The battlefield of kurukshetra was full of mysterious & dangerous warriors besides Bhishma , Drona, Kripa, Karna who could very easily swallow many Arjuna. It was twelfth day of Mahabharata war & Drona was in charge of Kaurava forces as Supreme commander. Lord Krsna was very anxious for his devotee Arjuna. His cause of anxiety was the brave Bhagdatta, the king of Pragjyotisha. He was a veteran of very advanced age. His grey and wrinkles on his old face gave him the appearance of a Lion, indeed so old he was that the skin hung loose down over his eyes and he tied its fold over his forehead with a silk kerchief so that they might not interfere with his sight. He had a renowned elephant "Supratika" which was from Aravat (Indra's elephant ) clan and possessing power of the thousand elephants. When Bhima got very fierce, destroying a large elephant division of Kaurava then the brave Bhagdatta got on his renowned elephant. The gigantic beast rushed towards with widespread ears and twirling trunk crashed into Bhima chariot and instant horses with vehicle were in unrecognizable mass but Bhima managed to escape by jumping off. He got below the great and fierce elephant and showered heavy blows on vital points until the great beast got mad and whirled round like a potter's wheel. It bent down and caught Bheema by its trunk and was about to crush him under its knees. Bhima somehow releases himself from its hold and again got below its limbs and stricking to the elephant's under region causing him great pain, soldiers did not see Bhima who was hidden between the elephant's leg. The cry of " Bhima dies" by crushing under Bhagdatta's elephant sounded all over kurukshetra. At the same time the king of Dasarna's from Pandava's attacked Bhagdatta with his elephant which was also fierce. Getting an opportunity Bhima emerged from below Supritka and ran out safe. Bhima reattacked Bhagdatta then his elephant stretched out its trunk and blew out a violent spray of mucus resulting Bhima's chariot horses bolted in wild flight. Bhagdatta's elephant wrought great havoc in the Pandava's army & a great cloud of dust rose which Arjuna saw fighting on a other front with King Susharma. Hearing the tumult created by Bhagdatta's elephant, He feared things had gone wrong & requested Madhav to drove the chariot towards the main battlefront. Bhagdatta showered arrows on Arjuna & Krishna but Arjina cut them and began to hurt the beast. Bhagdatta hurled a javelin at Krishna which Arjuna broke into two by his arrow. Then he discharged another javelin on Arjuna helmet. Readjusting his helmet Dhananjay vowed to kill him by hurling shafts which broke his bow, shattered his quiver and pierced the joints of his armour. When deprived of all his weapons, Bhagdatta hurled his elephant goad at Arjuna. On the same time he discharged a deadly weapon "Vaishnavastra" which was charged with Supreme powerful vaishnava mantra. Seeing his beloved devotee on the verge dead end, the most Merciful, the most Benovalent Lord Krishna immediately came in between & presented his chest as an target for the missile. It settled on his chest as a shining ornament.Charged with mantra of Lord Vishnu, it could not hurt his own Lord. Dismayed Arjuna asked Lord, " Janardana, why you offered yourself as a target. You promised you would be charioteer only and leaving all fighting on me. Despite having Gandiva in my hand, why you did this? Lord smilingly replied, " Beloved Arjuna, No one from all worlds is capable to survive from this weapon even Chandra, Indra or Rudra. It would have certainly killed you if it had hit you. It is really my own things and came back to its lawful master. Partha was overwhelmed to hear this & sent a shaft to head of Bhagdatta's elephant which ended up the gigantic beast with an agonised squeal. Later Arjuna's shaft discharged from Gandiva tore Bhagdatta's forehead silk napkin which was holding up the eye folds of the old aged king leaving him blind at once by his own hanging wrinkles. Soon Arjuna sent a sharp crescent headed shaft & pierced his chest which felled him down to death like a great tree in the storm.Prakshit Maharaj says, ' As a "Timilinga" fish easily swallow up big whales in the ocean same was the situation of Arjuna in the battlefield of kurukshetra'. After all it was Krsna's mercy & grace which enable Arjuna to sail over the ocean of the battlefield of kurukshetra. Such is the mercy of Lord for his Devotees. All glories to Lord & his pure Devotees. Hare Krishna!!
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