King of Vaṅga

The king of Vaṅga, the ancient land of Bengal, is not named in the Mahābhārata. He was an ally of the Kauravas at the Kurukṣetra war. He brought ten thousand war elephants to the battle. On the eighth day, he used them to help Duryodhana against Ghaṭotkaca.

The Vaṅga elephants against Ghaṭotkaca

On the eighth day of the war, the fighting turned toward the rākṣasa side of the battle. Irāvanta, son of Arjuna, was killed by the rākṣasa Alambuṣa. Then Ghaṭotkaca, the half-rākṣasa son of Bhīma and Hiḍimbā, began his own fierce attacks on the Kaurava army. Rākṣasas fight most strongly at night, and Ghaṭotkaca’s attack was of unusual power.

Duryodhana called on the forces of his allies to meet this threat. The king of Vaṅga sent ten thousand war elephants against Ghaṭotkaca. This was the greatest military strength of the eastern kingdom.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Bhīṣma Parva, Chapters 43–122