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129-936: Culturally, the Sauviras were mentioned by the character Karna as being similar to the Madras : "The Prasthalas, the Madras , the Gandharas , the Arattas , those called Khasas , the Vasatis, the Sindhus and the Sauviras are almost as blamable in their practices." (8:44) The Gandharvas [or Gandharas ], the Sindhus , and the Sauviras fight best with their nails and lances. They are brave and endowed with great strength. Their armies are capable of vanquishing all forces. The Usinaras possess great strength and are skilled in all kinds of weapons. The Easterners are skilled in fighting from

258-447: A Sūta , while some other versions describe him failing to string the bow by the "breadth of a hair". In the end, Arjuna succeeds in the task, However Karna objects that the competition is only meant for Kshatriyas , and Brahmins such as "the mendicant who just strung the bow" should not be competing for the hand of Draupadi, a Kshatriya bride. Duryodhana supports him. The gathered Kshatriyas too angrily support Karna, for they against

387-469: A rakshasha lineage, and his powers of illusion to confuse the enemies grew to enormous proportions as the war dragged deeper into the fifteenth night. Duryodhana and Karna's Kaurava friends plead that they are finished unless Karna does whatever it takes to kill Ghatotkacha. Karna hurls the "Indra missile" to kill Ghatotkacha. Karna thus saves his reputation among his soldiers, launches the missile and kills Ghatotkacha. Duryodhana and Kaurava army rejoice with

516-406: A "choice between irreconcilable obligations", between two good or two poor choices, where complex circumstances must be considered. These circumstances make the evaluation of the choices complicated and a decision difficult, subjective. When circumstances lead to a conflict between two choices that are both right in their own premises, then following one duty becomes "contrary to the duty according to

645-402: A Brahmin to divest him of his earrings and breastplate, and thereby his immortality. Karna disregards this warning and says that if the king of gods Indra comes to beg before him, and if he charitably gives to Indra, it will bring him "renown and fame", then argues that "fame is more important to him than anything else". Indra appears as predicted, and Karna cuts his birthmarks of immortality with

774-553: A birth mother (Night) who abandons him in the Vedic texts and he too considers his adoptive mother (Dawn) who raises him to his bright self as the true mother just like Karna. This idea was first discussed by the philologist Georges Dumézil , who remarked that similar mythology and details are found in other ancient Indo-European stories. Karna resembles various famous characters found in Hindu texts. The attributed author of Mahabharata,

903-512: A bow and arrow, and that Drona was proven right. After the princes completed their training, Arjuna defeated Drupada 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 the 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

1032-523: 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

1161-490: A brutal stage, according to the Mahabharata verses in sections 7.150–156. On the fourteenth day, Arjuna took revenge of his own son's death, while Bhima and his son Ghatotkacha wreaked havoc on numerous Kaurava battalions. The war that previously started after sunrise and stopped at sunset, did not stop on the fourteenth day's sunset as both armies continued a ferocious war to kill each other. Bhima's son Ghatotkacha had

1290-414: A caring friend and resourceful supporter when almost everyone is bent on ridiculing and disowning him. Karna evolves into a character who shares Duryodhana's view that Pandavas are bad and enemies, though for different reasons. Karna participates with Duryodhana in schemes to effect the downfall of the Pandavas. Duryodhana provides the goals, Karna conspires the means to get there. In the final year of

1419-561: A consequence they [are said to] suffer from ailments such as lethargy, slackness and weakness of body. Karna Karna ( Sanskrit : कर्ण, IAST : Karṇa ), also known as Vasusena , Anga-Raja , Sutaputra and Radheya , is one of the major characters in the Hindu epic Mahābhārata . He is the son of Surya (the Sun deity) and princess Kunti (later the Pandava queen). Kunti

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1548-492: A eunuch for the rest of his life. Later on Indra's request, Urvashi curtailed the curse to a period of one year. Arjuna spent the last year of exile as a eunuch named Brihannala at King Virata ’s Matsya Kingdom . He taught singing and dancing 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, Uttara , Uttarā's brother, with Brihannala as his charioteer went to

1677-522: A further motivation for the Pandavas in the rivalry with their cousins. During her humiliation, Karna called her an unchaste 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. While in this exile, Arjuna visited the Himalayas to get celestial weapons that he would be able to use against

1806-447: A girl gives birth to a child before married are less likely to marry. So, she put the newborn baby in a padded basket, and set it adrift in the small river Ashvanadi by the palace. Later Kunti got blessed with children Yudhishtra, Bhima, and Arjuna, using this mantra. The same mantra was used by Kunti to allow her co-wife, Madri, to conceive Nakula and Sahdeva. The Spiritual "fathers" of the five Pandavas were Dharma , Vayu , Indra and

1935-407: 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 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

2064-579: A knife, and gives the blood-soaked donation to disguised-as-a-Brahmin Indra. The leader of gods in return praises him and gives him a missile that can only be used once and will kill any mortal or immortal. Karna keeps the Indra's missile in reserve since it could only be used once, and aims to kill Arjuna with it. By the thirteenth day of the Mahabharata war, numerous soldiers, kings, brothers and sons of Kauravas (Karna's side) and Pandavas (Arjuna's side) had been killed, many by foul means. The war had entered

2193-595: 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

2322-439: A mantra given to Kunti by sage Durvasa during her maiden days. His wives—Madri and Kunti—invoked different gods and were also blessed with children. According to the legend, Arjuna was a demigod , who was born as a blessing after his mother Kunti invoked the god Indra on her husband's request. The Mahabharata and Puranas such as Devi Bhagavata also records Arjuna as a reincarnation of a rishi called Nara. Despite being

