Correct Option
The correct option is Nishada.
Explanation
The Mahabharata reflects the social stratification of the post-Vedic period, which included the four-fold Varna system as well as various tribes and communities living on the periphery of the Vedic society. These groups were often categorized based on their habitat, lineage, and occupation.
Detailed Analysis
- Nishada Nishada (Correct): In the Mahabharata, Ekalavya is explicitly identified as the son of Hiranyadhanus, the king of the Nishadas. The Nishadas were a forest-dwelling tribe primarily associated with hunting and fishing. While they were outside the strict four-fold Varna hierarchy, they were a recognized community with their own chieftains and territories.
- Mlechchha Mlechchha (Incorrect): The term Mlechchha was generally used to denote foreigners or "barbarians" who were culturally and linguistically distinct from the Vedic people (e.g., Greeks, Hunas, or Sakas). While it implied being an outsider, Ekalavya's specific identity is tied to the indigenous forest tribe of Nishadas.
- Chandala Chandala (Incorrect): Chandalas were a specific social category considered "untouchable" and were often associated with tasks regarded as impure, such as the disposal of corpses. Ekalavya, being a tribal prince and a warrior, does not fall into this category.
- Vaishya Vaishya (Incorrect): The Vaishya varna is the third of the four main social classes, traditionally associated with agriculture, cattle-rearing, and trade. Ekalavya did not belong to the Vedic Varna system.
Key Takeaway: Ekalavya belonged to the Nishada community, which refers to indigenous forest-dwelling tribes (hunters/archers) mentioned in Later Vedic and Epic literature.