Arjuna (
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
: अर्जुन, ), also known as Partha and Dhananjaya, is a character in several ancient
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
texts, and specifically one of the major characters of the Indian epic
Mahabharata
The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the s ...
. In the epic, he is the third among
Pandavas
The Pandavas (Sanskrit: पाण्डव, IAST: Pāṇḍava) refers to the five legendary brothers— Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva—who are the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. They are acknowledge ...
, the five sons of
Pandu. The family formed part of the royal line of the
Kuru Kingdom
Kuru (Sanskrit: ) was a Vedic Indo-Aryan tribal union in northern Iron Age India, encompassing parts of the modern-day states of Haryana, Delhi, and some parts of western Uttar Pradesh, which appeared in the Middle Vedic period (c. 1200 – c. ...
. In the
Mahabharata War
The Kurukshetra War ( sa, कुरुक्षेत्र युद्ध ), also called the Mahabharata War, is a war described in the ''Mahabharata ( sa, महाभारत )''. The conflict arose from a dynastic succession struggle be ...
, Arjuna was a key warrior from the Pandava side and slew many warriors including
Karna
Karna (Sanskrit: कर्ण, IAST: ''Karṇa''), also known as Vasusena, Anga-raja, and Radheya, is one of the main protagonists of the Hindu epic '' Mahābhārata''. He is the son of the sun god Surya and princess Kunti (mother of the ...
and
Bhisma
Bhishma ( Sanskrit: भीष्म, , ), also known as Pitamaha, Gangaputra, and Devavrata, played an integral role in Mahabharata. He was the supreme commander of the Kaurava forces during the Kurukshetra War mentioned in the Hindu epi ...
. Before the beginning of the war, his mentor,
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
, gave him the supreme knowledge of
Bhagavad Gita to overcome his moral dilemmas.
Arjuna was born when
Indra, the god of rain, blessed
Kunti and
Pandu with a son. From childhood, Arjuna was a brilliant student and was favoured by his beloved teacher,
Drona. Arjuna is depicted as a skilled
archer
Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In m ...
, winning the hands of
Draupadi, who married the five brothers because of Kunti's misunderstanding and
Mahadeva Mahadeva may refer to:
Religion
*Mahadeva, a title of the Hindu god Shiva
** Parashiva, a form of Shiva
** Parameshwara (god), a form of Shiva
*Para Brahman, a Hindu deity
*Adi-Buddha, in Buddhism, the "First Buddha" or the "Primordial Buddha"
*M ...
boons. Arjuna is twice exiled, first for breaking a pact with his brothers; and secondly together with them when his oldest brother was tricked into gambling away the throne.
Some notable incidents during the first exile were Arjuna's marriages with princesses
Ulupi
Ulupi (), also known as Uluchi and Ulupika, is a character the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. She is a Naga princess, the daughter of the king Kauravya, and is among the four wives of Arjuna. She also finds a mention in the '' Vishnu Purana'' an ...
,
Chitrāngadā and
Subhadra. From his four wives, Arjuna had four sons, one from each wife
Shrutakarma
In the Hindu epic Mahabharata, the ''Upapandavas'' (, sa, उपपाण्डव, lit. ''junior Pandavas''), also known as ''Pandavaputras'' (, sa, पाण्डवपुत्र, lit. ''sons of Pandavas''), Draupadeyas or ''Panchakumaras ...
,
Iravan
Iravan also known as Iravat and Iravant, is a minor character from the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The son of Pandava prince Arjuna (one of the main heroes of the Mahabharata) and the Naga princess Ulupi, Iravan is the central deity of the
cu ...
,
Babhruvahana
In the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata'', Babruvahana ( sa, बब्रुवाहन) is the son of Arjuna, a Pandava prince, and Chitrangada, the princess of Manalura. Babruvahana was adopted as the heir of Manalura by his maternal grandfathe ...
and
Abhimanyu. During his second exile, Arjuna gained many celestial weapons. Despite being a warrior, Arjuna was also skilled in music and dance. At the end of the epic, Pandavas, accompanied by Draupadi, retired to the
Himalayas
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 10 ...
. Arjuna was the fourth one to fall on the way.
Etymology and epithets
According to
Monier Monier-Williams
Sir Monier Monier-Williams (; né Williams; 12 November 1819 – 11 April 1899) was a British scholar who was the second Boden Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford University, England. He studied, documented and taught Asian languages, especiall ...
, the word ''Arjuna'' means white, clear or silver. He is known by many other names, such as:
* Dhanañjaya (धनञ्जय) – one who conquered wealth and gold
* Gudākesha (गुडाकेश) – one who has conquered sleep (the lord of sleep, ''Gudaka+isha'') or one who has abundant hair (''Guda-kesha''), like an ascete
keshin.
* Vijaya (विजय) – always victorious, invincible and undefeatable
* Savyasāchī (सव्यसाची)– one who can shoot arrows using the right and the left hand with equal activity;Ambidextrous.