2451-401: A quieter moment with Krishna such as in section 5.139.45, and to his lifelong friend Duryodhana in section 8.1.7, Karna confides he was wrong in insulting Draupadi and the Pandavas, it is his past karma that haunts him and is a source of his private suffering. Book 5 of the Mahabharata describes two meetings where Karna discovers information about his birth. The first meeting is with Krishna,

2580-501: 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

2709-629: A son [...] of the name of the Ikshwaku . [...] His tenth son [...] was named Dasaswa, and this virtuous prince of infallible prowess became the king of Mahismati . Dasaswa's son [...] was known by the name of Madiraswa and ruled over the Earth as her lord. He was constantly devoted to the study of the Vedas as also of the science of arms. Madiraswa's son was the king named Dyutimat who possessed great good fortune and power and strength and energy. Dyutimat's son

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2838-801: A study of the Bombay edition, the Poona edition, the Calcutta edition and the south Indian editions of the Mahabharata manuscripts. The most accepted version is one prepared by scholars led by Vishnu Sukthankar at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute , preserved at the Kyoto University , the Cambridge University and various Indian universities. According to the legend, there was a king of

2967-531: 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, The conversation deals with the moral propriety of the war and much else as well. The Gita begins with Arjuna in confusion and despair, dropping his weapons; it ends with Arjuna picking up his bow, all doubts resolved and ready for battle. Arjuna

3096-492: Is a complex concept in the Indian religions. It is not an atomistic or compartmentalized concept, rather incorporates "ways of living, ways of seeing and ways of relating to life's ultimate issues", according to Matilal. Of those issues, ones relating to right or wrong behaviour, duties, rights, and expectations from others are the domain of dharma-ethics . Karna's story raises the dharma-ethics questions both while Karna acts in

3225-402: Is a key participant in insulting the Pandavas and Draupadi . He humiliates the Pandavas with his gift of speech and mocks Draupadi, then calls her a "whore" and asks Duhshasana to strip her off her clothes. It is Karna's language and insults that hurt the Pandavas and Draupadi the most, a sentiment that is noted in numerous verses of the Mahabharata such as 3.13.113 and 5.93.11. Yet, states

3354-399: Is a symbol of someone who is rejected by those who should love him but do not given the circumstances, yet becomes a man of exceptional abilities willing to give his love and life as a loyal friend. His character is developed in the epic to raise and discuss major emotional and dharma (duty, ethics, moral) dilemmas. His story has inspired many secondary works, poetry and dramatic plays in

3483-680: Is also found in several temple reliefs on the island of Java, for example the Surawana temple. 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 version of the Mahābhārata book in Sanskrit. In the world of puppetry, Arjuna is described as

3612-482: Is discovered floating on the Ganges River . He is adopted and raised by foster Suta parents named Radha and Adhiratha Nandana of the charioteer and poet profession working for king Dhritarashtra . Karna grows up to be an accomplished warrior of extraordinary abilities, a gifted speaker and becomes a loyal friend of Duryodhana . He is appointed the king of Anga ( Bihar - Bengal ) by Duryodhana. Karna joins

3741-421: Is found by a charioteer's wife Radha, who takes the baby Karna to her husband Adhiratha Nandana. They adopt him right away and name him Vasushena. They love him and raise him just like their own son. While he was growing up, his adopting parents let Karna know that they had found and adopted him. This knowledge affects Karna, he feels ashamed that he was abandoned, and this frames his sense of self-identity through

3870-495: Is from the love and affection and "not scripture" that he knows Adhiratha to be his real father. He is already married, says Karna, he has two sons and now grandsons, all because his father Adhiratha helped him settle into his married life. What matters most in life are the "bonds of love", according to Karna, and not power over the world. He shall betray no one, remain loyal to those who love him, including his friend Duryodhana, with whom he has been in allegiance for thirteen years. It

3999-585: Is mentioned that he married a Suta woman chosen by Adhiratha. She is later referenced in the Stri Parva as the mother of Vrishasena and Sushena, the two most prominent sons of Karna. Marital details of Karna's life are expanded and reimagined in later adaptations of the Mahabharata . In the modern day version of the Mahabharata , nine sons of Karna are mentioned— Vrishasena , Chitrasena, Satyasena, Sushena, Shatrunjaya, Dvipata, Banasena, Prasena and Vrishaketu . The Karna-Arjuna story has parallels in

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4128-510: Is not "blood ties" that matter, but how someone treats you over a period of time that does. He made a promise to Duryodhana and he will keep it. It is his duty to fight Arjuna. Krishna then went to Kunti and asked her to meet Karna and tell him that he is her first born son and the Pandavas were his brothers. Krishna left it to her to choose between Karna and her five other sons. Kunti then went to meet Karna, finds him praying. She waits. After he finished his prayers to Surya, Karna meets Kunti for

4257-429: Is not content simply to point out the weaknesses of human beings. It criticizes society's flaws. It raises the question whether a person's social position should be defined by birth or by some other criterion, such as accomplishment of some sort. [...] Karna challenges their traditional understanding of dharma – as inherited status – and offers a new notion of dharma as deserved status. Karna has to be 'the wrong person in

