Shaka in the Mahabharata: Central Asia’s Steppe Peoples, Nakula’s Campaign and the Alliance with Duryodhana

One of the clearest references occurs in the Sabha Parva, during the campaigns preceding Yudhishthira’s Rajasuya sacrifice. Nakula receives the western direction. His expedition brings him into contact with numerous rulers and communities, including the Madras, whose king Shalya is his maternal uncle.