Epic Tales with Samrudhi V kadam

Krishna learnt that Arjuna had reached Prabhasa after visiting many holy places. Krishna decided to meet Arjuna, and left for Prabhasa. Krishna met Arjuna, and they embraced each other and enquired about each other’s well-being.

Later, they proceeded to Mount Raivataka, where Krishna had arranged food, dance performances, and other forms of entertainment.

Krishna and Arjuna enjoyed the performances and stayed there for some time.

The next morning, Krishna and Arjuna left for Dwarka in a golden chariot. The entire city of Dwarka was decorated to welcome Arjuna.

Arjuna spent many nights in Krishna’s palace, and a few days later, the great festival of Vrishnis and the Andhakas was held on Mount Raivataka.

As Krishna and Arjuna wandered through the festival, Arjuna saw Krishna’s beautiful sister Subhadra, adorned in fine silks and ornaments.

The moment Arjuna laid eyes on her, he was struck by her beauty.

When the Apsaras were cursed, they begged the Brahmana for forgiveness. The Brahmana calmed down and modified the curse, saying that one day a great hero would pull them out of the water and they would regain their original forms.

Later on, the apsaras met Narada, who told them that Arjuna will eventually come and free them from their curse.

After hearing Varga’s story, Arjuna decided to help them and went to the remaining four tirthas. He dragged out the other crocodiles.

As soon as the crocodiles touched the land, the crocodiles were freed from their curse and were transformed into beautiful apsaras, who thanked Arjuna and returned to their heavenly realm.

Though not mentioned in the Vyasa’s Mahabharata, many believe that Arjuna succeeded in saving the apsaras because of the boon granted to him by Ulupi — that no creature living in water would be able to overpower him.

Soon Arjuna left for Gokarna, where he visited many sacred tirthas one after another and eventually he reached Prabhasa.   

After Arjuna departed from Manalura (Manipura), he continued visiting sacred pilgrimage sites in southern India.

There he noticed five famous tirthas (holy bathing spaces) which had been abandoned by sages. Arjuna questioned the sages about it and the sages said that five dangerous crocodiles lived there and anyone entering the waters would be dragged down.

Arjuna fearlessly decided to investigate the tirthas and entered the tirtha called ‘Soubhadra’. Just as he entered, a giant crocodile attacked him and tried dragging him into the water. Arjuna overpowered it and dragged it out of the water.

The crocodile touched the land and transformed into a beautiful apsara named Varga.

Varga explained to Arjuna that she and her four friends, Sourabheyi, Samichi, Budbuda, and Lata, were celestial apsaras.

But one day, they tried to distract a Brahmana. Seeing their actions, the Brahmana was filled with anger and cursed the apsaras to become crocodiles and live in water for a hundred years.

Impressed by King Prabhanjana’s devotion, Lord Shiva granted him a boon that every king in his lineage would have exactly one child to succeed him.

After narrating the story, King Chitravahana said that for many generations, that one child had always been a son.

However, the only child of King Chitravahana was Princess Chitrangada, and she had been declared a Putrika (a daughter treated as a son for lineage purposes).

The son born from Chitrangada shall remain in Manalura (Manipura), belong to Chitravahana’s lineage, and inherit the Kingdom.

Arjuna agreed to the conditions without objections and married Chitrangada according to Kshatriya customs.

After the marriage, Arjuna remained in Manalura (Manipura) for three years, and during this period, Chitrangada gave birth to a son, Babruvahana, who remained in Manalura to continue the lineage.

After spending three years there, Arjuna resumed his exile while Chitrangada remained in Manalura with Babruvahana.

After Arjuna departed from Nagaloka, he continued his exile and visited numerous sacred places and pilgrimage sites.

He performed sacred and religious rituals, donated cows, wealth and houses to Brahmanas.

He travelled to Vasishtha’s mountain, River Nanda, River Upananda, Naimisha forest, Kalinga, and many more places.

Eventually, Arjuna arrived at Manalura (Manipura) and there, he met King Chitravahana and he had a daughter named Chitrangada.

When Arjuna saw Princess Chitrangada, he was smitten by her exceptional beauty and expressed to King Chitravahana his desire to marry her.

King Chitravahana later explained that generations before Princess Chitrangada was born, King Prabhanjana was distressed about the future of his Kingdom because of the rivalry and bloody battles between the siblings for the throne.

In order to save his Kingdom from perishing, King Prabhanjana performed austerities to please Lord Shiva.  