4386-488: Is the name of a warrior character. Called Vasusena as a child by his foster parents, he became known by the name Karna because of the golden earrings of Surya he used to wear, according to the Sanskrit epics scholar David Slavitt. The word Karna, states the Indologist Kevin McGrath, signifies "eared, or the ear-ringed one". In section 3.290.5 of the Mahabharata , Karna is described as a baby born with

4515-434: Is time for Karna to present his lineage. If Karna were to announce his charioteer lineage, it would disqualify him from competing against Arjuna. Duryodhana steps in and says Karna is an Arajna (a non-king, but also a word play on Arjuna) but announces that he is offering to anoint Karna as the king of Angas (Bengal ). Once Karna is a king, states Duryodhana, Arjuna would not have the excuse to avoid Karna and not compete with

4644-447: Is tricked into gambling away the throne. During his first exile, Arjuna married Ulupi , Chitrāngadā and Subhadra . From his four wives, Arjuna had four sons, one from each wife— Shrutakarma , Iravan , Babhruvahana and Abhimanyu . During his second exile, Arjuna gained many celestial weapons. Apart from being a warrior, Arjuna possessed skills in music and dance. At the end of the epic the Pandavas, accompanied by Draupadi , retire to

4773-568: The svayamvara competition of Draupadi, where she is expected to choose her husband, both Arjuna and Karna are present. Arjuna and his brothers, however, are disguised as mendicant Brahmins. They use this false identity in exile because Duryodhana had attempted to kill them using various schemes, including burning the lacquer house – custom built for the Pandavas by Duryodhana – along with the forest while they were sleeping. There are some variations regarding Karna's participation. Some renditions show Draupadi refusing to marry Karna on account of being

4902-519: The Adi Parvan . It is here that his earrings "that make his face shine", as well as the divine breastplate (body armor) he was born with, are mentioned for the first time. This sets him apart as someone special, with gifts no ordinary mortal has. However, later in the epic, the generous Karna gives the "earrings and breastplate" away in charity, thereby becomes a mortal and later dies in a battle with Arjuna. The story of his unmarried mother getting

5031-466: The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute , preserved at Kyoto University , Cambridge University and various Indian universities. Arjuna was one of the five Pandava brothers of royal lineage, whose collective name derives from their father, and heir to the Lunar dynasty , Pandu. However, Pandu was under a curse whereby he would die if he had sexual relations with a woman, and so his sons were born using

5160-598: The Himalayas , where everyone in time passes away to arrive in heaven. According to Monier Monier-Williams , the word Arjuna means white, clear or silver. But Arjuna is known by many other names, such as: The story of Arjuna is told in the Mahabharata , one of the Sanskrit epics from the Indian subcontinent . The work is written in Classical Sanskrit and is a composite work of revisions, editing and interpolations over many centuries. The oldest parts in

5289-732: The Indonesian 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 , Bali , Madura and Lombok . In Java and later in Bali, Arjuna became the main character in several kakawin , such as Kakawin Arjunawiwāha, Kakawin Pārthayajña, and Kakawin Pārthāyana (also known as Kakawin Subhadrawiwāha. In addition, Arjuna

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5418-605: The Kurukshetra War , Sauvira sided with the Kauravas under their ruler Jayadratha . (6:71), (7:10,136) "In Bhishma 's division were all the sons of Dhritarashtra , and also Sala, who was a countryman of the Valhikas , and also all those Kshatriyas called Amvastas, and those called Sindhus , and those also that are called Sauviras, and the heroic dwellers of the country of the five rivers." (6:20) "The Abhishahas,

5547-418: The Mahabharata scholar Alf Hiltebeitel , "remarkably, Karna regrets his harsh words to Draupadi and Pandavas", in verse 5.139.45, where he confesses he spoke so to please Duryodhana. Karna is portrayed in the Mahabharata as a skilled and valiant warrior, achieving several notable victories. One of his key successes was his defeat of Jarasandha , the powerful king of Magadha , during the s wayamvara of

5676-506: The Mahabharata . They become close friends not long after, when Karna and Arjuna are at a weapons trial competition. Duryodhana sees in Karna a man who is an equal of Arjuna in martial abilities, and someone to befriend to balance out Arjuna and thereby "diminish the Pandavas". Before the competition starts, the contestants must announce theirs lineage so that men of equal ranks are placed together. After Arjuna announces his royal lineage, it

5805-659: The Siddha mantra , telling her that if she ever wants, she can invoke any deity to give her a child. Teenage Pritha became curious, wondered if the mantra would really work and, as the sun rose one morning, she initiated the mantra through which she could invoke any divine God being to provide her a son. She called the sun god Surya. He came with a golden glow, dressed up in jewellery and breastplate, and provided her with her first son. Pritha felt confused and ashamed, worried what everyone will think and how she will embarrass her family. At that time, according to Vedic civilization, if

5934-458: The Yadava dynasty named Shurasena who had a beautiful young daughter named Pritha (later Kunti ). A rishi (Vedic scholar and seer) named Durvasa visited the king for a lengthy stay and was housed as his palace guest. Shurasena asked Pritha to ensure that Durvasa's stay was comfortable. On leaving, having been delighted with his stay and her diligent services, Durvasa thanked her and gave her

6063-412: The story within a story style of narration, the account of Karna's birth has been narrated four times. Karna appears for the first time in the Mahabharata in the verse 1.1.65 of Adi Parvan (first book) where he is briefly mentioned through the metaphor of a tree, as someone who is refusing to fight or help in the capture of Krishna. He is presented again in sections 1.2.127–148, and chapter 1.57 of

