Arjuna

by Anuja Chandramouli

  The Kuru line could be traced all the way back to Manu, who was the grandson of Aditi, the mother of the devas. Pururavas was born to this noble King’s daughter, Ila. Ayus was his heir and Nahusha was the next in line. Nahusha was a great and virtuous King, who was offered Indra’s throne when the latter incurred the sin of killing a Brahmin. But the hitherto kindly and just monarch then became a conceited tyrant. He lusted after Indra’s wife, Sachi, and the lady brought about his downfall with the help of Brihaspati, Indra’s preceptor. She told Nahusha to visit her in a palanquin drawn by the saptarishis. Anxious to make it to the rendezvous as quickly as possible, the King hastened his doom by kicking Agastya, hoping to spur him into moving faster. The great rishi cursed him to become a serpent. It was Yudhishthira who eventually released him from the curse. Yayati was Nahusha’s son. The Yadavas and the Kurus were descended from his sons Yadu and Puru respectively. Dushyanta and his son Bharata, after whom this great country is named, were born several generations later in the Puru line. Urvashi had been Pururavas’ lover and borne him his son, Ayus.

  This illustrious ancestor of Arjuna’s had a rather unconventional origin. Manu’s son, Ila, was out hunting with his brothers when he chanced upon Shiva and Parvati engaged in passionate lovemaking. The three-eyed God was not pleased with the intrusion upon his privacy and cursed Ila, turning him into a woman. Ila begged both Shiva and Parvati to have pity upon him. Shiva relented somewhat and allowed Parvati to decide his fate. The Goddess decreed that Ila would spend six months as a man and for the remainder of the year he would be a woman. While Ila was a woman, she attracted the attention of Buda, the son of Soma, and Pururavas was born of this unusual coupling.

  Urvashi’s creation also took place under unorthodox circumstances as she had emerged from the thigh of Narayana. Pururavas was famed for his valour and on occasion, even Indra requested his help in the good fight against the forces of evil. While returning from one such battle, he met an apsara who was wailing in distress as her companion, Urvashi, had been carried away by the demon, Keshin. Pururavas immediately took off in pursuit, tracked down the villain, vanquished him in combat, and rescued Urvashi. After this thrilling episode, the two fell passionately in love

  It was not surprising that Pururavas was attracted to the apsara as her beauty was such that no man could remain impervious to it. Urvashi, on the other hand, being a veteran in the art of love and a celestial, was above the tender emotions that are both the blessing and bane of the human condition. The whole purpose of her existence was to give and receive pleasure. And yet, despite being a creature of transient feelings, for a spell she did experience love and the intense emotions that characterise it. But as was often the case, the path of true love was beset with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Urvashi was a gandharva and their code forbade union with mortals. The lovers had no choice but to refrain from declaring their mutual love and go their separate ways for the time being at least.

  It was about this time that Urvashi wandered into the hermitage of Varuna and Mitra. These ascetics were performing a rigorous sacrificial ritual that required them to practice severe austerities and strict celibacy. While the duo was thus engaged, Urvashi walked in aimlessly, lost in thoughts of Pururavas, completely unaware of how devastatingly beautiful she looked flushed with love. Varuna and Mitra could not remain immune to her charms and they spilt their seminal fluids. It was from this discharge that the great sages Agasthya and Vashistha emerged. Their fathers, were deeply ashamed of their lack of control and cursed the object of their untimely desire. The nymph, they pronounced, would have to descend to the world of man and cohabit with one of its inhabitants. Urvashi could not believe her ears! This was a blessing in disguise to say the least, as her fondest desire was about to be fulfilled.

  In due course, Urvashi and Pururavas were united in the bonds of matrimony. But before consummating their love, Urvashi imposed three conditions on her husband: he had to make love to her thrice a day; but never when she did not desire it; and he was not to appear in the nude before her. Pururavas agreed to these exotic terms and the two proceeded to enjoy conjugal bliss.

