Rājagṛhe Magadheśvarasya yuddhāhvānam — Arjunena saṃyamaḥ
The Rājagṛha Challenge and Arjuna’s Restraint
तत्रापि द्रविडैरान्ध्रै रौद्रैमाहिषकैरपि । तथा कोल्लगिरेयैश्न युद्धमासीत् किरीटिन:,वहाँ भी द्रविड, आन्ध्र, रौद्र, माहिषक और कोलाचलके प्रान्तोंमें रहनेवाले वीरोंके साथ किरीटधारी अर्जुनका खूब युद्ध हुआ
tatrāpi draviḍair āndhrai raudrair māhiṣakair api | tathā kollagireyaiś ca yuddham āsīt kirīṭinaḥ ||
Di sana juga, Arjuna yang bermahkota diadem bertempur dengan sengit melawan para pahlawan Draviḍa dan Āndhra, serta kaum Raudra, Māhiṣaka, dan mereka yang mendiami wilayah Kollagiri (Kollācala).
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse highlights the dharmic framework of kingship in the Ashvamedha: legitimate rule seeks acknowledgment to stabilize order; when groups resist, a kṣatriya like Arjuna must meet that challenge in battle, ideally aiming at re-establishing lawful harmony rather than personal gain.
During the Ashvamedha horse’s wanderings, Arjuna encounters resistance from multiple southern peoples—Draviḍas, Āndhras, Raudras, Māhiṣakas, and those of the Kollagiri/Kollācala region—and engages them in intense fighting.