6192-599: The Brahmastra at the critical moment when he wishes to use it against his enemy. The third Pandava prince Arjuna was Karna's peer and equal. At school and in episodes where his character appears, he is repeatedly rejected, subjected to ridicule and bullied for being the son of a poor family, and particularly for his low birth. The boy Karna came to be known for his solitary habits, hard work, pious yoga before Surya every day, compassion and eager generosity to help anyone in need particularly Brahmins, his gift of speech, and for

6321-701: The Gandharva episode during the Pandavas' exile, Karna fled from battle after Kauravas were captured by Chitrasena , the Gandharva king, after being defeated in battle. The relationship between Karna and the Pandavas, particularly Arjuna, were hostile. The Mahabharata mentions Karna as the main challenger of Arjuna at sporting and skills competitions. At martial sporting events, Arjuna and Karna were often equal, though in his self-bragging style Karna once announced, states McGrath, that "he will perform any feat that Arjuna has accomplished and do it better". At

6450-520: The Hindu arts tradition, both in India and in southeast Asia. A regional tradition believes that Karna founded the city of Karnal , in contemporary Haryana . Karṇa (कर्ण) is a word found in the Vedic literature, where it means "the ear", "chaff or husk of a grain" or the "helm or rudder". In another context, it refers to a spondee in Sanskrit prosody. In the Mahabharata and the Puranas, it

6579-524: The Kauravas. Thereafter, he honed his battle skills with a visit to Swarga , the heaven of Indra, where he emerged victorious in a battle with the Daityas 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 is pleased with him. During

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6708-522: The Kurukshetra battlefield is presented as the Makara movement (an arrangement of soldiers in the sea-monster pattern). As Duryodhana's army crumbles each day, the sea and vessel metaphor repeatedly appears in the epic, particularly when Karna is mentioned. As a newborn, Karna's life begins in a basket without a rudder on a river, in circumstances that he neither chose nor had a say. In Book 1, again in

6837-523: The Northern and Southern recensions are particularly significant, with the Southern manuscripts more profuse and longer. Scholars have attempted to construct a critical edition , 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

6966-434: The Pandavas" as the final solution. Karna persistently recommends violence and an all-out war, to settle things once and for all, by good brave warriors. Karna also accuses Bhisma and Drona as covetous materialists and dishonest in counselling Duryodhana with non-violent strategies. Duryodhana has evil intentions and is a bad king, but it is Karna who fuels Duryodhana's ambitions and fights his battles. With Duryodhana, Karna

7095-539: The Pandavas, ridicules him for his low status and calls him dog-like. The public insult of his father makes Karna hate the Pandavas. At the end of the competition, while everyone rejects Karna, Duryodhana expresses amity to Karna by "taking Karna by his hand". Karna feels Duryodhana is that friend who stood by him when everyone rejected him. Duryodhana becomes Karna's lifelong close friend. In Karna, Duryodhana finds an able man and talented commander who can help him gain and retain power over an empire. In Duryodhana, Karna finds

7224-616: The Sauviras were once connected with the Abhira tribe. The Compendium of Charaka ( Sanskrit चरकसंहिता Charaka saṃhitā ) is an early text on Ayurveda (Indian traditional medicine) probably completed in its present form in the first few centuries AD. In chapter 1 of the Vimānasthāna section of the Compendium , at verse 18, the author notes that the people of Sauvīra are over-fond of salt in their diet, and even consume salt in milk. As

7353-515: The Sauviras, endued with great prowess, who had always shown a disregard for the Kurus , was made by the intelligent Arjuna to feel the edge of his power. And Arjuna also repressed by means of his arrows (the pride of) king Sumitra of Sauvira, also known by the name of Dattamitra[,] who had resolutely sought an encounter with him. (1:141) A prajapati (patriarch) named Manu , and his descendants who ruled Sauvira, are described by Bhishma : Manu had

7482-521: The Sindhu king, to fight against the Sindhus and take back his kingdom from them: "And the princess Vidula, one day, rebuked her own son, who, after his defeat by the king of the Sindhus , lay prostrate with heart depressed by despair." (5:133) "Rejoice, O son, and make thyself happy in the possession of wealth in the company of the daughters of the Sauviras and do not, in weakness of heart, be ruled over by

7611-511: The Southern manuscripts more profuse and longer. The legends of Karna too appear in many versions, including some versions that have no support in surviving manuscripts. The manuscripts found in the North and South India for the Karna parvan book have "great divergence" in details, though the thematic essence is similar. Scholars have attempted to construct a critical edition , relying mostly on

7740-957: The Surasenas, the Sivis , and the Vasatis, the Swalyas , the Matsyas , the Amvashtas, the Trigartas , and the Kekayas , the Sauviras, the Kitavas, and the dwellers of the eastern, western, and northern countries were all resolved to fight reckless of the lives." (6:18) Those warriors that are opposed to Arjuna , viz., the Sauvirakas , the Sindhava -Pauravas, headed by Karna , are regarded as

7869-433: The Vedic literature and may have emerged from these more ancient themes. According to McGrath, the Vedic mythology is loaded with the legendary and symbolism-filled conflict between Surya (sun) and Indra (clouds, thunder, rain). Indra cripples Surya in the Vedic mythology by detaching his wheel, while Arjuna kills Karna while he tries to fix the wheel that is stuck in the ground. As another example of parallels, Surya too has

