Shloka 18
सतु बद्धाड्गुलित्राणो नैषादिर्दूढविक्रम: । अतिमानी वनचरो बभौ राम इवापर:,सुदृढ़ पराक्रमसे सम्पन्न अत्यन्त अभिमानी एकलव्य जब हाथोंमें दस्ताने पहनकर वनमें विचरता, उस समय दूसरे परशुरामके समान जान पड़ता था
sa tu baddhāṅgulitrāṇo naiṣādir dūḍhavikramaḥ | atimānī vanacaro babhau rāma ivāparaḥ ||
Namun sang pejuang kelahiran Niṣāda itu, Ekalavya—berketeguhan dan terbukti gagah—berkeliaran di rimba dengan pelindung jari terikat. Dalam kesombongannya yang meluap, ia tampak laksana Rāma yang lain (Paraśurāma).
श्रीवायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse juxtaposes disciplined martial capability with excessive pride: strength and skill can be admirable, but when driven by arrogance they become ethically unstable and potentially destructive.
Vāyudeva describes Ekalavya as a formidable forest-ranging archer wearing protective finger-guards, whose proud bearing makes him seem like a second Paraśurāma.