* Shvetavāhana (श्वेतवाहन) – one with milky white horses mounted to his pure white chariot
* Anagha (अनघ) – one who is sinless
* Bībhatsu (बीभत्सु) – one who always fights wars in a fair, stylish and terrific manner and never does anything horrible in the war
* Kirītī (किरीटी) – one who wears the celestial
diadem
A diadem is a type of crown, specifically an ornamental headband worn by monarchs and others as a badge of royalty.
Overview
The word derives from the Greek διάδημα ''diádēma'', "band" or "fillet", from διαδέω ''diadéō'', " ...
presented by the King of Gods,
Indra
* Jishnu (जिष्णु) – triumphant, conqueror of enemies
* Phālguna (फाल्गुण) – born under the star Uttara Phalguni (
Denebola
Denebola is the second-brightest star in the zodiac constellation of Leo.The two components of the γ Leonis double star, which are unresolved to the naked eye, have a combined magnitude brighter than it. It has the Bayer designatio ...
in
Leo)
* Mahābāhu (महाबाहु) – one with large and strong arms
* Gāndīvadhārī (गाण्डीवधारी) – holder of a bow named
Gandiva
* Pārtha (पार्थ) – son of Pritha (or
Kunti) – after his mother
* Kaunteya (कौन्तेय) – son of Kunti – after his mother
* Pānduputra (पाण्डुपुत्र) – son of
Pandu – after his father
* Pāndava (पाण्डव) – son of
Pandu – after his father
* Krishnā (कृष्णा) – He who is of dark complexion and conducts great purity.
* Brihannalā (बृहन्नला) – another name assumed by Arjuna for the 13th year in exile
Literary background
The story of Arjuna is told in the ''Mahabharata'', one of the
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
epics from the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
. The work is written in Classical Sanskrit and is a composite work of revisions, editing and interpolations over many centuries. The oldest parts in the surviving version of the text probably date to about 400 BCE.
The ''Mahabharata'' manuscripts exist in numerous versions, wherein the specifics and details of major characters and episodes vary, often significantly. Except for the sections containing the ''
Bhagavad Gita'' which is remarkably consistent between the numerous manuscripts, the rest of the epic exists in many versions. The differences between the Northern and Southern recensions are particularly significant, with the Southern manuscripts more profuse and longer. Scholars have attempted to construct a
critical edition
Textual criticism is a branch of textual scholarship, philology, and of literary criticism that is concerned with the identification of textual variants, or different versions, of either manuscripts or of printed books. Such texts may range in da ...
, relying mostly on a study of the "Bombay" edition, the "Poona" edition, the "Calcutta" edition and the "south Indian" editions of the manuscripts. The most accepted version is one prepared by scholars led by
Vishnu Sukthankar at the
Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute
The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) is located in Pune, Maharashtra, India. It was founded on 6 July 1917 and named after Ramakrishna Gopal Bhandarkar (1837–1925), long regarded as the founder of Indology (Orientalism) in Ind ...
, preserved at
Kyoto University,
Cambridge University
The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III of England, Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world' ...
and various Indian universities.
Life and legends
Birth and early life
![Boon of Indra to Kunti](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/Boon_of_Indra_to_Kunti.jpg)
Arjuna was one of the five Pandava brothers of royal lineage, whose collective name derives from their father and heir to the
Lunar dynasty
The Lunar dynasty ( IAST: Candravaṃśa) is a legendary principal house of the Kshatriyas varna, or warrior–ruling caste mentioned in the ancient Indian texts. This legendary dynasty was said to be descended from moon-related deities ('' ...
, Pandu. However, Pandu was under a curse whereby he would die if he had sexual relations with a woman and thus his sons were born using a mantra given to Kunti by sage
Durvasa
In Hindu scriptures, Durvasa ( sa, दुर्वासा, ) also known as Durvasas (Sanskrit: दुर्वासस्), is a legendary rishi (sage). He is the son of Anasuya and Atri. According to some Puranas, Durvasa is a partial avat ...
during her maiden days. His wivesMadri and Kuntiinvoked different gods and were blessed with children.
According to the legend, Arjuna was a
demigod
A demigod or demigoddess is a part-human and part-divine offspring of a deity and a human, or a human or non-human creature that is accorded divine status after death, or someone who has attained the "divine spark" ( spiritual enlightenment). A ...
, who was born as a blessing after his mother Kunti invoked the god Indra on her husband's request.
Whilst the other epic such as ''
Devi Bhagavata
The Devi Bhagavata Purana ( sa, देवी भागवतपुराणम्, '), also known as the Srimad Devi Bhagavatam, Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavata Purana or simply ''Devi Bhagavatam'', is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas of Hindui ...
'' also records Arjuna as a reincarnation of a
rishi called Nara.
Despite being the younger brother of
Dhritarashtra
Dhritarashtra ( sa, धृतराष्ट्र, ISO-15919: Dhr̥tarāṣṭra) was a Kuru king, and the father of the Kauravas in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. He was the King of the Kuru Kingdom, with its capital at Hastinapura. He was ...