  The gandharvas were unhappy with the way things had turned out, as Urvashi was the fairest of them all and supremely talented. They hatched a plot to get her back, as she did not tire of her mortal lover and return to them as they had expected. The nymph had two lambs as pets and she adored them. She kept them by her side always, even at night, when she would tie them to the side of her bed. On a fateful night, the gandharvas sneaked in and removed one of her lambs. The little creature bleated piteously. Urvashi heard its cries and called out for help, crying even more desperately than the stolen lambs. Pururavas went after the lamb at once, forgetting that he was naked. As he raced after the offenders, a brilliant flash of lightning, produced strategically by the wily gandharvas, exposed his nudity to his wife.

  True to her word, Urvashi went back to the jubilant gandharvas, as Pururavas had failed to adhere to her conditions. Her lover was nearly prostrate with grief and wandered about like one demented, calling her name. He searched high and low for Urvashi, determined to win her back. For a long time his efforts were fruitless and all that remained to him were the bittersweet memories of their time together.

  Finally, he found her in a lotus-lake near Kurukshetra, frolicking in the guise of a swan, with her close companions. Urvashi had gone back to being the blithe spirit she had been before her meeting with

  Pururavas. The love she had borne him had faded and now she spurned his advances. Finally, wearied by his tiresome persistence, she agreed to spend the last night of the year with him and give him a son. She kept her word but Pururavas was not satisfied. Legend has it that he worshipped the gandharvas fervently and with great devotion, till they appeared before him. Pleased with his worship, they offered him a boon. He seized this opportunity and asked them to make him a gandharva, so that he could be with Urvashi. His wish was granted and the lovers were reunited once more.

  Arjuna smiled to himself as he watched the woman who had been his ancestor’s fate, wondering where fact parted ways with legend. Not taking his eyes off her, he wished he could summon the courage to ask her all about Pururavas. While he mused thus, Indra caught the admiring glances he threw Urvashi’s way. ‘I shall arrange a special treat for my son tonight,’ he thought. ‘He has mastered the use of the divine astras and Chitrasena has taught him music and dance. Urvashi shall teach him the art of love... It should be a pleasurable experience for him.’

  When the performance ended, Indra sent for Chitrasena and made his wish known to him. The latter called Urvashi and passed on the instructions of their overlord.

  Urvashi was immeasurably pleased with the assignation that had been given to her. Arjuna was a handsome and valiant man. His accomplishments made him stand tall even among the celestials. She had caught him staring at her during the performance and been pleased. Dressed in her most alluring garments, with flowers in her lovely locks and bedecked in dazzling jewellery, she walked towards Arjuna’s apartments. The devas who had the fortune to see her that night, envied Arjuna within their hearts.

  Arjuna was relaxing in his chambers when an attendant brought word that Urvashi wished to meet him. Surprised at the hour she had chosen to visit him, he hastened to meet her. Bowing his head and lowering his eyes in a reverential attitude, he said: ‘Mother, you do me great honour! What is it you seek from me? I shall treat your every wish as a command!’

  Urvashi bristled at being addressed in this manner and said haughtily, ‘Do I look like anybody’s mother? Lord Indra wishes me to spend the night with you. It gives me great pleasure to carry out his orders as I have been struck by Kama’s darts of love and am possessed by the most ardent desire for you.’

  ‘But how can this be?’ Arjuna asked aghast. ‘Pururavas and Ayus are my revered ancestors! I respect you like my own mother!’

  ‘What a filthy hypocrite you are! You spent the evening ogling me and now you deny har
bouring amorous thoughts towards me!’ raged Urvashi.

  ‘I looked at you with eyes of worship as it was truly remarkable that the wife of my great ancestor stood before me. My thoughts were not improper as I was merely thinking that it was the good fortune of the Kurus to be associated with a lady of your standing,’ explained Arjuna.

  But the historic significance was lost on Urvashi at that moment and in her spectacular rage she looked lovelier than ever. ‘Stop treating me like some ancient being! I am an apsara; your petty mortal laws have no hold over us. We are allowed to do what your self-righteous, so-called civilisation, forbids. Many scions of the Kuru race, who made the ascent to heaven on the strength of their noble deeds, have been accepted by me as lovers and none of them had any ridiculous moral scruples. So there is no reason for you to have any qualms about the services I am about to perform.’

  ‘I beg you to be reasonable, for what you ask I am unable to do. In my eyes it would be tantamount to the gravest sin. Command me as a mother would her son and I will gladly oblige,’ Arjuna pleaded with her, still unable to look her in the eye.