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7998-406: The able warrior. Karna accepts the anointment, becomes a king that day. It also transforms him into a loyal friend to Duryodhana, with an eagerness to reciprocate the favour. Karna asks Duryodhana what he would want in return for the kingdom he just gave out of his empire, Duryodhana replies, "I want your endless friendship Karna". For the consecration ceremony, Karna's father arrives. Bhima, one of

8127-716: The affection or care from her as the firstborn. "You discarded me", says Karna to Kunti, "you destroyed me in a way that no enemy could ever do to him". It is too late. He reiterates that he loves the parents who raised him, they love him, and he will remain loyal to his lifelong relationships. No one should abandon those who give respect and affection, says Karna in these Mahabharata verses. The war momentum shall continue and he aims to kill Arjuna. Karna promised to Kunti that he will not kill any of his other four half-brothers, but either "Arjuna or I" shall die and she can still say she has five sons just as she did all her life. After these developments and pondering on Karna's life choices,

8256-452: The army. Later that day, the year of Agyatavasa was over. Arjuna took Uttara away from the army to the forest where he had kept his divine bow, Gandiva, and revealed his identity to Uttara. He then fought Kaurava army and single-handedly defeated them including warriors like Bheeshma, Drona, Ashwatthama, Karna, Duryodhana etc. When Arjuna's identity was revealed to the court, Uttarā was married to Arjuna's son Abhimanyu . The Bhagavad Gita

8385-480: The backs of war elephants and are proficient with alternate fighting methods. The Yavanas , the Kamvojas , and those that dwell around Mathura are well skilled in fighting with bare arms. The Southerners are skilled in fighting sword in hand. (12:100) In book 5, section 133 of the Mahabharata , the character Kunti tells the story of Vidula . Vidula persuaded her son, who was the king of Sauvira but banished by

8514-400: The battle. Chitrāngadā came to the battlefield and revealed that Arjuna was her husband and Babhruvahana's father. Ulupi , the second wife of Arjuna, revived Arjuna using a celestial gem called Nagamani. After Krishna left his mortal body, Arjuna took the remaining citizens of Dwaraka to Indraprastha. On the way, they were attacked by a group of bandits. Arjuna desisted from fighting seeing

8643-494: The birth of the couple's child, Abhimanyu , whom Krishna adores. It was while at Indraprastha , 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

8772-429: The bitterness of Pandava for Karna to much more emotional level from what previously was a dispute about respective martial prowess. These are the sections of the epic when the Pandavas, Arjuna in particular, openly pledge to kill Karna. Karna retaliates with words too, stating that Arjuna's death is so near that he will "not wash his feet until Arjuna is slain". Karna is not proud of his anger and outbursts. Later, in

8901-566: The campaign against Drupada, launched as Gurudakshina for Drona , Karna and the Kauravas were unable to overcome Drupada’s forces. It was Arjuna who ultimately succeeded in capturing Drupada. Another notable loss occurred during the Pandavas’ Rajasuya Yajna, when Karna refused an alliance with Bhima , leading to a direct confrontation. Although Karna resisted fiercely, Bhima ultimately defeated him, with Karna’s divine armor ( Kavacha ) and earrings ( Kundala ) preventing his death. In

9030-674: The character of Karna in the ancient Hindu epic suggests a social debate between "inherited status" and "deserved status", a debate that remains relevant to the contemporary times. Das writes, Karna, like the other heroes in the Mahabharata, forces us to look at ourselves and at our frailties. When Karna is not allowed to train in weaponry because he is a suta, it makes one ask, ’What if my child had been denied entry into college because of her birth?’ [...] We want them [our children] to feel secure and confident about their position. We want them to be treated with respect as equals. The Mahabharata

9159-550: The chariot for the critical battle. Ultimately Shalya agrees. Since all previous commanders of Duryodhana had been killed, he anoints Karna as the senapati (commander of all his forces) for the first time. Karna and Shalya head into the battlefield together, though they keep insulting each other's abilities and intent, lack mutual devotion and teamwork. Together they reach Arjuna with Krishna. They battle that day, each showing his martial skills of attack as well as his ability to neutralize all weapons that reach their chariot. Then,

9288-432: The child due to her curiosity, his divine connection to the Hindu god Surya , then his birth appears for the first time in the epic in section 1.104.7. The epic uses glowing words to describe Karna, but the presentation here is compressed in 21 shlokas unlike the later books which expand the details. These later sections with more details on Karna's birth and childhood include 3.287, 5.142 and 15.38. According to McGrath,

9417-409: The common wife of the Pandavas – Draupadi too – says Krishna, may marry to him. after some time, were Karna to press his status as the eldest biological Pandava brother, end the war and rule the world. Karna declines the offer. Karna replies that though he was born from Kunti, it was the wife of a charioteer "Radha who gave him love and sustenance", and that makes her his real mother. Similarly, it

9546-498: The context of Karna, Duryodhana remarks, "the origins of heroes and rivers are indeed difficult to understand". The name Karna is also symbolically connected to the central aspect of Karna's character as the one who is intensely preoccupied with what others hear and think about him, about his fame, a weakness that others exploit to manipulate him. This "hearing" and "that which is heard", states McGrath makes "Karna" an apt name and subtle reminder of Karna's driving motivation. Karna

9675-529: The daughters of the Saindhavas." (5:134) "Pierced by the wordy arrows of his mother, the son roused himself like a steed of proud mettle and achieved [defeating the Sindhus] all that his mother had pointed out." (5:136) There is a mention of King Rahugan meeting with Bharat followed by an extensive dialogue between them about life and its meaning. The kingdom of Sauvira was founded by Prince Suvira, one of

