Arjuna Conquers the North and Subdues Bhagadatta
Arjuna marches north, conquering the lands of the Kunindas, Anartas, and Kalakutas. His campaign culminates in an eight-day battle against the mighty King Bhagadatta of Pragjyotisha, a friend of Indra, who commands armies of kiratas and chinas. Exhausted by Arjuna's untiring valor, Bhagadatta surrenders and agrees to pay tribute to Yudhishthira.
Vaishampayana began the detailed account with Dhananjaya's campaign. With great force, the mighty-armed Arjuna first conquered the kings of the land of Kuninda. He moved swiftly, subjugating the Anartas and the Kalakutas. After these victories, he placed a king named Sumandala — a conqueror of evil — in charge of the rear of his army to secure his gains.
Together with this ally, Savyasachi (the ambidextrous archer) turned his attention to the land of Shakala. Shakala was one of the seven great regions, and its king was Prativindhya. A tumultuous battle erupted between Arjuna and the assembled armies of the kings of Shakala. Arjuna, the mighty archer, defeated them all.
His northward push did not stop. O bull among the Bharata lineage, Vaishampayana told Janamejaya, after Shakala, Arjuna attacked Pragjyotisha. This kingdom on the shores of the ocean was ruled by a mighty king named Bhagadatta, and it was surrounded by fierce kiratas (hunter tribes), chinas, and many other warriors who lived along the coast.
The great-souled Pandava fought a great battle with him. It was not a brief skirmish. Arjuna and Bhagadatta fought continuously for eight days. At the end of those eight days, Bhagadatta found his opponent to be still untiring on the field of battle. The king smiled.
"O mighty-armed one! O descendant of the Kuru lineage! O son of the chastiser of Paka!" Bhagadatta said. "This blazing valour in battle is appropriate for you." He then laid out his own credentials: "I am a friend of Indra of the gods and can withstand Shakra in battle. But I cannot withstand you in battle."
The fight was over. The assessment was made. Bhagadatta shifted from defiance to negotiation. "O Pandava! What is it that you want? What can I do for you? O mighty-armed one! O son! Tell me. I will do what you wish."
Arjuna's reply was direct but respectful, acknowledging the history between them. "King Yudhishthira, the son of dharma, is a bull among the Kurus. I wish that he may become the sovereign and others pay him tribute." Then he added the crucial nuance: "You are my father's friend and have been affectionate towards me too. Therefore, I cannot command you. Please pay it happily."
Bhagadatta accepted the terms without reservation. "O son of Kunti! You are to me the way King Yudhishthira is. I will do all that. What else can I do for you?" With that, the north was secured. A king who could withstand Indra had yielded to Arjuna's untiring might, agreeing to send tribute to Yudhishthira's treasury.