MH_07_01 Bagadatta

பகதத்தன்

Mahabharata – Drona Parva

When Bhishma was lying in the bed of arrows, Karna came to meet him. Bhishma sent others out and met Karna alone. He embraced him with one hand and told him that he was the Son of Kunti and eldest brother of the Pandavas. As he was always provoking Duryodhana against the Pandavas, Bhishma was insulting Karna often to dissuade him. As his birth was illegal, he joined the wicket forces against Dharma. Bhishma now advised Karna to join his brothers and prevent the war. Karna said he knew about his birth secret, but could not leave Duryodhana who saved him from humiliation from others and fed him. He said the war was inevitable and he was prepared to face it. Bhishma then allowed him to go to war and face the destiny.

When Drona was leading the war for Kauravas, the war was ferocious. Abhimanyu fought with Duryodhana’s son Lakshmana defeated him and took him captive. Jayadrathan and Salyan came to his rescue. Salyan was defeated by Bhima and in the confusion, Lakshmana escaped.

Next day Duryodhana wanted Drona to capture Yudhishtra alive so that the war could be ended. Drona wanted Arjuna to be sent away from Yudhishtra, so that he could capture him. Trikarta (present Jallunder) King  Susarma offered to drag Arjuna for war with his thousands of troops and fight till his death and take Arjuna far away from Yudhishtra. During the war, Arjuna was taken away and Yudhishtra was guarded by his other brothers. But Drona was defeated by Yudhishtra and had to retreat.

In the meanwhile, Bagadatta, the King of Prag Jothishapuram, caused large destruction in the Pandava army. Bagadatta was the son of Narakasura, who was earlier killed by Lord Krishna. Bagadatta with his brothers ascended the throne. He was helpful to Lord Indra, and was a friend to Pandu, the father of the Pandavas. But his personal enmity to Arjuna made him fight with the Kauravas. He inherited the Narayana Astra from his father. This astra was given by Lord Vishnu to Narakasura at the behest of mother earth, who was mother of the Asura. He was a specialist in elephant warfare, and his elephant Supratika was almost invincible, capable of killing large armies.  

During the first ten days Gadotkaja could restrict Bagadatta with his maya warefare. On the twelfth day, Bagadatta ran amok with his elephant and none could stop him. He destroyed large army of elephants, even Bhima could not stop the elephant, which attacked him mercilessly. Bhima had to hide himself under the feet of the big elephant, and make it motionless with his finger techniques on the elephant. Pandava army thought that Bhima was killed by the elephant. But Bhima came out unharmed. Arjuna was killing the Trikarta army, while Krishna reminded him of saving Yudhishtra from Bagadatta.

Arjuna came back and attacked Bagadatta with his arrows and broke the safety armour of the elephant Supratika. It was then hit by the arrows and started losing control. Bagadatta was attacking Arjuna and Arjuna repulsed him. Bagadatta became angry and threw the Narayana Astra, which cannot be defeated by anybody, on Arjuna. Immediately, Krishna stood up in the chariot and took the Astra on his chest which fell on Krishana’s chest as garland. Devas showered petals over him.

பருமித்த களிறு விடு பகதத்தன் எறியும் முது பகைசெற்று வரு கொடிய வேல்

மருமதத்தினிடை முழுகு பொழுதத்தில் அது புதிய மணிவர்க்கம் மிகு தொடையலாய்

நிருமித்தபடி தனது புயவெற்பின்மிசை ஒளிர நிகரற்ற கருணைவடிவைக்

கருமத்தின் முதலை இமையவர் சித்தமொடு தொழுது கரை அற்ற புகழ் உரை செய்தார்

(வில்லிபாரதம், துரோணபருவம், பன்னிரண்டாம் போர் சருக்கம், 3157)

Arjuna objected to Krishna receiving Narayana Astra himself, while he was fighting. Krishna smilingly said, “It belongs to me, and it has reached me”.

Bagdatta was very old, and his eye lids were drooping down. He was keeping them up over his eyes with the help of a piece of cloth so that it does not obstruct his sight. Krishna asked Arjuna to cut the cloth of Bagadatta, which Arjuna did. Bagadatta was drowned in darkness unable to see. His elephant being heaviliy injured refused to obey his master now. Arjuna hit the elephant in its head and killed it. Krishna gave an astra to Arjuna which is capable of killing Bagadatta. Arjuna sent the arrow on the chest of Bagadatta which killed him.

Thus ended the valiant story of Bagadatta in the battlefield of Kurukshetra.

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