, it was Pandu who succeeded their father as king of
Bharata. This was because Dhritarashtra was blind, a disability that caused him to forfeit his right to the royal succession. Dhritarashtra fathered 100 sons, known as the
Kaurava
''Kaurava'' is a Sanskrit term which refers to descendants of Kuru, a legendary king of India who is the ancestor of many of the characters of the epic ''Mahabharata''. Usually, the term is used for the 100 sons of King Dhritarashtra and his wi ...
brothers, and ascended the throne on the death of Pandu.
The Pandava brothers were then brought up with their cousins, the Kauravas, and the education of all these boys was supervised by
Bhishma. Among their teachers was the
brahmin
Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests (purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (gur ...
warrior called
Drona, who considered Arjuna to be his favourite. According to Swami Parmeshwaranand, Arjuna was Drona's most accomplished pupil. He notes an incident where Drona deemed that out of all his students, none but Arjuna had the steadfast focus to shoot the eye of a toy bird on a tree using a bow and arrow, and that Drona was proven right.
After the princes completed their training, Arjuna defeated
Drupada
Drupada (Sanskrit: द्रुपद, lit. ''firm-footed'' or ''pillar''), also known as Yajnasena (Sanskrit: यज्ञसेन, lit. ''he whose army is sacrificial''), is a character in the Mahābhārata. The son of King Prishata, he was ...
of
Panchala, who was impressed by the prince's skills, as the ''
gurudakshina'' for his beloved teacher Drona. Later,
Duryodhana and his maternal uncle
Shakuni planned to burn Pandavas alive along with their mother Kunti. They built a palace out of lac in a village named Varanāvata. The Pandavas, though, managed to escape the house of lac with the help of
Vidura
Vidura (Sanskrit: विदुर, lit. ''skilled'', ''intelligent'' or ''wise''), also known as Kshatri, plays a key role in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. He is described as the prime minister of the Kuru kingdom and is the paternal uncle ...
through a secret tunnel.
Marriages and children
![Swayamvara Draupadi Arjuna Archery](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Swayamvara_Draupadi_Arjuna_Archery.jpg)
Arjuna is a central character in the Hindu epics and appears in hundreds of situations. Among the most notable is his marriage to
Draupadi,
the fire born daughter of
Drupada
Drupada (Sanskrit: द्रुपद, lit. ''firm-footed'' or ''pillar''), also known as Yajnasena (Sanskrit: यज्ञसेन, lit. ''he whose army is sacrificial''), is a character in the Mahābhārata. The son of King Prishata, he was ...
, who was the king of
Panchala.
After the event of
Lakshagriha
Lakshagriha ( sa, लाक्षागृहम्, )) (The House of Lacquer) is a place mentioned in the ''Mahabharata'', one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the Ramayana. This place is located on the bank o ...
, Arjuna, his mother and brothers decide to hide from Hastinapura. One day, Arjuna learns that Drupada is holding an archery tournament to determine who should marry his daughter. The tournament was to lift and string a bow, and fire arrows to pierce the eye of a golden fish only by looking at its reflection in the water. At the Swayamvara, almost all the assorted monarchs were unable to complete the challenge. In the end, Arjuna, dressed as a Brahmin, wins the tournament.
Annoyed by their defeat, the kings attack Arjuna, but he defeats them and runs home to tell his mother of his success, shouting "look what we have found". Commentators vary as to whether Kunti thought he was referring to
alms found in the forest or to some great prize unknown to her. She tells him that the find must be shared with his brothers, as they had always shared such things in the past.
This misunderstanding, combined with the protocol that the oldest of the brothers, Yudhishthira, should marry first, leads to the agreement that all five brothers marry her. This is one of the rare examples of
polyandry
Polyandry (; ) is a form of polygamy in which a woman takes two or more husbands at the same time. Polyandry is contrasted with polygyny, involving one male and two or more females. If a marriage involves a plural number of "husbands and wives ...
in
Sanskrit literature.
The brothers agreed that none should intrude if Draupadi was alone with one of the others, the penalty for doing so is a year to be spent in exile during which the culprit must remain celibate.
When Arjuna, his siblings, mother and Draupadi returned to Hastinapura, Dhritarashtra determined to avoid a rivalry developing for control of Hastinapur by splitting the kingdom, with half of it being left to his own eldest son,
Duryodhana, and half to the eldest son of Pandu,
Yudhishthira
''Yudhishthira'' (Sanskrit: युधिष्ठिर, IAST: ''Yudhiṣṭhira'') is the eldest among the five Pandava brothers. He is mentioned in the ancient epic Mahabharata. He was sired by King Pandu of the Kuru Dynasty and his firs ...
.
Arjuna inadvertently broke the pact with his brothers, intruding as he sought to collect weapons whilst Yudhishthira, was alone with Draupadi. He felt obliged to go into exile despite Yudhishthira's attempts to dissuade him.