  ‘How dare you spurn me!’ said Urvashi, her voice quivering with anger. ‘No self-respecting man turns away a woman who gives herself to him out of love. You are not a man and your manhood is merely a vestigial organ that serves but ornamental purposes. I condemn you to spend the rest of your life shorn of your manhood. You will live in the inner apartments of women and they will laugh at you for being a eunuch!’ With these words, Urvashi stormed out of Arjuna’s apartments, seething with rage and humiliation.

  Arjuna stood trembling with mortification and wished he could go back in time and prevent this unfortunate incident from ever taking place. He repaired to Indra’s palace post haste and told him all that had passed, concluding with Urvashi’s deadly curse. To his surprise, Indra laughed aloud and said, ‘I am not surprised. There is nothing in the three worlds to match the rage of a woman scorned. But I am impressed! Your forbearance is extraordinary. Even the most rigid maharishis forget their vows of celibacy when they set eyes on Urvashi and become quivering masses of lustful desire. You on the contrary, rejected her even though she offered herself to you.’

  ‘I cannot be amused father. The loss of my manhood is no laughing matter,’ said his son sadly.

  ‘You should have more faith, my son. Would I allow such a thing to happen? This curse is actually a blessing in disguise,’ Indra said. He laughed at the look of extreme disbelief on Arjuna’s face and went on: ‘The curse will come into effect only in the thirteenth year of your exile, which you are supposed to spend incognito. Nobody will suspect the great Arjuna is a eunuch!’

  ‘And I will regain my manhood at the end of that year?’ Arjuna asked doubtfully.

  ‘Certainly! I will send for that impudent nymph who dared to curse my son and make sure of it. Although I can’t say I blame her – she is not used to such treatment. Usually she has to beat men off with a stick to keep them away! And did you actually address her as mother? Great-great-great-grandmother would have been closer!’ And Indra burst into such riotous laughter which his relieved son privately thought was most unbecoming in one who was the King of Heaven.

  Thus, in the thirteenth year of the Pandavas’ exile, Arjuna had the perfect disguise at hand. His brothers were less fortunate, and Yudhishthira spent many sleepless nights wondering how best they might conceal themselves during the final year, when they were supposed to live incognito.

  Towards the end of the twelfth year, the brothers were dwelling in a dense forest when they were approached by a Brahmin who seemed to be greatly agitated. His precious arani (flintwood) stick, which was used to start sacrificial fires, had got entangled in the antlers of a curious deer and the animal had made off with it. He begged the Pandavas to retrieve the same for him.

  The brothers responded at once and took off after the thieving deer. However, they could not catch up with it though they followed the spoor expertly. Drained by their efforts, the five of them sat under a tree feeling exhausted and miserable. Giving in to the dejection they had been fighting with mixed results since they had been exiled, the Pandavas complained bitterly about the turn their lives had taken. They wondered why it was that they were being tormented in this manner when they had tried their utmost to lead blameless lives.

  Bheema thought that he should have given in to his baser instincts and killed all the Kauravas when they had tried to cheat them out of their Kingdom. Arjuna agreed with his brother and said he wished he had given Karna a taste of the Gandeeva when he dared to abuse his brothers and Draupadi. Sensing that this conversation would be detrimental to their rapidly dwindling spirits, Yudhishthira ordered his brothers to stop the pointless discussion and decide on a fresh course of action.

  Nakula was asked to scale a tree to locate a lake or pond where they might quench their thirst. And when the elder twin spotted a lake, Yudhishthira handed him a couple of quivers and told him to fetch some water. Nakula hastened to do so. But as he approached the lake, his thirst increased a hundred-fold and he was nearly delirious with the craving for a sip of the precious water that beckoned invitingly to him. He ran towards the lake, cupped his palms, scooped up some water and raised it to his lips. At that moment, an authoritative voice rang out: ‘Stop! I am a guardian crane and this lake belongs to me. You have to answer my questions satisfactorily before drinking the water. Disobey me at your peril!’ Nakula decided that a mere crane was no match for a Pandava, and drank the water. Immediately he fell to the ground and was dead to the world.