9804-486: The death of Bhima's son Ghatotkacha, but now Karna had exhausted the weapon that gave him an advantage over Arjuna. As the second last day of the war and Karna's day of death dawns, Karna asks Duryodhana to convince king Shalya to be his charioteer since he plans to kill Arjuna that day. The South Indian king considers it below his dignity to be a mere charioteer and starts insulting Karna, who retaliates with words. Duryodhana intervenes, praises both, presses Shalya to guide

9933-470: The divine Krishna, as well as a host of Mahabharata heroes, in private and after his death, honour Karna as a satpurusha (lit. "a true, honest, good man") and "the best among those who understand and uphold the dharma ". Karna was born with aspects of his divine father Surya – the earrings and armour breastplate – that made him an immortal at birth. However, despite being warned, Karna prefers to lose these natural gifts in order to uphold his reputation as

10062-483: The ear-rings and armoured breastplate, like his father Surya. The second meaning of Karna as "rudder and helm" is also an apt metaphor given Karna's role in steering the war in Book 8 of the epic, where the good Karna confronts the good Arjuna, one of the climax scenes wherein the Mahabharata authors repeatedly deploy the allegories of ocean and boat to embed layers of meanings in the poem. For example, his first entry into

10191-421: The early presentation of Karna in the Mahabharata is such as if the poets expect the audience to already know the story and love the character of Karna. The text does not belabour the details about Karna in the early sections, rather uses metaphors and metonyms to colourfully remind the audience of the fabric of a character they already are assumed to be aware of. The complete narrative of his life appears for

10320-406: The education of all these boys was supervised by Bheeshma . Among their teachers was the brahmin 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

10449-400: The epic as well as after his death. These questions arise with the circumstances related to his birth and through his death. Karna chooses loyalty to his lifelong friend and "good policy based on his heart" to be of higher value than accepting Krishna's recommendation that he switch sides and become the king as the eldest son of Kunti based on dharmasastras . According to Gurcharan Das ,

10578-428: The epic, according to McGrath, Krishna states, "by law, Karna should be considered as the eldest born of Pandavas", that he can use this information to become the king. Through his relationship to his mother Kunti, all Vrishnis on Krishna's side will also recognize him and be his tributary, he can be the emperor with power over everyone. Yudhisthira will hold the fan for him as he sits in the throne, Bhima his umbrella, and

10707-467: The epic. Karna attends school in Hastinapura , where he studies martial arts under the sages Drona and Kripa . When Drona declines to teach him the knowledge of the Brahmastra weapon, Karna disguises himself as a Brahmin to become a student of Parashurama , an incarnation of the god Vishnu . Upon discovering Karna's deception, Parashurama curses him, declaring that he will forget the secret of

10836-411: The exile of the Pandavas, Duryodhana plans to sow dissension and keep the entire empire to himself. In contrast, Bhisma and Drona suggest a conciliation and dividing the kingdom into two, half for Kauravas and other for Pandavas. Karna, in contrast, adopts the hawkish approach and becomes the first to suggest a direct confrontation in the form of the Kurukshetra war. He calls for "together we should slay

10965-402: The exile, following the advice of Krishna to go on meditation or tapasya to attain this divine weapon , Arjuna left his brothers for a penance on Indrakeeladri Hill (Koppal, Karnataka). 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

11094-529: 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

11223-513: The first time in chapter 1.125. 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

11352-431: The first time in his adult life. He greets her (he now already knows her to be his biological mother). With folded hands , he introduces himself as the son of Radha and Adhiratha, and inquires about the purpose of her visit. Kunti then confesses that he is her firstborn. Surya also appears and confirms Kunti's story, and suggests that he follow her. Karna says that though he may have been the firstborn, he never received

11481-966: The foremost of car-warriors (7:108). "[M]any combatants also, belonging to the Nishadas, the Sauviras, the Valhikas , the Daradas , the Westerners, the Northerners, the Malavas , the Abhighatas, the Surasenas , the Sivis , the Vasatis, the Salwas , the Sakas , the Trigartas , the Amvashthas, and the Kekayas , similarly fell upon him" (Arjuna). (6:118) Bhishma the son of Santanu, protected by

11610-519: The god Indra , who fathered him due to Pandu's curse. In the Mahabharata , Arjuna is depicted as a skilled archer from an early age, as a student who earns the favour of his preceptor Drona , as the rival of Karna , as the primary adversary of Kauravas , and the betrothed of Draupadi , who became the common wife of the Pandavas. Arjuna is twice exiled, first for breaking a pact with his brothers, and again with his brothers after his eldest brother

11739-421: The house of lac with the help of Vidura through a secret tunnel. Arjuna married Draupadi , the fire born daughter of Drupada , who was the king of Panchala . After the event of Lakshagriha , 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

11868-466: The king of Sindhu and Saivira, and being married to — besides Dussala (the sister of Duryodhana ) — two other wives, one from Gandhara and the other from Kamboja . Jayadratha is mentioned as the king of Sauvira at many places in the Mahabharata , such as in this conversation between Jayadratha's ally Kotika and Draupadi , the wife of the Pandavas : I am king Suratha's son whom people know by