It was this event that led to him forming a close relationship with his cousin
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
because he ignored the celibacy condition of the pact
and married three people on his travels, the first of whom was a Naga princess named
Ulupi
Ulupi (), also known as Uluchi and Ulupika, is a character the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. She is a Naga princess, the daughter of the king Kauravya, and is among the four wives of Arjuna. She also finds a mention in the '' Vishnu Purana'' an ...
, with whom he had a son called
Iravan
Iravan also known as Iravat and Iravant, is a minor character from the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The son of Pandava prince Arjuna (one of the main heroes of the Mahabharata) and the Naga princess Ulupi, Iravan is the central deity of the
cu ...
. His second marriage was with a princess of Manipura,
Chitrangada, who bore a son named
Babhruvahana
In the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata'', Babruvahana ( sa, बब्रुवाहन) is the son of Arjuna, a Pandava prince, and Chitrangada, the princess of Manalura. Babruvahana was adopted as the heir of Manalura by his maternal grandfathe ...
. The third was with
Subhadra, the sister of Krishna. This last event, which took place in
Dvaraka,
is not the first meeting between Krishna and the Pandavas in the story but it does mark the start of a bond, sealed with the birth of the couple's child,
Abhimanyu, whom Krishna adores.
Burning of Khandava Forest
It was while at
Indraprastha
Indraprastha (lit. "Plain of Indra" or "City of Indra") is mentioned in ancient Indian literature as a city of the Kuru Kingdom. It was the capital of the kingdom led by the Pandavas mentioned in ''Mahabharata'' . Under the Pali form of its nam ...
, the capital city of the Pandavas, for the birth of Abhimanyu that Arjuna and Krishna become involved in what
Alf Hiltebeitel describes as "one of the strangest scenes of the epic", this being the burning of the Khandava Forest. This
story within a story has been interpreted in various ways.
The essence of this part of the myth is that Arjuna and Krishna are in the forest when they are approached by a hungry person. They agree to help satisfy his hunger, at which point he reveals himself to be
Agni
Agni (English: , sa, अग्नि, translit=Agni) is a Sanskrit word meaning fire and connotes the Vedic fire deity of Hinduism. He is also the guardian deity of the southeast direction and is typically found in southeast corners of Hindu ...
, the god of fire. Agni's hunger can only be sated by consuming the entire forest and everything in it but his previous attempts to do this were thwarted by Indra, who is a protector of the forest and sent down rains to quench the fire. The cousins agree to fend off Indra and anyone else who might interfere; to this end, Arjuna armed himself with the
Gandiva bow and Krishna with his
Sudarshana Chakra, weapons suitable for a fight with the gods. They then begin to destroy the forest, battling against Indra and other gods, as well as demons, animals and snakes. Once the forest has gone, after six days of fire and slaughter, Arjuna and Krishna receive thanks from Indra, who had retreated with the other gods partway through the proceedings on being commanded by a mysterious voice to step back and watch.
The game of dice
![Draupadi Vastra Haran](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/Draupadi_Vastra_Haran.jpg)
As heir to the lordship of
Kurukshetra, Yudhishthira had attracted the unwelcome attention of his Kaurava cousin, Duryodhana, who sought the throne. The royal consecration involved an elaborate
Vedic
upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''.
The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...
ceremony called
rajasuya which extended over several years and included the playing of a ritualised
game of dice. This particular game, described as "Indian literature's most notorious dice game" by Williams,
was rigged by Duryodhana, causing Yudhishthira to gamble and lose everything, including his kingdom and his shared wife Draupadi.
He and his brothers only obtained their freedom because Draupadi offered herself to the Kauravas in exchange. She was then humiliated by them so much that revenge for her treatment became a further motivation for the Pandavas in the rivalry with their cousins.
During her humiliation, Karna called her a whore for marrying five men. This led Arjuna to take a vow of killing Karna. The brothers, including Arjuna, were forced into a 12-year exile, to be followed by a year living incognito if Yudhishthira was to regain his kingdom.
Exile of the Pandavas
![Rock cut caves at Dhanadibbalu 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Rock_cut_caves_at_Dhanadibbalu_01.jpg)
While in this exile, Arjuna performed twelve labours. He received instruction in the use of weapons from
Parashurama
Parashurama (), also referred to as Rama Jamadagnya, Rama Bhargava and Veerarama, is the sixth avatar among the Dashavatara of the preserver god Vishnu in Hinduism. He is believed to be one of the ''Chiranjeevis'' (Immortals), who will appea ...
, the sixth
avatar
Avatar (, ; ), is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means "descent". It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, goddess or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appeara ...
of
Vishnu
Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism.
Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" withi ...
, and visited the
Himalayas
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 10 ...
to get celestial weapons that he would be able to use against the Kauravas. Thereafter, he honed his battle skills with a visit to
Swarga
Svarga (), also known as Indraloka and Svargaloka, is the celestial abode of the devas in Hinduism. Svarga is one of the seven higher lokas ( esoteric planes) in Hindu cosmology. Svarga is often translated as heaven, though it is regarded to b ...
