Shloka 26
Bhīmasena’s Digvijaya and Tribute Return (भीमस्य दिग्विजयः धननिवेदनं च)
इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत सभापर्वके अन्तर्गत दिग्विजयपर्वमें अर्जुनविग्विजयप्रसंगमें भगदत्तपराजयसम्बन्धी छब्बीसवाँ अध्याय पूरा हुआ,ऋषिकेष्वपि संग्रामो बभूवातिभयंकर: । तारकामयसंकाश: परस्त्वृषिकपार्थयो: ऋषिकदेशमें भी ऋषिकराज और अर्जुनमें तारकामय संग्रामके समान बड़ा भयंकर युद्ध हुआ
ṛṣikeṣv api saṅgrāmo babhūvātibhayaṅkaraḥ | tārakāmayasaṅkāśaḥ paras tv ṛṣikapārthayoḥ ||
Even in the land of the Ṛṣikas, a battle erupted—exceedingly dreadful. Between the Ṛṣika king and Pārtha (Arjuna) it blazed like the legendary Tārakāmaya war, showing how the pursuit of conquest can draw even distant realms into fearsome conflict and test the bounds of righteous conduct in war.
भगदत्त उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the grave moral weight of warfare: even a campaign framed as royal duty (digvijaya) can unleash terrifying violence, demanding restraint and adherence to dharma amid escalating conflict.
During Arjuna’s digvijaya in the Sabha Parva context, he reaches the land of the Ṛṣikas, where a fierce battle breaks out between Arjuna (Pārtha) and the Ṛṣika king, likened to the famed Tārakāmaya war for its intensity.