Reading Notes: Mahabharata PDE, Part B

Story: Arjuna's Adventures

Source: Public Domain Edition: Mahabharata

Arjuna, Source: Wikipedia

The Pandava brothers went through so much. Their cousin, Duryodhana tried to kill them and their mother by setting the palace on fire. After that, they wandered dresses as beggars and brahmins around the country. Then they were able to secure the hand of the princess Draupadi in marriage. She married all five of them.

The brothers made a rule, that if one them was sitting beside their wife, Draupadi, the other should not enter. If they were to violate the rule, they must go in exile for twelve years. It so happened that Arjuna violated the pact because he neede to go into the room where Yudhishthira was sitting with Draupadi, to retrieve his weapons. 

Arjuna went into exile for his actions. In his exile, he met Ulupi, daughter of Vasuki, king of the Nagas (serpents). Ulupi was beautiful; she led him to his father place where she bore him a son. Ulupi also gave him the power to render himself invisible in water. She also gave Arjuna the gift to never be conquered by any creature that lives in water. 

Arjuna bathed in a river, where he was attacked by a crocodile. Ulupi's gift came very handily this time. He threw the crocodile to shore where it turned into a beautiful nymph. She then told him she had four sisters that were turned into crocodiles. Arjuna then helped the nymphs to return to their proper shape.

Arjuna then reached the kingdom of Manipur, where Arjuna married the maiden princess Chitra and gave her a son. He then met with Krishna, rajah of the Yadavas. Krishna then agreed and plotted to marry his sister, Subhadra, to Arjuna. After the marriage, Arjuna returned to his brothers after the exile.