Part IV: The Long Exile
After Yuddhistira loses the second dice game, the Pandavas have to relinquish
their kingdom and wander in the wilderness for thirteen years. As the Pandavas
leave, the residents of Hastinapura see them off, weeping and lamenting.
Dhritarashtra says, "O Sanjaya, tell me what the Pandavas are doing as
they leave." Sanjaya replies, "Majesty, Yuddhistira is in front covering
his eyes so that he will not burn others with his gaze. Bhima follows,
flexing his muscles in anticipation of future battle. Arjuna is contemplating
mystical weapons. Nakula and Sahadeva have covered themselves with ashes
and coarse sackcloth to prevent young women from following them into exile.
And, Draupadi holds her head high, thinking of her revenge and the widows
that will surely weep for their dead." Dhritarashtra shudders, "I fear
for the Kurus, Sanjaya." "Majesty, when one has the power but not the will
to act ..." "Yes, I know. But, I am too indulgent a father." The Pandavas
reside in the forest, telling stories and living in huts. Each lives with
Draupadi for a few months, and the others have to stay out of their hut.
One day, Arjuna bursts into the hut to ask Yuddhistira some question. Yuddhistira
is with Draupadi at the time. Arjuna is embarrassed, "So sorry. I have
broken our agreement, so I'll have to go off for a while. I will get some
weapons." Looking at Draupadi he says, "I promise to behave myself."
Arjuna Goes Away for a While
Arjuna first visits Krishna. The ruler of the Yadavas, Krishna, is supposed
to be incarnation of the god Vishnu, but this is a secret few know. Krishna
is an incarnation of Narayana (a term for Vishnu's dark form) and he himself
is an incarnation of Nara, the form Indra took to defeat the demons. The
two are considered two sides of the same being, literally "Black" (Krishna)
and "White" (Arjuna), right-handed (Krishna) and left-handed (Arjuna) While
residing in Krishna's luxurious palace at Dwarka, Arjuna notices Krishna's
beautiful sister, Subhadra.
When she serves them food, Arjuna's gaze follows her until she leaves.
Observing this, Krishna teases him, "I see you are interested in our fair
cook." Arjuna tells Krishna that he is truly in love with Subhadra. "Can
you not hold a ceremony for her to choose a husband?" he asks. Krishna
says, "Yes, but who is to say whom she will select?" "True enough." Krishna
whispers, with a twinkle in his eye, "They say the best way for a warrior
to marry is to abduct his bride in his chariot." "Yes, but when?" "A festival
is to be held next week. Subhadra will be coming back from it on her own,
with a group of ten soldiers. I will contrive to make them lose their way.
Then you can drive up and carry her off. Just go some distance away and
wait. I will come to call you when it is safe to return here." On the day
of the festival, Subhadra is coming back home, when her guards are magically
whisked away. By the time they return, Arjuna has driven by and carried
her off in his chariot. "Don't struggle, I will not hurt you. We'll just
wait her until your brother tells the Yadavas to accept me as your husband."
The Yadavas prepare to chase Arjuna and kill him. Krishna's drunken brother,
Balarama is leading them. Krishna stops them by saying, "One small thing
before you go off to be killed, I have approved the marriage." "Ah, in
that case ..." Balarama sighs, drops his weapons, and pours himself another
gigantic goblet of beer. Krishna says, "Let us welcome the Pandava hero;
we need him as an ally, and he is my friend." The leaders of the clan go
off to greet Arjuna. "Ah, now we can go back, my dear wife," Arjuna says
to Subhadra, noticing the Yadavas approaching.
After that, Arjuna goes off to find magical weapons. He goes to the
north, and meditates in the foothills of the Himalayas. As he searches
for food one day, a deer skips past. Quickly stringing his Gandiva bow,
he brings the deer down with a shot to the throat. He goes over to his
kill, and finds two arrows in it, his own and someone else's. He turns
around to see a tall, incredibly strong, hunter dressed in leopardskin.
"Be gone, fool! That's my deer," says the hunter. "I shot him just before
you did, stranger," Arjuna talks back. The two fight for it. Arjuna lets
loose a stream of arrows, but they stick in the leopardskin clothes of
the hunter, who laughs. Suddenly, he intones a mantra, and Arjuna falls
unconscious. When he gets up, he builds an altar of earth for the god Shiva.
He notices the hunter, who now has a halo around his head, a live snake
draped over his shoulder, with a blue throat, and three vertical lines
painted on his forehead. "O, forgive me Shiva. I did not know it was You."
Arjuna bows down to him.
"I am pleased with you, O left-handed archer. I grant you a boon." Arjuna
says, "Supreme Lord, please give me your terrifying, earth-destroying weapon,
Pasupata." "But that cannot be recalled, you understand." Arjuna nods gravely,
"Your weapon is safe with me." "I hope so. I gave a lesser weapon to Drona's
son, Ashwatthama,
because that I trust only you among all warriors to use Pasupata."
