Shloka 3
वज्रदत्तेन सह अर्जुनयुद्धम्
Arjuna’s engagement with Vajradatta during the Aśvamedha circuit
सो$भिनिर्याय नगराद् भगदत्तसुतो नृप: । अश्वमायान्तमुन्मथ्य नगराभिमुखो ययौ,नगरसे निकलकर भगदत्तकुमार राजा वज्रदत्तने अपनी ओर आते हुए घोड़ेको बलपूर्वक पकड़ लिया और उसे साथ लेकर वह नगरकी ओर चला
so 'bhiniryāya nagarād bhagadattasuto nṛpaḥ | aśvam āyāntam unmathya nagarābhimukho yayau ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Raja itu, putera Bhagadatta, keluar dari kota. Dengan paksa dia merampas kuda korban yang sedang mendekat, lalu berpaling menuju kota dan meneruskan langkah, membawa kuda itu bersamanya—suatu perbuatan yang sengaja mencabar tuntutan kedaulatan upacara Aśvamedha.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how ritual acts like the Aśvamedha function as assertions of political sovereignty; forcibly stopping or taking the horse is not merely a physical act but an ethical-political declaration of resistance, which traditionally entails accountability through confrontation and the restoration of order (dharma) in the realm.
Bhagadatta’s son, King Vajrādattā, comes out of the city, forcibly grabs the approaching Aśvamedha horse, and turns back toward the city with it—effectively detaining the horse and challenging the authority behind the sacrifice.