  The remaining Pandavas waited impatiently for Nakula to return with the water. When he did not, Yudhishthira became uneasy and sent Sahadeva after him. The youngest Pandava met with the same fate as Nakula, and he was soon joined by Arjuna and Bheema. Finally, Yudhishthira found the seemingly dead bodies of his brothers and was shocked. He wondered why his heart continued to beat after seeing such a dreadful sight. Like the others before him, he decided to drink some water before dealing with the situation.

  As Yudhishthira knelt to drink the water, the crane spoke to him. Realising that the crane was not what it seemed to be, he asked it to reveal its true identity. When he looked up, a yaksha was perched on the branches of the tree. It told him what had happened to his brothers and warned him that he would pay the same price if he did not answer the questions posed to him. Yudhishthira agreed to the terms. The yaksha then peppered him with a barrage of complex philosophical questions. Yudhishthira’s replies were worthy of Dharma, his revered father, as they sparkled with eloquence and a profound understanding of universal truths.

  The yaksha was pleased and told him that he would spare the life of one of his brothers. Yudhishthira chose Nakula, much to the surprise of his interrogator. When asked why he had chosen his step-brother’s life over that of his own brothers, Yudhishthira replied that since his father had two wives, it was only fitting that each had a son left alive. The yaksha then transformed into Lord Yama (also known as Dharma), Yudhishthira’s heavenly father. Yama hugged his son and told him that he had passed the final test and had done him proud.

  Bheema, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva were restored to life. Yama revealed that it was he who had stolen the Brahmin’s flint-stick in the guise of a deer and now handed it back to them. He also granted Yudhishthira a boon, wherein he and the others would escape detection in the thirteenth year of exile. He blessed them all and returned to his domain.

  The Pandavas discussed recent events excitedly and were more upbeat about the challenge ahead of them. Brimming with newfound confidence, the Pandavas and Draupadi sat down to talk about where and how to spend the thirteenth year. Yudhishthira turned to Arjuna first. ‘You have had the opportunity to travel across the length and breadth of this land. None of us know it as intimately as you do. Where do you recommend we spend the final year of our exile?’

  ‘There are many beautiful places that will serve our purpose admirably. But the kingdom of Matsya, ruled by King Virata, i
s best suited to our needs. He is a kindly old man and is sure to treat us well if we go in disguise,’ replied Arjuna.

  ‘It sounds perfect!’ Sahadeva enthused. His approval was important to the others as he was regarded as the intelligent one.

  ‘It is just as well that Arjuna took the time to scout suitable locations even as he romanced a bevy of beautiful maidens during his exotic travels!’ Bheema said cheekily. Draupadi looked petulant on hearing this and Arjuna shot his rambunctious brother a dirty look. Yudhishthira brought the discussion back on track with his usual tact. ‘I am glad that is settled. Now we have to decide how best to conceal our true identities while we are there.’

  ‘Yudhishthira, you were born to rule the whole world! The cleverest disguise will be inadequate to hide your regal bearing and nobility!’ Arjuna said with great feeling.

  ‘Don’t worry! I intend to play up my strength or weakness, depending on how you view it,’ Yudhishthira said cheerfully. "I will go as a Brahmin named Kanka, and offer my services to the King. I’ll tell him I was employed by Yudhishthira to play dice with him and to keep him entertained with discourses on politics, philosophy and dharma. Sage Brihadashwa taught me the art of akshahridaya, playing dice expertly, during our teerthayatra – so there is no danger of my losing anything of value this time.’

  ‘That is a great idea! Such a role will not be very different from your own personality and will allow you to play it convincingly,’ said Sahadeva.

  ‘So Yudhishthira is going as a Brahmin skilled in dice. Perhaps I’ll go as a cook...’ said Bheema.

  ‘I did not know you could cook, brother! I somehow thought that eating was your special talent,’ said Nakula teasingly. Arjuna and Sahadeva erupted in gales of laughter while Yudhishthira looked on indulgently.

  ‘I’ll have you know that no matter what many ignorant people think, I am a gourmet not a glutton. It is about time my expertise in all matters culinary is put to good use. King Virata shall feast on my choice preparations and I will also wrestle with any challengers, to entertain the King. And in my spare time, perhaps I could train the youngsters in his kingdom to wrestle and help them develop a good physique,’ said Bheema.