Arjuna's Son, Abhimanyu
Shortly after Arjuna's stay in Dwarka, Subhadra conceives a child fathered
by Arjuna. While the son is still in the womb, Krishna talks with his sister
as she lies down, thinking of her absent husband. He begins to talk of
war, and formations of troops. Subhadra is marginally interested, but she
humors her brother. He describes the deadly lotus-formation, "used only
by the Kurus. Drona's idea of course. Of all men, only your husband, Arjuna,
knows how to get inside the lotus and get back out. However, he has told
me, so you will now be the only woman to know this." He explains first
the intricacies of breaking into the formation. Just before he starts to
speak about getting out of the formation, he notices Subhadra has fallen
asleep. So Krishna asks, "Shall I go on?" Subhadra is silent, but Krishna
hears the reply, "Continue, I'm listening." It is the baby inside the womb,
Abhimanyu. "Ah, I have a precocious nephew it seems. But I'd better not
tell him more." Krishna stops his description. As a young man, Abhimanyu
will realize that a
little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Abhimanyu grows up, and eventually the Kuru line
of descentpasses through him.
Karna Obtains Weapons
Hearing that Arjuna has won the Pasupata weapon, Duryodhana is fearful.
"Do not worry," Karna comforts him, "I'll get two weapons." He leaves for
the forest where the brahmin warrior Parasurama resides. On the way, an
old beggar approaches. "Alms, alms! I seek alms." Karna mutters, "Arms,
arms! I seek arms, too." He laughs hysterically. The old man turns to leave.
"No, old man you misunderstand. What can I do for you?" "Give me your armor
and earrings." Karna smiles grimly, "You are Indra in disguise. You ask
me for a favor? You are a god, and I am just a human. However, Karna does
not refuse anything. Please grant me a boon in return." Indra agrees. He
rips the armor off him. He hands it, still dripping with his blood to Indra.
He also takes out his earrings and hands them over. "Now, give me your
special weapon." "It can only be used once, never again." Karna nods in
agreement. Having obtained Indra's weapon, Karna proceeds to Parasurama's
residence. He asks the brahmin if he can be his student. Parasurama says,
"I hope you are not a kshatriya. If so, I cannot teach you; I have hated
kshatriyas from time immemorial." Karna lies, "I am not a kshatriya. My
parents are half-castes." For a month, Karna works hard and impresses Parasurama
with his diligence. One day, Parasurama says, "Ask me for whatever you
want." Karna says, "I hear you have a magical mantra that slays whoever
it is directed at, no matter what the other person does. I would like that
mantra." Parasurama answers, "Hmm, I will teach you." After teaching the
mantra to Karna, the old brahmin says, "Sit down nearby and do not disturb
me when I'm sleeping." Parasurama lies down, and falls asleep. Meanwhile
an insect lands on Karna's thigh, biting him. Remembering his teacher's
instructions, Karna grits his teeth, and prevents himself from crying out
in pain. When Parasurama awakes, he sees a deep, bleeding gash in Karna's
thigh: "What is this?" Karna tells him what happened. "Why, you ... ! You
liar, you must be a kshatriya. Only a kshatriya would be stupid enough
to bear such pain without being sensible and crying out in pain! The mantra
I have taught you, you will forget it when you most need it. You
will die because of your deception!" Karna leaves, the brahmin's curse
echoing in his ears.
The Thirteenth Year
The twelfth year is nearly over. The Pandavas go to a neighboring kingdom
to find jobs at the court of King Virata. They need to remain incognito
until the end of the year.
The Cattle Raid
All the Pandavas convince Virata with their clever disguises. Yuddhistira
is disguised as a brahmin. Bhima is a cook, Nakula is the cowherd, Sahadeva
is a stable-hand. Arjuna is disguised as a eunuch, who teaches dancing
to Virata's daughters. Draupadi acts as a servant to Virata's wife. Virata's
kingdom has a very weak army and no general, so invaders are eyeing it.
One day, on the eve of the thirteenth year, Duryodhana leads his Kaurava
army and that of an ally on a massive cattle raid. The attackers feint
to draw Virata's army out and then close in on the city, making off with
the cattle. Arjuna, throws off his disguise, gets into his chariot and
drives to meet the invaders. He shoots arrows at Drona's feet and above
his head, carefully avoiding injury to his tutor. Drona smiles, "My pupil
greets me." Duryodhana says, "Wait! We've found Arjuna. He has to go back
for twelve more years." Bhishma calls out, "Duryodhana, it is now past
midnight; so the twelfth year is over! The Pandavas do not need to hide
from us now." Arjuna embarrasses the Kaurava army, by reciting a mantra
that makes the leaders become sluggish. Arjuna weaves between the chariots
and elephants, snipping off pieces of their sleeves. When they recover,
they look at one another sheepishly, and go back to Hastinapura. Bhishma
counsels Duryodhana, "See how powerful Arjuna alone is. We cannot defeat
the Pandavas in battle. Make peace with them and the Kurus will be the
envy of the world!" Duryodhana replies, "What is to be, must be. The wheel
of fate revolves endlessly. We must act according to our principles; one
cannot fight one's fate, no not even you, Bhishma."
On
to PART
V: Before the Great Battle
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