The Pandavas along with Draupadi lived happily in Indraprastha, as their kingdom flourished, but one day, their peace was disturbed when a few thieves stole a Brahmana’s cattle.

The Brahmana arrived at the palace, distressed and angry. He complained to the Pandavas about the theft.

Hearing the Brahmana’s cries, Arjuna promised to save the cattle. In order to get the weapons, Arjuna had to enter Draupadi’s chamber as the weapons were kept there, but Draupadi was present there along with Yudhishthira.

Arjuna was in a fix. If he went into Draupadi’s chamber, he would break his vow and would have to undergo 12 years of exile. But if he did not, then he would not be able to fulfil his duty as a Kshatriya.

Arjuna decided that Dharma (righteousness) must be protected even if he had to go into exile. So, he entered Draupadi’s chamber and with Yudhishthira’s permission collected his weapons, breaking the rule. Arjuna mounted his chariot and recovered the stolen cattle from the thieves and returned them to the Brahmana.

When Arjuna was pulled underwater by Ulupi, he entered the Nagaloka where he noticed the sacred fires.

Only after completing his religious duties, he asked Ulupi who she was because he never neglected dharma.

Ulupi answered that she was the daughter of Kouravya, the Naga King, and had been deeply attracted to Arjuna. She asked Arjuna to accept her. However, Arjuna refused, stating that he was observing a 12-year exile and was following brahmacharya.

Ulupi told Arjuna that she knew the reason for his exile and that the vow was specifically for Draupadi, and accepting her would not violate his vow. She said that if Arjuna rejected her, she would die from grief and added that helping someone in distress is dharma.

Agreeing to Ulupi’s reasoning, Arjuna spent his night in Nagaloka and, as he fulfilled Ulupi’s wish, she granted him a boon that no creature living in water would be able to overpower him.

The next morning, Arjuna departed from Nagaloka and continued his exile. Ulupi later gave birth to a son named Iravan.

After Arjuna returned to the palace, he solemnly declared that he would go into exile since he failed to abide by his vows.

The other Pandavas forbade and Yudhishthira sadly said that what Arjuna had done was in order to protect a Brahmana and entering the elder brother’s chamber is not wrong.

Arjuna said that Dharma must not be twisted and a promise once made must be kept. Refusing to stay he voluntarily accepted the punishment.

With Yudhishthira’s permission, Arjuna took vows of celibacy (Brahmacharya) and left for a 12 year exile and as Arjuna left for his exile, many sages, Brahmanas, and storytellers followed him.

Arjuna travelled across many kingdoms and sacred pilgrimage sites, regularly performing yajnas and chanting Vedic rituals. Eventually, he reached the holy river, Ganga.

One day, after bathing in the river Ganga and offering water to his ancestors, he was preparing to leave when suddenly he was pulled underwater by Ulupi, the daughter of the Naga king Kouravya.

After narrating the story, Narada warned the Pandavas that even the strongest bond between brothers can collapse if rivalry over a woman arises, and this is why the Pandavas also must protect their unity and establish strict rules regarding Draupadi.

After hearing Narada’s warning, the Pandavas understood the danger of jealousy and they agreed to strictly follow the rules already established, and vowed to protect their unity regarding Draupadi.

The rule was that Draupadi should be with one brother for a period of one year, and if any brother entered their chamber while Draupadi was with another brother, he would undergo exile for twelve years.

After hearing their words, Narada blessed them and departed from Indraprastha.

While everything in Indraprastha was going well, a Brahmana came seeking help because thieves had stolen his cattle.

In order to save the cattle, Arjuna needed his weapons, but the weapons were kept in the chamber where Draupadi was with Yudhishthira.

Vishvakarma collected all the beauty from the Triloka and created an apsara named Tilottama, who was named so because she was created by bits and pieces of gems.

Tilottama’s beauty was so extraordinary that all beings were mesmerised by her. She was directed by Lord Brahma to distract the two asura brothers, Sunda and Upasunda, in a way that she would create a rift and turn them against each other.

As Sunda and Upasunda were drinking along a riverbank in the Vindhya Mountains, Tilottama appeared. When the asura brothers saw Tilottama’s radiant beauty, they became mesmerised and wanted to marry her, and this was when their unity broke.

Each brother claimed Tilottama for himself and neither was willing to let her go. Slowly, their affection turned into possessiveness, and soon into rage, which led to the brothers attacking one another.

A terrible duel took place between the two brothers, and finally, the brothers killed each other. Their unity made them invincible, but the rivalry over a woman became the cause of their destruction.