An assembly in the forest

Several kings who were friendly to the Pandavas heard about their debacle. Leaders of the three Yadava tribes, Bhoja, Vrishni and Andhaka, lead by Krishna, were among them. The five princes of Panchala also came along.

Krishna spoke representing others. “I was away from Dwaraka fighting Salva when the ill fated game of dice took place. I would have put a stop to it otherwise”. Krishna became highly infuriated thinking of all the cheating in the game and the resulting injustice. He was all the more angry on account of his dear friend, Arjuna. The Pandava who knew Krishna so very well had to remind him of his usual composure. Arjuna went into all of Krishna’s accomplishments in this life and earlier, as other incarnations of Vishnu, to make Krishna cool down.

Draupadi, then, came to Krishna. She talked about all the insults done to her. She went into all the past victories of the Pandavas. But, she said, ‘the super human strength of Bhima’s arms could do nothing to save the situation”. She complained that even Arjuna’s bow, Gandiva, was helpless to save her. With a feeling of utter helplessness she said that she had none to help, not her brothers or other relations, not her five valiant husbands and not even Krishna himself.
Krishna swore that he would make sure that the Kauravas would all be killed in war and she installed as queen. Dhrishtadyumna, Draupdai’s brother, proclaimed that he would kill Drona. His brother, Sikhandi was born to kill Bhishma and he would accomplish that. There was no doubt that a thousand arrows from Arjuna’s Gandiva would pierce the body of Karna. And, Bhima with his super human strength would definitely crush Duryodhana to death.

The killing of Salva

Yudhishthira asked Krishna. “You said that you were not in Dwaraka when the game of dice was going on. What happened?” Krshna, in reply, told him about his fight with Salva, the king of Saubha.

Salva was the brother of Sisupala. He had built a city, called Saubha, which floated in the air and made that his capital. Salva was enraged when he heard that Krishna killed his brother. So, he attacked Dwaraka while Krishna was still at the Rajasooya.

Krishna’s grandfather, Ugrasena, ruled from Dwaraka. The king had elaborate defenses built in and around the city. But, Salva encircled Dwaraka with a huge force and closed all routes of escape for the Yadavas.

Pradyumna, who was Krishna’s son born to Rukmini, daringly faced Salva. After days of fight, salva had to flee from the place unable to bear the onslaught of Pradyumna. He then placed his floating city above the western ocean posing a perpetual threat to Dwaraka.

Krishna heard of what happened on his return. He thought that it was time that he removed the threat from Salva for ever. So, he reached the shores of the sea where Salva was and challenged him to war. The two fought bitterly for days and weeks. Krishna killed Salva at the end. He also destroyed the floating castle of Salva using his Sudarshana disc.

Krishna takes leave.

After consoling the Pandavas, Krishna wanted to take leave. He bowed before Yudhishthira and Bhima and embraced Arjuna. Nakula, Sahadeva and Draupadi prostrated before their mentor. Then, Krishna departed in his chariot in the company of other Yadava chiefs and the Panchala princes.

Move to the Dwaita forest

After Krishna left the Pandavas decided that they needed a place where they could live comfortably for their remaining years of exile. Arjuna suggested that the nearby Dwaita forest was a pleasant place to live. Accordingly, the Pandavas moved to that forest.

Draupadi pleads for action

Draupadi, one day, approached Yudhishthira. She compared their life in the palace to the condition in which they lived in the forest. Bhima and Arjuna were able to face and defeat all enemies in the past and would do so in the future, too, any situation. She argued with the Pandava that it was his patience that stood in their way to regain their past glory. She reasoned that there was a limit to patience. If they did not act even under extreme provocation, then the enemies would crush them.

Yudhishthira reasoned that anger would only cause destruction in the end. For him patience was right. He would never swerve from his oath to righteousness.

Bhima joined the discussion and supported Draupadi. Yudhishthira, then, spoke his mind out. Winning over Duryodhana would not be as easy as they thought. The four invincible warriors, Bhishma, Drona, Kripa and Karna, were being kept on his side by the wise Dhritarashtra. After exiling the Pandavas to forest, Duryodhana virtually ruled over the entire world. He won a wide support base as a result. Yudhishthira has been weighing their chances against this formidable opposition. He was of the impression that it would be difficult for them to face their enemies in this condition.

Vedavyasa arrives

Vyasa arrived at that very moment. He said. “I understood what is in your mind. That is why I came. Good times will definitely come for you. I shall teach you now the Mantra called Pratismruti. Let Arjuna meditate on Indra and Lord Siva with this. He shall get formidable weapons with divine powers as a result”. Vedavyasa, then, advised the Mantra to Yudhishthira and left.

Arjuna in the quest of weapons

Yudhishthira called Arjuna and narrated what Vyasa told him. He advised his younger brother that it was time that they acquired superior weapons to face the powerful Kauravas in their ultimate war. He taught Arjuna the special Mantra. Arjuna soon took leave of his brothers and Draupadi and travelled north, towards the Himalayas.

Arjuna encounters a strange sage

After days of travel, climbing various peaks of the Himalaya and keeping to the north all the time, Arjuna came across a sage seated under a tree. The Pandava was about to go past him when he heard the command, “stop!” The sage, then, asked Arjuna who he was. He further made fun of him with the words, “why have you come fully armed with a bow, arrows, sword and other weapons to this place where you only meet meditating sages?”

The sage, then, introduced himself. He was Indra who came down to meet his son. Indra asked the Pandava to choose any boon. Arjuna prayed the king of gods to grant him weapns of special power. Indra wanted to test Arjuna and asked. “Why do you want weapons? Ask for heaven and even for the worlds above”.

Arjuna replied. “I have left my brothers in the forest. I did not come in search of my salvation. What I need are weapons that would save them from bondage”. Indra was pleased with the reply. He asked Arjuna to meditate on Siva. The Lord would definitely be pleased and appear before him. Indra promised Arjuna special weapons after that.

With those words the king of gods disappeared from the scene. Arjuna, then, started meditating on Lord Siva keeping his single objective of getting weapons capable of destroying his powerful enemies in mind.

Here ends the chapter on “Arjuna’s start of journey (Arjunaabhigamana Parvam)”