Arjun (4)
1. Who was Arjun Arjun Collects Weapons When Paandav lost the dice game with Duryodhan and had to go in exile for 13 years (12 years of exile and one year of Agyaatvaas - nobody should recognize them in that period), they got convinced that they will have to have a war with their cousins Kaurav (Dhritraashtra's hundred sons) at the end of the exile even if it was over lawfully. krishn suggested Arjun to start collecting blessings and weapons from various Devtaa. Arjun and Kiraat He worshipped Indra to get Divine weapons. Pleased with his Tap, Indra said - "You will get Divine weapons only from Swarg Lok for which you will have to go there; and without getting Paashupataastra, you cannot enter Swarg Lok. So first you should please Shiv Jee so that you can get Paashupataastra to enter Swarg Lok." So Arjun started doing Tap to please Shiv to get Pashuptaastra from him. Since Arjun was very proud of his bravery and archery, when he was worshipping Shiv Jee, Shiv Jee thought that He should destroy his pride before giving him any weapon. So He took the form of a Kiraat (hunter) and asked one of His Gan to take the form of a wild boar. The boar came and disturbed Arjun's Tapasyaa. So Arjun shot it an arrow. The boar died and Arjun went to pick it up. But as he came there, he saw two arrows in the body of the boar. He was thinking that whose arrow that could be, that he saw one Kiraat coming towards him. Kiraat told that that boar was his prey, while Arjun argued that since he had killed it first, it was his prey. To decide whose prey it was, both entered into argument and then fight. Kiraat took away Arjun's all weapons in fight, one by one, but brave Arjun fought even with bare hands. Kiraat got very pleased with him, showed him His real form, and blessed him with Pashupataastra. Seeing all this the boar also ran away. This episode is famous as Kiraat-Arjun fight. Arjun and Indra He got lots of other weapons from his father Indra by living in Swarg for one year. When he had got the weapons he wanted, and he wanted to come back to Prithvi, Indra asked him to get the training of music and dance too. Arjun laughed at the idea and said - "Why a warrior should need this?" Indra said - "It will be useful during your Agyaatvaas period." After finishing that training, when he was coming back, Urvashee Apsaraa got attracted to him and requested him to marry her. Arjun said - "I have always regarded you as my mother, I cannot commit such a sin." At this Urvashee gave him Shaap of being eunuch for his whole life. Later Indra leniently reduced the period for only one year and the year of his choice also, and said to Arjun that "this Shaap will also be useful during your Agyaatvaas period". So when Paandav started their Agyaatvaas period, Arjun became an eunuch and taught music and dance to Raajaa Viraat's daughter Uttaraa. Later he accepted her as Abhimanyu's wife. Arjun and Chitrasen When Arjun went to Indra Lok to get Divine weapons from his father Indra, he learned music and dance from his friend Chitrasen, the king of Gandharv. Indra told him that this knowledge will be useful for him during the period of Agyaatvaas. After that he came back to Earth. All Paandav were staying in Dwait Van. Duryodhan heard all about getting his Divine Astra, he got worried. When he expressed his feelings to Dushaasan, Karn and Shakuni, Karn told him that he did not need to worry about it. Rather, if he agrees, he could suggest the way to embarrass them. He told that they should go to their station of cows, which was near to Dwait Van, to inspect them along with their army and women and then show off their glory and valor to them. There was no other way to envy them better than this. Duryodhan got very happy to hear this, he asked the permission from Dhritraashtra which he got. But later when he told him the real reason to go there, Dhritraashtra was not happy with it. He thought it was risky, but Duryodhan convinced him for it. So all four, Duryodhan, Dushaasan, Karn and Shakuni went there with their army and women and camped there. One day he desired to swim in the lake nearby so he asked his people to check the place. His people told him that a Gandharv was already in it with his women. He ordered his people to ask him to move from that place as the king of Hastinaapur was coming to swim there. The people told him the same, but the Gandharv said - "Tell him that whoever he might be, I am not obliged to obey him." When Duryodhan's people told this to him, he got very angry and sent them to fight with them. They came and the fight started. But Kaurav army