, the heaven of Indra, where he emerged victorious in a battle with the
Daityas
According to ancient scriptures, the daityas (Sanskrit: दैत्य) are a race of asuras, descending from Kashyapa and his wife, Diti. Prominent members of this race include Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu, and Mahabali, all of whom overran the ...
and also fought for Indra, his spiritual father, with the Gandiva.
After the
battle at Khandava,
Indra had promised Arjuna to give him all his weapons as a boon for matching him in battle with the requirement that
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
is pleased with him. During the exile, following the advice of
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
to go on meditation or ''
tapasya
Tapas (Sanskrit: तपस्) is a variety of austere spiritual meditation practices in Indian religions. In Jainism, it means asceticism (austerities, body mortification); in Buddhism, it denotes spiritual practices including meditation and se ...
'' to attain this
divine weapon, Arjuna left his brothers for a penance on Indrakeeladri Hill.
![Siva gives Pashupatastra to Arjun](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Siva_gives_Pashupatastra_to_Arjun.jpg)
When Arjuna was in deep meditation, a wild boar ran towards him. He realized it and took out an arrow and shot it at the boar. But, another arrow had already pierced the boar. Arjuna was furious and he saw a hunter there. He confronted the hunter and they engaged in a fight. After hours of fighting, Arjuna was not able to defeat him and realized that the hunter was Shiva. Shiva was pleased and took his real form. He gave him
Pashupatastra
The ''Pashupatastra'' ( IAST: Pāśupatāstra, Sanskrit: पाशुपतास्त्र; the weapon of Pashupati, an epithet of Shiva) is an astra, a celestial missile, affiliated to the Hindu deity Shiva, as well as Kali and Adi Parash ...
and told that the boar was Indra as he wanted to test Arjuna. After gaining the weapon, Indra took him to heaven and gave him many weapons.
During his exile, Arjuna was invited to the palace of
Indra, his father. An
apsara named
Urvashi
Urvashi ( sa, उर्वशी, Urvaśī}) is the most prominent apsara (celestial nymph) in Hindu mythology, considered to be the most beautiful of all the apsaras, and an expert dancer. She is mentioned in both ''Vedic'' and ''Puranic'' scr ...
was impressed and attracted to Arjuna's look and talent so she expresses her love in front of him. But Arjuna did not have any intentions of making love to Urvashi. Instead, he called her “mother”. Because once Urvashi was the wife of King
Pururavas
Pururavas (Sanskrit: पुरूरवस्, ''Purūravas'') is a character in Hindu literature, a king who served as the first of the Lunar dynasty.
According to the Vedas, he is a legendary entity associated with Surya (the sun) and Ush ...
the ancestor of
Kuru dynasty. Urvashi felt insulted and cursed Arjuna that he will be a eunuch for the rest of his life. Later on Indra's request, Urvashi curtailed the curse to a period of one year.
At Matsya Kingdom
![Brihannala](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Brihannala.jpg)
Arjuna spent the last year of exile as a eunuch named Brihannala at King
Virata
Virata ( sa, विराट, IAST ''virāṭa''), was the king of the Matsya Kingdom, in whose court the Pandavas spent a year in concealment during their exile. Virata was married to Queen Sudeshna and was the father of Prince Uttara and Pr ...
’s
Matsya Kingdom. He taught song and dance to the princess
Uttarā. After Kichaka humiliated and tried to molest Draupadi, Arjuna consoled her and Bhima killed Kichaka. When Duryodhana and his army attacked Matsya,
Uttar, Uttarā's brother, with Brihannala as his charioteer went to the army. Later that day, the year of Agyatavasa was over. Arjuna took Uttar away from the army to the forest where he had kept his divine bow, Gandiva and revealed his identity to Uttara. Later when he revealed his identity to everyone in the Matsya, Uttarā was married to Arjuna's son
Abhimanyu.
Kurukshetra War
Bhagavat Gita
![Krishna tells Gita to Arjuna](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Krishna_tells_Gita_to_Arjuna.jpg)
The ''
Bhagavad Gita'' is a book within the ''Mahabharata'' that depicts a dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna immediately prior to the commencement of the Kurukshetra War between the Pandavas and Kauravas. According to Richard H. Davis,
In the war
Arjuna was a key warrior in Pandava's victory in the Kurukshetra War. He killed many powerful and key warriors of Kaurava's side.
![Bhisma on arrows bed](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/23/Bhisma_on_arrows_bed.jpg)
* Fall of
Bhishma: On the 10th day of battle,
Shikhandi
Shikhandi ( sa, शिखण्डी, translit=Śikhaṇḍī) is a character in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. Born as the daughter of Drupada, the King of Panchala, Shikhandi becomes a biological male after agreeing to a sex exchange with a y ...
accompanied Arjuna on the latter's chariot and they faced Bhishma who did not fire arrows at Shikhandi. He was then felled in battle by Arjuna, pierced by innumerable arrows. With Sikhandi in front, Bhishma did not even look in that direction, Arjuna shot arrows at Bhishma, piercing his entire body.
