Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.1449

c7.1449

The forest life of the Pāṇḍavas began. They wandered through many forests and finally reached the forest, Kāmyaka. Once the Pāṇḍavas left Pāñcālī 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 Pāñcālī, he fell in love with her. He sent Koṭikāsya, the King of Trigarta, who was the son of Suratha as a messenger to Pāñcālī. Koṭikāsya told Pāñcālī about the superior qualities of Jayadratha and requested her to accept Jayadratha, leaving the Pāṇḍavas. 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. Pāñcālī did not yield. Jayadratha caught her by force and took her away in his chariot. Dhaumya the priest of the Pāṇḍavas followed them with tears. Shortly afterwards, the Pāṇḍavas returned to the hut. They searched for Pāñcālī here and there. They heard everything from a maid, and instantly followed Jayadratha, whose army confronted the Pāṇḍavas. The heads of almost all the warriors of Jayadratha fell on the ground. Jayadratha fled from the battlefield. The Pāṇḍavas followed him and caught him and scourged him. Bhīma 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 Yudhiṣṭhira and Pāñcālī, he was released. (M.B. Vana Parva, Chapters 264 to 272).