11997-537: The king, viz., the powerful Valahaka, Anika, Vidarana and others, are among his followers. These strong-limbed and noble youths are the flowers of the Sauvira chivalry. The king is journeying in the company of these his friends. (3:263) A king named Satrunjaya among the Sauviras is mentioned at (12:139). The whole chapter consists of a conversation between this king and a sage in the Bharadwaja clan. Arjuna and

12126-1033: 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 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. 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 ,

12255-493: The law of time. Upon the onset of the Kali Yuga , and acting on the advice of Vyasa , Arjuna and other Pandavas retired, leaving the throne to Parikshit (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 listener of the Mahabharata is Janamejaya , Parikshit's son and Arjuna's great-grandson. In

12384-583: The lineage of the Kuru . In the Mahabharata War , Arjuna was a key warrior from the Pandava side in the battle of Kurukshetra. Before the beginning of the war, his mentor Krishna gave him the supreme knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita to overcome his moral dilemmas. In the epic, Arjuna is the closest friend and companion of Krishna. Arjuna was the son of Kunti , the wife of Kuru King Pandu , and

12513-476: The losing Duryodhana side of the Mahabharata war. He is a key antagonist who aims to kill Arjuna but dies in a battle with him during the Kurushetra war. He is a tragic hero in the Mahabharata , in a manner similar to Aristotle's literary category of "flawed good man". He meets his biological mother late in the epic then discovers that he is the older half-brother of those he is fighting against. Karna

12642-570: The mixing of varna (here, Brahmin-Kshatriya marriage). Arjuna maintains his calm, continues to hide his true identity, insists that he is a "Brahmin who fight". Arjuna's accomplishments and calmness win Draupadi's heart. Draupadi picks Arjuna and awards the garland to him, signify that she chooses to marry the disguised-Brahmin Arjuna. The varna-based discrimination and verbal insults on Arjuna, for lovely Draupadi's hand, one that Karna initiates at

12771-410: 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 , 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

12900-430: The name of Kotika, and that man with eyes large as the petals of the lotus, sitting on a chariot of gold, is the warrior known by the name of Kshemankara, king of Trigarta . And behind him is the famous son of the king of Pulinda, who is even now gazing on thee. Armed with a mighty bow and endued with large eyes, and decorated with floral wreaths, he always liveth on the breasts of mountains. The dark and handsome young man,

13029-486: The one who always gives dāna (charity), particularly to Brahmins, as being more important than his own life. As the battle-to-death between Karna and Arjuna becomes certain, Kunti – the mother of both, faints and later weeps in sorrow that her boys are bent on killing each other. In parallel, Arjuna's brothers and Indra – the father of Arjuna and a major Vedic deity – plan ways to make Karna mortal. Surya meets Karna and warns him of Indra's plan to appear disguised as

13158-562: The other Pandava princes became so powerful that they slew in battle the great Sauvira who had performed a sacrifice extending over three years, undaunted by the raids of the Gandharvas [alternatively Gandharas ]. And the king of the Yavanas himself, whom the powerful Pandu even had failed to bring under subjection, was brought by Arjuna under control. Then again Vipula , the king of

13287-408: The other gods partway through the proceedings on being commanded by a mysterious voice to step back and watch. 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 ceremony called rajasuya which extended over several years and included the playing of

13416-459: The other". Under these circumstances, there is an inherent subjective weighing of one moral duty against another. Arjuna Arjuna ( Sanskrit : अर्जुन , IAST : Arjuna ) was an ancient prince of the Kuru Kingdom , located in the present-day India . He is one of the main protagonists of the Hindu epic Mahābhārata . He was the third of five Pandava brothers, from

13545-456: 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 because he ignored the celibacy condition of the pact and married three people on his travels, the first of whom

13674-493: The princess of Kalinga . Despite Jarasandha’s strength and reputation, Karna prevailed and, as a mark of respect, was gifted the territory of Malini by the defeated ruler. Additionally, Karna played a critical role during Duryodhana’s military campaigns, successfully defeating various kings like Drupada and Bhaggadatta and expanding the Kaurava domain. Karna also faced significant defeats that revealed his limitations. During

13803-491: The pursuit of excellence in whatever he did. Karna is also known as someone who craves for respect, love and attention, who is overly sensitive to criticism, who habitually brags about his skills and martial capabilities, yet is deeply thoughtful and dharmic in critical moments of the epic. Karna meets Duryodhana for the first time in Hastinapura during archery lessons from Drona, an event described in section 3.293 of

13932-461: The sage Vyasa , was also born from an unwed union of Satyavati and sage Parashara . German Indologist Georg von Simson states that Karna of the Mahabharata resembles Kumbhakarna of the Ramayana , the demon brother of the main antagonist Ravana of the epic Ramayana in their powers to sway the war. Both Karna and Kumbhakarna did not take part in the great wars of their respective epics at

14061-565: The scourge of his enemies, standing at the edge of that tank, is the son of Suvala of the race of Ikshwaku . And if, O excellent lady, thou hast ever heard the name of Jayadratha , the king of Sauviras , even he is there at the head of six thousand chariots, with horses and elephants and infantry, and followed by twelve Sauvira princes as his standard-bearers, named Angaraka, Kunjara, Guptaka, Satrunjaya , Srinjaya, Suprabiddha, Prabhankara, Bhramara, Ravi, Sura, Pratapa and Kuhana, all mounted on chariots drawn by chestnut horses. The brothers also of