* Death of
Bhagadatta
Bhagadatta ( sa, भगदत्त) was the son of Narakasura, and the king of Pragjyotisha. Bhagadatta was born from a limb of the asura called Bāṣkala. He was a renowned warrior, and was known to be a great friend of Indra. When Arjuna emba ...
: On the 12th day of the war, Arjuna killed powerful king of
Pragjyotisha
Kamarupa (; also called Pragjyotisha or Pragjyotisha-Kamarupa), an early state during the Classical period on the Indian subcontinent, was (along with Davaka) the first historical kingdom of Assam.
Though Kamarupa prevailed from 350 to ...
''Bhagadatta'', along with his mighty elephant
Supratika.
*
*
* Death of
Jayadratha: Arjuna learns that Jayadratha blocked the other four Pandavas, at the entrance of Chakravyuha, due to which Abhimanyu entered alone and was killed unfairly by multiple Kaurava warriors on the 13th day of the war. Arjuna vowed to kill him the very next day before sunset, failing which he would kill himself by jumping in a fire. Arjuna pierced into the Kaurava army on the 14th day, killing 7 aukshohinis (1.5 million) of their army, and finally beheaded ''Jayadratha'' on 14th day of the war.
![Abhimanyu Vadh](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b3/Abhimanyu_Vadh.jpg)
* Death of Sudakshina : He killed Sudakshina the king of Kambojas on the 14th day using Indrastra killing him and a large part of his army.
*Death of
Susharma
Susharma (Sanskrit: सुशर्मा) was the 234th Katoch king of Trigarta (present-day Kangra) and cousin brother of Bhanumati. He brutally attacked Virata, king of Matsya Kingdom because all Pandavas were living in disguise in his ...
: Arjuna on the 13th day, killed king Susharma of
Trigarta Kingdom
Trigarta kingdom was an ancient kingdom in northern Indian region of the Indian subcontinent with its capital at Prasthala (modern Jalandhar), Multan and Kangra.
Trigarta was founded and ruled by the vrishni Dynasty.
Mention in Mahabharata
T ...
, the main Kaurava ally.
![Karna's wheel is stuck](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Karna%27s_wheel_is_stuck.jpg)
* Death of
Karna
Karna (Sanskrit: कर्ण, IAST: ''Karṇa''), also known as Vasusena, Anga-raja, and Radheya, is one of the main protagonists of the Hindu epic '' Mahābhārata''. He is the son of the sun god Surya and princess Kunti (mother of the ...
: The much anticipated battle between Arjuna and Karna took place on the 17th day of war. The battle continued fiercely and Arjuna killed ''Karna'' by using
Anjalikastra
''Anjalikastra'' is a celestial weapon in Hindu mythology. Anjalikastra was a personal astra (celestial weapon) of the king of the devas, Indra. According to Hindu literature, using this weapon on an opponent decapitates them. In some stories ...
.
Later life and death
![Arjuna throws his weapons in water as advised by Agni](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Arjuna_throws_his_weapons_in_water_as_advised_by_Agni.jpg)
After the Kurukshetra War, Yudhishthira appointed Arjuna as the Prime Minister of Hastinapur. Yudhishthira performed
Ashvamedha. Arjuna followed the horse to the land of Manipura and encountered
Babhruvahana
In the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata'', Babruvahana ( sa, बब्रुवाहन) is the son of Arjuna, a Pandava prince, and Chitrangada, the princess of Manalura. Babruvahana was adopted as the heir of Manalura by his maternal grandfathe ...
, one of his sons. None of them knew one another. Babhruvahana asked Arjuna to fight and killed his father during the battle.
Chitrāngadā came to the battlefield and revealed that Arjuna was her husband and Babhruvahana's father.
Ulupi
Ulupi (), also known as Uluchi and Ulupika, is a character the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. She is a Naga princess, the daughter of the king Kauravya, and is among the four wives of Arjuna. She also finds a mention in the '' Vishnu Purana'' an ...
, the second wife of Arjuna, revived Arjuna using a celestial gem called Nagamani.
After Krishna left his mortal body, Arjuna took the citizens of Dwaraka, including 16,100 wives of Krishna, to Indraprastha. On the way, they were attacked by a group of bandits. Arjuna desisted fighting seeing the law of time.
Upon the onset of the ''
Kali Yuga'' and acting on the advice of
Vyasa
Krishna Dvaipayana ( sa, कृष्णद्वैपायन, Kṛṣṇadvaipāyana), better known as Vyasa (; sa, व्यासः, Vyāsaḥ, compiler) or Vedavyasa (वेदव्यासः, ''Veda-vyāsaḥ'', "the one who cl ...
, Arjuna and other Pandavas retired, leaving the throne to
Parikshit
Parikshit ( sa, परीक्षित्, ) was a Kuru king who reigned during the Middle Vedic period (12th-10th centuries BCE). Along with his son and successor, Janamejaya, he played a decisive role in the consolidation of the Kuru state, ...
(Arjuna's grandson and Abhimanyu's son). Giving up all their belongings and ties, the Pandavas, accompanied by a dog, made their final journey of pilgrimage to the
Himalayas
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 10 ...
