Sanjaya said: “O King Dhritarashtra, your warriors fought with their very lives to protect Jayadratha, the ruler of Sindhu. Arrayed before him stood Kripacharya, Ashwatthama, Shalya, Vrishasena, and countless heroic soldiers, forming an impenetrable shield around the doomed prince. Arjuna, beholding the sun hastening toward the western horizon, bit his lips in anxiety. Though his heart blazed with determination, he found no clear path through the formidable ranks that guarded Jayadratha. The hour of his vow was swiftly drawing to its close.”
Perceiving Arjuna’s distress, Lord Krishna spoke with calm assurance. “Partha, mere persistence in battle will no longer avail us. The sun is nearing its descent, and the enemy believes victory is within its grasp. I shall now employ a means by which your purpose shall be fulfilled. I shall veil the orb of the sun, and the Kauravas, deceived by the sudden darkness, will imagine that sunset has come. Believing your vow to have been broken, they will cast aside caution and rejoice in premature triumph. In that moment, destiny shall claim its victim.”
Having spoken thus, the Supreme Lord cast His divine gaze toward the west. Instantly, an uncanny darkness spread across the battlefield, concealing the radiance of the sun. The Kaurava warriors, convinced that evening had arrived, burst into jubilant celebration. They embraced one another, laughed in delight, and glorified their imagined success, utterly unaware of the divine illusion that had ensnared them.
Jayadratha himself, overjoyed and relieved, stood upright upon his chariot and gazed toward the darkened heavens. Seizing the destined moment, Krishna pointed toward him and declared, “Arjuna, behold the wicked Jayadratha. Strike now and sever his head.” Obeying the command of his divine charioteer, Arjuna purified a celestial weapon with sacred mantras, invoked its power with reverence, and released it with righteous fury. Like a mighty eagle swooping upon a helpless bird, the blazing arrow sped forth and severed Jayadratha’s head in an instant, bringing an end to his life.
As the severed head soared through the air, Krishna cried out, “Arjuna, let not Jayadratha’s head fall upon the earth!” Instantly understanding the urgency, Arjuna directed a stream of arrows from every side, sustaining the head in the sky as though it were a ball suspended by invisible hands. At that very moment, the mysterious darkness vanished and the brilliance of the sun shone forth once more. Realizing they had been deceived, the Kaurava warriors were consumed by rage and frustration. They surrounded Arjuna from all sides and rained torrents of arrows upon him. Yet, with unwavering vigilance, Arjuna repelled every assault while simultaneously keeping Jayadratha’s head aloft, causing wonder and astonishment among all who witnessed the spectacle.
Arjuna then asked Krishna, “How long must this head remain suspended in the heavens? Where shall it finally be placed, and why must this extraordinary act be performed?” Krishna replied, “Listen carefully, Dhananjaya. Jayadratha’s father, the aged king Vriddhakshatra, performed severe penance for many years to obtain a son. Through the fruit of that austerity, Jayadratha was born. At the time of his birth, a celestial voice proclaimed that the boy would one day die by decapitation when he was unguarded and inattentive. Hearing this prophecy, Vriddhakshatra uttered a powerful curse: whoever caused his son’s severed head to fall upon the earth would have his own head shattered into a hundred fragments. Therefore, Jayadratha’s head must not touch the ground. Instead, it must fall into the lap of Vriddhakshatra himself. Only the divine Pasupata weapon possesses the power to accomplish such a feat. Without it, this difficulty cannot be overcome.”
Krishna then revealed that Vriddhakshatra was engaged in deep penance at the sacred region of Samantapanchaka. Bowing inwardly to Lord Shiva and invoking the glory of the celestial Pasupata weapon, Arjuna released its divine power. Bearing Jayadratha’s severed head through the skies, the weapon carried it to the hermitage where the aged ascetic sat absorbed in meditation. Gently, the head was placed upon his lap. Unaware of what had occurred, Vriddhakshatra rose suddenly from his seat. The head slipped from his lap and fell to the ground. In that very instant, the force of his own curse rebounded upon him, and his head shattered into countless fragments. Thus was destiny fulfilled, and the decree of heaven accomplished.
Witnessing this marvel, Krishna praised Arjuna for his wisdom, skill, and obedience. The entire world seemed struck with amazement at the astonishing manner in which Jayadratha’s death had been achieved. Thereafter, Arjuna withdrew the Pasupata weapon. O King, terror seized your armies as they beheld the severed head of Jayadratha borne through the skies by Arjuna’s celestial mastery. The pride of kings and princes was humbled, and their confidence melted away. Upon the battlefield, Jayadratha’s headless trunk remained standing briefly upon the chariot before collapsing to the earth, a dreadful sight that filled your warriors with fear and despair.
Thus, Arjuna fulfilled his solemn vow. Your sons and their allies were overwhelmed with grief, their eyes brimming with tears as they gazed upon the ruin of their hopes. Krishna and Arjuna, on the other hand, rejoiced at the triumph of righteousness. Bhimasena, blazing like a consuming fire, roared like a lion whose prey had fallen before him. Hearing that mighty roar, King Yudhishthira’s joy knew no bounds, for he realized that Arjuna had succeeded and the dreadful vow had been redeemed.
Then the Pandava forces erupted in exultation. Victory cries echoed across the vast plain of Kurukshetra. Kettle-drums thundered, tabors resounded, horns blared, and conches reverberated through the heavens. The earth, the sky, and the hearts of warriors alike trembled beneath the sound of that triumphant celebration. Thus ended the mighty episode of Jayadratha’s destruction. Thereafter, O King Dhritarashtra, desiring to hear what followed upon the sacred field of Kurukshetra, you commanded Sanjaya to continue his narration, and he prepared to recount the events that unfolded thereafter.
