Arjuna's Exile

Sage Narada had set down certain rules for the Pandavas to follow in their relationship with Draupadi. It was going fine for a few months.

One day Arjuna heard the loud voice of a Brahmin. Some thieves had stolen his cows. He was complaining about the lawlessness in the land of Pandavas. Who would protect the common people, if the king did not do his duty ? Why did people contribute the prescribed one-sixth of income as tax to the royal treasury ?

Yudhishthira was living with Draupadi during that period. Arjuna knew that he had to act quickly. But, the common armory was stored in the house in which Yudhishthira lived with the queen. Arjuna was in a dilemma. Should he go in and break the terms set by Narada ? Or could he ignore the pleas of the Brahmin ?

With a lot of hesitation Arjuna decided to do his duty as prince to his subject in distress. He went into the house and collected some bows, arrows and other necessary weapons. Yudhishthira saw Arjuna , but, only smiled at him as he did not think that Arjuna violated his privacy in essence.
Arjuna finished his task within no time and apologized to his eldest brother. That was nothing of any significance, assured his brother. But, Arjuna insisted that he broke his own pledge and that he should get the penalty. In spite of genuine protests from Yudhishthira, Arjuna decided to go on a pilgrimage for the prescribed twelve years.

Uloopi, the Naga princess

Arjuna left the palace and traveled to the shores of Ganga. Many Brahmins accompanied him. They told old stories among themselves and moved forth observing beautiful scenery on the way. When they reached the holy river the group decided to spend some time there.
One day Arjuna was having his bath in the river. He felt someone pulling him down. His efforts to free himself had no effect. Soon, he found himself in the land of Nagas, the serpents, in the river bottom. He was being dragged down by a beautiful damsel. She introduced herself as Uloopi, the daughter of a Naga king. She had been observing Arjuna having daily bath in Ganga and fell in deep love with him. She wanted the Pandava prince to marry her.
Arjuna tried to explain that he was on a pilgrimage and that he had a lot of travel to do. The Naga princess, having divine powers, knew all that. She pleaded for Arjuna’s sympathy for her love-torn heart. Finally, Arjuna thought that it was his Dharma to not turn away a damsel in distress. They stayed together just for one night and a son was born to the couple by name Iravan. Uloopi was happy and gave Arjuna a blessing that he would be invincible under water. Then she brought Arjuna back to the shores of Ganga and left him there. This Uloopi fought and won many battles with the Pandavas in the Mahabharata war.

Marriage with Chitrangada

Arjuna then proceeded eastwards in the company of Brahmins keeping the Himalaya valley to his left. He came across several sacred pilgrimage centres like Gaya and crossed many famous rivers on the way. They traveled through the kingdoms of Anga, Vanga (Bengal) and Kalinga (Orissa) and reached the city of Manipura. Arjuna bid good bye to most of his Brahmin companions and entered the city retaining only a few.

King Chitrangada ruled the land of which Manipura was the capital. The king had a daughter by the same name, Chitrangada. Arjuna happened to meet her and was drawn to the princess.
The Pandava approached the king and asked for his daughter’s hand in marriage. The king, knowing the greatness of Arjuna, did not object to the alliance. But, Chitrangada was his only child. Arjuna could not take her away. Besides, only a child born to her would help continue the royal family line. So, he demanded Arjuna to be with his daughter until she bore him a child. That would be the price (Kanya Sulka) for Arjuna to pay for his daughter’s hand.
Arjuna agreed and stayed with his wife, Chitrangada, for three months and she became pregnant. Arjuna, then, left her and continued with his travel.

Encounter with crocodiles

Arjuna, next, turned right and travelled southwards. After crossing many lands and rivers he reached the southern ocean. He found five great sacred lakes there bearing the name of famous sages like Agasthya and Bharadwaja. To Arjuna’s surprises none bathed in those holy lakes. When asked they told Arjuna that they were all infested with crocodiles. Anyone who entered was sure to be grabbed and swallowed by them.

Arjuna thought that it was his duty to rid the lakes of such danger. He had the added strength from the boon given by Uloopi. So, he entered the first lake. The moment he stepped into it he was grabbed by a beast. Arjuna gathered strength and pulled the animal ashore.
As if by a miracle, a beautiful damsel appeared in place of the crocodile. She, then, narrated her story to Arjuna and all those who had gathered around. They were five celestial damsels of divine beauty (Apsaras) living happily in heaven. In their youthful lust for male company they roamed about and one day they found a sage in deep meditation. All the five fell in love with him. They started making advances towards him by singing and dancing . The sage was disturbed from meditation and was angry with them for their improper conduct. He cursed, “You tried to grab me. Hence may you becoe crocodiles and live by grabbing others.” The distraught damsels asked for forgiveness. The sage said that they would revert back to life in heaven as damsels as and when someone would pull them ashore. It was sage Narada who advised them to remain in the southern lakes waiting for Arjuna’s arrival to save them.
She, then, requested Arjuna to help her friends also to come out of their curse. Thus, the five damsels were saved by Arjuna.

Meeting with Krishna

Arjuna turned again and travelled north along the western ghats. His destination was Prabhasa Thirtha where Krishna then lived. He heard on the way about the serene beauty and excellent character of Krishna’s sister, Subhadra. He was enamoured by her whom he had not even met once.

Arjuna thought how he could approach her and decided to disguise himself as a traveling monk. He shaved his head and wore saffron clothes. With chanting beads in hand he sat down below a banyan tree in front of Krishna’s house and pretended that he was meditating. Krishna was taking rest with his wife, Sathyabhama. Suddenly he broke out into laughter. Bewildered, Sathyabhama asked him to explain his unprovoked mirth. Krishna was anticipating his dear friend Arjuana. He could vision the image of the disguised Pandava approaching him. He could also divine Arjuna’s designs on his sister.

Krishna got up immediately from his seat and went to the place, in the company of Sathyabhama, where Arjuna was seated . The Pandava could not make pretensions in front of his all-knowing dear friend. The two embraced each other. They roamed about together in Prabhasa. Krishna, then, took Arjuna with the same disguise as monk to Dwaraka where Subhadra was living.

With this the chapter on “Arjuna’s stay in forest (Arjuna Vanavasa Parvam)” comes to an end.