. The listener of the Mahabharata is
Janamejaya
Janamejaya ( sa, जनमेजय) was a Kuru king who reigned during the Middle Vedic period. Along with his father and predecessor Parikshit, he played a decisive role in the consolidation of the Kuru state, the arrangement of Vedic hymns ...
, Parikshit's son and Arjunaś great-grandson.
Outside Indian subcontinent
Indonesia
![Krishna and Arjuna in Bali](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Krishna_and_Arjuna_in_Bali.JPG)
In the
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
n archipelago, the figure of Arjuna is also known and has been famous for a long time. Arjuna especially became popular in the areas of
Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mos ...
,
Bali,
Madura
Madura Island is an Indonesian island off the northeastern coast of Java. The island comprises an area of approximately (administratively 5,379.33 km2 including various smaller islands to the east, southeast and north that are administrati ...
and
Lombok
Lombok is an island in West Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. It forms part of the chain of the Lesser Sunda Islands, with the Lombok Strait separating it from Bali to the west and the Alas Strait between it and Sumbawa to the east. It is ...
. In Java and later in Bali, Arjuna became the main character in several
kakawin
Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized literary language, rather than the vernacular. Poets c ...
, such as Kakawin Arjunawiwāha, Kakawin Pārthayajña, and Kakawin Pārthāyana (also known as Kakawin Subhadrawiwāha. In addition, Arjuna is also found in several temple reliefs on the island of Java, for example the
Surawana temple.
Wayang story
![Wayang show](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Wayang_show.jpg)
Arjuna is a well-known figure in the world of
wayang (Indonesian
Puppetry) in
Javanese culture. Some of the characteristics of the wayang version of Arjuna may be different from that of Arjuna in the
Indian
Indian or Indians may refer to:
Peoples South Asia
* Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor
** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country
* South Asia ...
version of the Mahābhārata book in Sanskrit. In the world of puppetry, Arjuna is described as a knight who likes to travel, meditate, and learn. Apart from being a student of Resi Drona at Padepokan Sukalima, he is also a student of Resi Padmanaba from the Untarayana Hermitage. Arjuna was a brahman in Goa Mintaraga, with the title Bagawan Ciptaning. He was made the superior knight of the gods to destroy Prabu Niwatakawaca, the giant king of the Manimantaka country. For his services, Arjuna was crowned king in Dewa Indra's heaven, with the title King Karitin and get the gift of magical heirlooms from the gods, including: Gendewa (from
Bhatara Indra), Ardadadali Arrow (from
Bhatara Kuwera), Cundamanik Arrow (from
Bhatara Narada). After the
Bharatayuddha
Bharatayuddha ( sa, भारतयुद्ध;, ) or Bharat Yudha (or similar) is a term used in Indonesia for the Kurukshetra War, and to describe the Javanese translation and interpretation of the ''Mahabharata''. The ''Mahabharata'' was trans ...
war, Arjuna became king in Banakeling State, the former Jayadrata kingdom.
![Wayang Painting of Bharatayudha Battle](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Wayang_Painting_of_Bharatayudha_Battle.jpg)
Arjuna has a smart and clever nature, is quiet, conscientious, polite, brave and likes to protect the weak. He leads the Madukara Duchy, within the territory of the state of Amarta. He is an unmatched fighter on the battlefield, even though he is slender, handsome as a virgin, soft-hearted despite the will of steel, a knight with a myriad of wives and lovers despite being able to do the toughest asceticism, a knight with deep family loyalty but then able to force himself to kill his half brother. For the older generation of
Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mos ...
, he was the embodiment of a whole man. Very different from
Yudhisthira
''Yudhishthira'' (Sanskrit: युधिष्ठिर, IAST: ''Yudhiṣṭhira'') is the eldest among the five Pandava brothers. He is mentioned in the ancient epic Mahabharata. He was sired by King Pandu of the Kuru Dynasty and his first ...
, he really enjoyed life in the world. His love adventures always amaze the
Javanese, but he is strangely different from
Don Juan
Don Juan (), also known as Don Giovanni ( Italian), is a legendary, fictional Spanish libertine who devotes his life to seducing women. Famous versions of the story include a 17th-century play, ''El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra'' ...
who always chases women. It is said that Arjuna was so refined and handsome that such princesses, as well as the ladies-in-waiting, would immediately offer themselves. They are the ones who get the honor, not Arjuna. He is very different from Wrekudara. He displayed a graceful body and a gentleness that was appreciated by the Javanese of all generations.