could not face the Gandharv army. When they got weaker, Duryodhan, Dushaasan, Karn and Shakuni also joined them, but still they could not face them. The Gandharv made Duryodhan and many womed captive and took them to his place. The Kaurav army got panic. Some soldiers immediately went to Yudhishthir's camp and told the whole incident. Bheem got very happy to hear this, he said - "We should have done this to them long before. But I am happy that somebody else is doing our work." But Yudhishthir was not happy with Bheem. He said - "Bheem, you should take Arjun, Sahadev and Nakul and go to release them." Bheem said - "No, I wouldn't go to release such a person." Yudhishthir said - " If you will not go, then I will have to go. We are five against hundred, but we are hundred and five against a third man. You should be ashamed of yourself. As a Kshatriya it is your prime duty to protect oppressed. Secondly, you should be ashamed of yourself also that somebody else is doing your work? Then what will happen to your vows?" Now Bheem understood what Yudhishthir was saying. So he immediately went there and politely requested to release his brother. But the Gandharv army wouldn't let him go. Both parties fought, but Arjun defeated them all. Then their chief came to face Arjun from sky, but Arjun defeated him also, the he came down and revealed himself. Arjun was amazed to see him, he was nobody else but his good friend Chitarsen. They embraced each other and talked about past days for some time. Arjun asked him as why did he capture his brother? Chitrasen said - "To whom you call your brother he did not come there to inspect the cows but he came to insult you, to harass you all. Your father Indra knew it before so he sent me here and asked to pick up a quarrel with him and arrest him. Hearing his arrest, He knew, that Yudhishthir will send you to get him released. Thus Duryodhan to get humiliated and obliged to you." Arjun said - "But now you may release him." Chitrasen said - "No, I will release only to Yudhishthir as he has sent you to get him released him. Then he can do with them whateve he likes" So they all went to him. Yudhishthir aske him to release them so he did. Yudhishthir expressed his gratitude to Chitrasen. Then he looked at Duryodhan and said - "Never do such a stupid thing again. Go now to your kingdom." There was no hatred in his look to Duryodhan it was only pity and gentleness. Duryodhan went away from there lowering his eyes and bent head humiliated greatly. Arjun and Shree Krishn He prayed Hanumaan Jee to be on the flag of his chariot. He requested Shree Krishn to be his Saarathee. When it was decided that there was no option except war, Shakuni (Gaandhaaree's brother) advised Duryodhan to ask help from Shree Krishn. So Duryodhan came to Shree Krishn to ask for His help for the war. On the other side Arjun could not think of anything without Shree Krishn so he also arrived at His palace to ask for His help. Duryodhan came first, so he sat down towards His head. Arjun came later, so he sat down towards His feet. Both waited for Him to wake up. At last Shree Krishn woke up. He saw first Arjun and asked his welfare and reason for coming. The then Duryodhan also greeted Him. Both said that they came to ask for His help in war. Shree Krishn said - "Listen, On one side I will be there but without any weapon, and on the other side my Naaraayanee army will be there. Now (to Arjun) I have seen you first that is why you have the right to choose anything between them, otherwise also you are younger brother of Duryodhan so you have the first right to choose." Arjun joined his palms and said politely - "I need only you, nothing else." Duryodhan then had to accept His Naaraayanee army, although Shakuni said many bad words to him on his decision of sitting at the head of Shree Krishn, but nothing could be done then. In reply Duryodhan said to Shakuni - "What would I have done of Krishn, He said He will not lift any weapon, so what is the use of Him? At least now we have His Naaraayanee army." Shakuni beat his head on his nephew's foolishness. Thus Shree Krish became Arjun's Saarathee and delivered him Geetaa's sermon in the battlefield when Arjun refused to fight with his relatives and friends. And Duryodhan had Krishn's Naaraayanee army. My NoteShree Krishn was Arjun's maternal uncle's (Maamaa) son and both of them loved each other very much. Shree Krishn always guided Arjun throughout his adult life.
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Created
by Sushma Gupta
On 05/27/04
Contact: mahaabhaarat@yahoo.com
Modified on 01/08/05