14190-515: The second where his biological mother Kunti comes to meet him for the first time. Krishna approaches Karna as an ambassador seeking to prevent violence and the war. Krishna starts by complimenting Karna for knowing "the Vedas and the subtlety of the dharmasastras ". He then requests his support to end the cascading cycle of violence and war. Krishna tells Karna that Kunti is his biological mother and Pandavas are his half-brothers. In section 5.138 of

14319-458: The sons of Sivi. The neighboring kingdoms of Madra, Kekaya, and Sindhu belonged to Madraka, Kekaya, and Vrsadarbh, the other three sons of Sivi. Jayadratha was the king not only of Sauvira but of Sindhu and other countries as well. (3:265) The warriors of the Sivi , Sauvira and Sindhu tribes were under the command of Jayadratha. (3:269) In section 22 of book 11, Jayadradtha is again mentioned as

14448-506: The start. Scholars internationally have also drawn parallels with various European mythologies. Karna's kavacha (breastplate armour) has been compared with that of Achilles 's Styx -coated body and with Irish warrior Ferdiad 's skin that could not be pierced. He has been compared to the Greek mythological part divine, part human character Achilles on various occasions as they both have divine powers but lack corresponding status. Dharma

14577-407: The surviving version of the text may date to near 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

14706-407: The time of Draupadi's svayamvara competition comes back to haunt him many times through angry Bhima and others who remind Karna that he is merely a suta-putra (son of a charioteer). Draupadi too never likes Karna thereafter. Karna fights and berates the Pandavas at the legendary gambling match during the royal consecration ritual. There, Karna uses the choicest words to insult Draupadi that takes

14835-636: The twin Ashwini Kumaras . As the adolescent mother abandons her unwanted child on the river, she laments and the epic verses describe her emotions with heartbreaking poetry, according to the Indologist Patricia Greer. The basket floats, reaches the river Charmanwati , which carries it to the Yamuna River . The basket floats on and reaches the Ganges River and on it into the kingdom of Anga (ancient Bengal). There, it

14964-700: The warriors headed by Saindhava and by the combatants of the East and the Sauviras and the Kekayas, [fought] with great impetuosity. (6:52) "[T]he diverse tribes of the Sauviras, the Vasatis, and the Kshudrakas, and the Malavas, all these, at the command of the royal son of Santanu [Bhishma], quickly approached Kiritin [Arjuna] for battle." (6:59) According to the Bhagavata Purana , another Hindu text,

15093-482: The weak. He leads the Madukara Duchy, within the territory of the state of Amarta. For the older generation of Java , he was the embodiment of a whole man. Very different from Yudhisthira , he really enjoyed life in the world. His love adventures always amaze the Javanese , but he is different from Don Juan who always chases women. It is said that Arjuna was so refined and handsome that princesses, as well as

15222-464: The wheel of Karna's chariot gets stuck in the ground. Karna steps out of his chariot and is distracted while trying to unstick it. Arjuna – whose own son was killed by the Kauravas a day ago while he was trying to unstick his chariot's wheel – takes this moment to launch the fatal attack. Karna dies. The Mahabharata provides scarce information on Karna's marital life. In the Udyoga Parva , it

15351-409: The wrong place' – this is what Karna symbolizes to many minds today. Life may have been unfair to Karna but he rises above pity. Despite his flaws we admire him. As the Karna story unfolds, similar to other stories in epic, it raises moral dilemmas. With each dilemma, the Mahabharata presents various sides and shades of answers through the characters. According to Bimal Matilal , the characters face

15480-467: The younger brother of Dhritarashtra , 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 brothers, and ascended the throne on the death of Pandu. The Pandava brothers were then brought up with their cousins, the Kauravas, and

15609-457: Was a Naga princess named Ulupi , with whom he had a son called Iravan . His second marriage was with a princess of Manipura, Chitrangada , who bore a son named Babhruvahana . 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

15738-605: Was a key warrior in Pandava's victory in the Kurukshetra. Arjuna's prowess as an archer was demonstrated by his success in slaying numerous warriors, including his own elder brother Karna and grandfather Bhishma. 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 , one of his sons. None of them knew one another. Babhruvahana asked Arjuna to fight and injured his father during

15867-466: 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 . Arjuna inadvertently broke

15996-463: Was also called with many names. Some of them are: The story of Karna is told in the Mahābhārata , one of the Sanskrit epics from the Indian subcontinent. 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. Within Mahabharata, which follows

16125-637: 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 war, Arjuna became king in Banakeling State, the former Jayadrata kingdom. Arjuna has a smart and clever nature, is quiet, conscientious, polite, brave and likes to protect

16254-458: Was granted the boon to bear a child with desired divine qualities from the gods and without much knowledge, Kunti invoked the sun god to confirm it if it was true indeed. Karna was secretly born to an unmarried Kunti in her teenage years, and fearing outrage and backlash from society over her premarital pregnancy, Kunti had to abandon the newly born Karna adrift in a basket on the Ganges. The basket

16383-417: Was invited to the palace of Indra , his father. An apsara named Urvashi 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 the ancestor of Kuru dynasty . Urvashi felt insulted and cursed Arjuna that he will be

16512-504: 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 in Sanskrit literature . The brothers agreed that none should intrude if Draupadi

16641-479: Was the highly devout and pious king who was famous in all the worlds under the name of Suvira. [...] Suvira too had a son who was invincible in battle, and who was the best of all warriors and known by the name of Sudurjaya.(13:2) King Suvira is also mentioned in Book 1, Section 67 as one of "many heroic kings on earth." King " Ajavindu among the Suviras" is mentioned as an annihilator of his own race. (5:74) In

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