Arjuna also has other powerful heirlooms, among others: The Kiai Kalanadah
Keris
The kris, or ''keris'' in the Indonesian language, is an asymmetrical dagger with distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron (''pamor''). Of Javanese origin, the kris is famous for its dist ...
was given to
Gatotkaca when he married Dewi Gowa (Arjuna's son), Sangkali Arrow (from Resi Drona), Candranila Arrow, Sirsha Arrow, Sarotama Kiai Arrow, Pasupati Arrow (from Batara Guru), Panah Naracabala, Arrow Ardhadhedhali, Keris Kiai Baruna, Keris Pulanggeni (given to Abhimanyu), Terompet Dewanata, Cupu filled with Jayengkaton oil (given by Bagawan Wilawuk from Pringcendani hermitage) and Ciptawilaha Horse with Kiai Pamuk's whip. Meanwhile, Arjuna's spell includes: Panglimunan, Tunggengmaya, Sepiangin, Mayabumi, Pengasih and Asmaragama. Arjuna also has clothes that symbolize greatness, namely Kampuh or Limarsawo Cloth, Limarkatanggi Belt, Minangkara Gelung, Candrakanta Necklace and Mustika Ampal Ring (formerly belonging to King
Ekalaya, the king of the Paranggelung state).
Depictions in popular culture
![Arjuna Wijaya Chariot Statue Jakartaphoto](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Arjuna_Wijaya_Chariot_Statue_Jakartaphoto.jpg)
Arjuna's extraordinary talents and skills have made him a common name in popular culture.
* The American astronomer
Tom Gehrels
Anton M.J. "Tom" Gehrels (February 21, 1925 – July 11, 2011) was a Dutch–American astronomer, Professor of Planetary Sciences, and Astronomer at the University of Arizona, Tucson.
Biography
Youth and education
Gehrels was born at Haa ...
named a class of
asteroids with low inclination, low eccentricity and earth-like orbital period as
Arjuna asteroid The Arjuna asteroids (also known as "Arjunas") are a dynamical group of asteroids in the Solar System. Arjunas are near-Earth objects (NEOs) whose orbits are very Earth-like in character, having low inclination, orbital periods close to one year, ...
s.
* The
Arjuna Award is presented every year in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
to one talented
sportsperson
An athlete (also sportsman or sportswoman) is a person who competes in one or more sports that involve physical strength, speed, or endurance.
Athletes may be professional sports, professionals or amateur sports, amateurs. Most professional a ...
in every national sport.
*
Arjun is a third generation main battle tank developed for the
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
.
*
Mayilpeeli Thookkam is a ritual art of dance performed in the temples of Kerala. It is also known as ''Arjuna Nrithyam'' (‘Arjuna's dance’) as a tribute to his dancing abilities.
* Arjuna is also an Archer class Servant in the
mobile game ''
Fate/Grand Order
is a free-to-play Japanese mobile game, developed by Lasengle (formerly Delightworks) using Unity, and published by Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment Japan. The game is based on Type-Moon's ''Fate/stay night'' franchise, and w ...
''. He is a minor antagonist in the "
E Pluribus Unum
''E pluribus unum'' ( , , ) – Latin for "Out of many, one" (also translated as "One out of many" or "One from many") – is a traditional motto of the United States, appearing on the Great Seal along with '' Annuit cœptis'' (Latin for "he ...
" story chapter, where he wishes to fight Karna again.
* The protagonist in
Steven Pressfield
Steven Pressfield (born September 1, 1943) is an American author of historical fiction, non-fiction, and screenplays, including his 1995 novel '' The Legend of Bagger Vance'' and 2002 non-fiction book '' The War of Art''.
Early life
Pressfi ...
's 1995 book ''
The Legend of Bagger Vance
''The Legend of Bagger Vance'' is a 2000 American sports film directed by Robert Redford, and starring Will Smith, Matt Damon and Charlize Theron. The screenplay by Jeremy Leven is based on Steven Pressfield's 1995 book '' The Legend of Bagger V ...
'' and its
2000 film adaptation, Rannulph Junuh, is based in part on Arjuna (R. Junuh).
In television and films
There have been serials and films based on Arjuna's life and exploits.
* ''
Earth Maiden Arjuna
is a Japanese anime television series created by Shoji Kawamori. The series follows Juna Ariyoshi, a high school girl chosen to be the "Avatar of Time" and entrusted with saving the dying Earth. ''Arjuna'' aired for 12 episodes on TV Tokyo f ...
'' is a Japanese animated television series created by
Shoji Kawamori. This series is based on Arjuna and the Mahabharata. ''
Arjuna: Into the Another World'' is the soundtrack produced for the series.
* "Arjuna" is a character in
Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card (born August 24, 1951) is an American writer known best for his science fiction works. He is the first and (as of 2022) only person to win both a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award in consecutive years, winning both awards for both ...
's ''
Earth Afire
''Earth Afire'' is a science fiction novel by American writers Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card (born August 24, 1951) is an American writer known best for his science fiction works. He is the first and (as of 2022) only person to win both ...
'' (2013) and ''
Earth Awakens
''Earth Awakens'' is a science fiction novel by American writers Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card (born August 24, 1951) is an American writer known best for his science fiction works. He is the first and (as of 2022) only person to win bo ...
'' (2014).
Television
Films
References
Notes
Citations
Further reading
*
External links
{{Authority control
Characters in the Mahabharata
People related to Krishna
Characters in the Bhagavata Purana
Demigods
Mythological archers