Shloka 8
Rājagṛhe Magadheśvarasya yuddhāhvānam — Arjunena saṃyamaḥ
The Rājagṛha Challenge and Arjuna’s Restraint
एकलव्यसुतसश्चैनं युद्धेन जगृहे तदा । तत्र चक्रे निषादै: स संग्रामं लोमहर्षणम्,वहाँ एकलव्यके पुत्रने युद्धके द्वारा उनका स्वागत किया। अर्जुनने निषादोंके साथ रोमांचकारी संग्राम किया
ekalavyasutasas cainaṃ yuddhena jagṛhe tadā | tatra cakre niṣādaiḥ sa saṅgrāmaṃ lomaharṣaṇam ||
Waiśampāyana berkata: Saat itu putra Ekalavya menghadangnya dengan perang. Di sana Arjuna bertempur melawan kaum Niṣāda dalam pertempuran yang membuat bulu kuduk berdiri.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-duty: a warrior must meet challenges firmly, even when opponents come from outside the royal mainstream. It also gestures to the Mahābhārata’s ethical complexity—valor and legitimacy are not confined to elite lineages, and conflict can arise from long-standing social and personal histories.
During the events of the Aśvamedhika Parva, Arjuna is confronted by Ekalavya’s son, who engages him in combat. Arjuna then fights a fierce, thrilling battle against the Niṣādas associated with that challenger.