Jayadratha (Sanskrit: जयद्रथ, romanized: Jayadratha) is the king of the Sindhu kingdom featured in the Mahabharata The son of the king Vriddhakshatra. He was married to Dushala, the only sister of the hundred Kaurava brothers. He is killed by Arjuna. He has a son named Suratha.

The word Jayadratha is derived from two Sanskrit words, jayat meaning 'victorious' and ratha meaning 'chariot'. Thus the word Jayadratha means, 'victorious chariot warrior’. His other names are

Indeed, their joy was as great as that of Indra and Vishnu when those two gods, desirous of slaying Jambha, obtained the permission of Bhava that slayer of great Asuras.

— Mahabharata, Drona Parva, Section LXXXI

Jayadratha is indirectly mentioned as rebirth of Jambha in Drona Parva of the epic.

One day, during the time the Pandavas were in exile, the Pandavas went hunting to gather food. They left Draupadi alone at the ashram and requested Sage Trunabindu and Dhaumya to watch over her. On that day, Jayadratha saw Draupadi and sent his minister Kotikasya to inquire as to who she was. Kotikasya went over to her and after learning about her identity, informed Jayadratha that she was Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas. Jayadratha in spite of learning her identity went to Draupadi and proposed to marry her. Initially welcoming him as the Pandavas' brother-in-law, Draupadi vehemently refused his proposal. Infuriated, Jayadratha abducted Draupadi and started moving towards his kingdom.

The Pandavas returned to their ashrama and found Draupadi missing and learned about the event that had unfolded by the account of Draupadi's friend Dhatreyika, who had witnessed Jayadratha forcefully carrying Draupadi away. Yudhishthira then ordered his younger brothers to rescue Draupadi. They rushed in their chariots towards Jayadratha and his host with great fury and started to slay all of his soldiers. When Jayadratha, the King of Sindhu, saw that his warriors were slain, he became anxious, and in confusion, leaving Draupadi there, fled for his life.

Yudhishthira returned with Draupadi while commanding his brothers to pursue Jayadratha but not kill him. On learning that the enemy was a full two miles ahead of them, Arjuna uses a divine weapon to kill Jayadratha's horses. Bhima seized Jayadratha by his hair, slammed him on the ground with violence, and started to kick him on his head until Arjuna reminds him of Yudhishthira's words. Suppressing his wrath, Bhima shaves the hair of the prince's head, leaving five tufts in as many places. Thrusting him in a chariot in chains, they returned to their other brothers and asked Draupadi for Jayadratha's fate. Draupadi, thinking of her sister-in-law, suggests that he was already treated like a slave and so should be released as an act of mercy. So bowing down to the merciful Yudhishthira, Jayadratha returned to his capital.