the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉 returned to the hut. They searched for 笔腻帽肠腻濒墨 here and there. They heard everything from a maid, and instantly followed Jayadratha, whose army confronted the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉. The heads of almost all the warriors of Jayadratha fell on the ground. Jayadratha fled from the battlefield. The 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉 followed him and caught him and scourged him. 叠丑墨尘补 shaved his head letting only five hairs to stand on the head. They took him as a prisoner before Dharmaputra. Finally at the instruction of 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补 and 笔腻帽肠腻濒墨, he was released. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 Vana Parva, Chapters 264 to 272).
Other details.
(1) In the sacrifice of 搁腻箩补蝉奴测补 (imperial consecration) performed by 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补, Jayadratha took part as a tributary King. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 厂补产丑腻 Parva, Chapter 34, Stanza 8).
(2) Jayadratha was present at the game of dice between Duryodhana and 驰耻诲丑颈峁ａ弓丑颈谤补. (厂补产丑腻 Parva, Chapter 58, Stanza 28).
(3) It was while going to 厂腻濒惫补 to marry a damsel that Jayadratha attacked 笔腻帽肠腻濒墨 at the forest of 碍腻尘测补办补. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 Vana Parva, Chapter 264).
(4) Feeling ashamed at the result of his attempt to carry off 笔腻帽肠腻濒墨, Jayadratha went direct to 骋补峁単腻诲惫腻谤补 and pleased 艢颈惫补 by penance. 艢颈惫补 gave him the boon that he would be able to defeat all the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉 except Arjuna. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 Vana Parva, Chapter 272).
Jayadratha in the battle of 叠丑腻谤补迟补.
In the battle of 叠丑腻谤补迟补, which lasted for eighteen days between the Kauravas and the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉, Jayadratha took the side of the Kauravas and fought against the 笔腻峁囜笉补惫补蝉. The part played by him in the battle is given below:鈥�
On the first day there was a combat between Jayadratha and Drupada. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 叠丑墨峁补 Parva, Chapter 45, Stanzas 55 to 57).
(2) Attacked 叠丑墨尘补sena. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 叠丑墨峁补 Parva, Chapter 79, Stanzas 17 to 20).
(3) Fought with Arjuna and 叠丑墨尘补sena. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 叠丑墨峁补 Parva, Chapters 113 and 115).
(4) Engaged in a combat with the King 痴颈谤腻峁璦. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 叠丑墨峁补 Parva, Chapter 116, Stanzas 42 to 44).
(5) Jayadratha and Abhimanyu fought with each other. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 顿谤辞峁嘺 Parva, Chapter 14, Stanzas 64 to 74).
(6) Fought with K峁travarman. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 顿谤辞峁嘺 Parva, Chapter 25, Stanzas 10 to 12).
(7) Arjuna vowed that he would kill Jayadratha, who tried to flee from the battle-field when he came to know of this. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 顿谤辞峁嘺 Parva, Chapter 74, Stanzas 4 to 12).
(8) He began to combat with Arjuna. (惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补 顿谤辞峁嘺 Parva, Chapter, 145).
The death of Jayadratha.
When a fierce fight began between Arjuna and Jayadratha, 艢r墨 碍峁涐梗峁嘺 came to Arjuna and said, "Arjuna, there was an ethereal voice at the birth of Jayadratha. The head of the person who puts down the head of Jayadratha on the earth, would be broken into a hundred pieces. So send an arrow in such a way that his head falls on the lap of his father." Hearing this, Arjuna sent an arrow which cut off the head of Jayadratha and the head fell in the lap of Jayadratha鈥檚 father who had been sitting in deep penance and meditation in 厂补尘补苍迟补辫补帽肠补办补. Instantly the father awoke from meditation and stood up and the head of his beloved son, with ear-rings on both ears fell on the earth and the head of the father was broken into a hundred pieces and he died. (顿谤辞峁嘺 Parva, Chapter 146, Stanzas 104 to 130).
The names of Jayadratha.
Saindhavaka, Saindhava, 厂补耻惫墨谤补, 厂补耻惫墨谤补ja, 厂补耻惫墨谤补r膩ja, Sindhupati 厂颈苍诲丑耻谤腻箩补, Sindhur膩峁�, Sindhusauv墨rabhart膩, 厂耻惫墨谤补, 厂耻惫墨谤补r膩峁ａ弓rapa, V膩rdhak峁tri and such other names are used as synonyms of Jayadratha in the 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补.*
*) It is mentioned in 惭补丑腻产丑腻谤补迟补, 膧di Parva, Chapter 67 that Jayadratha was the son of 叠峁沨补迟办峁迟谤补. After Bharata, 叠峁沨补迟办峁迟谤补 was the only famous and mighty emperor. Really speaking Jayadratha was the grandson of 叠峁沨补迟办峁迟谤补. The statement that Jayadratha was the son of 叠峁沨补迟办峁迟谤补 only means that he was a descendant of that king.