MADHYAMA OF PANDAVAS - ARJUNA

Arjuna, Kunti’s third son by the grace of Devendra was a special male character in the epic Mahabharata. Arjuna mastered archery to perfection. When Arjuna as a young prince and was playing Chinni Kolu with his brothers and cousins, One of the brothers played hard and the peg fell into an abandoned well. The well was very deep. They all tried to retrieve the peg but failed. At that time a Brahmin came that way. He was Drona and he showed how to retrieve the peg from the well. The princes told this to Bhishma and also mentioned about the Brahmin. Bhishma invited Drona to the palace and made him the teacher to teach the princes archery.

Arjuna was a devoted student. He engaged himself in serving his guru. The Pandava and the Kaurava princes completed their education. Duryodhana was very jealous about his cousins and even hated them. He wanted to kill the Pandavas. He built a beautiful palace using highly inflammable materials. Vidura through his spies got this secret and secretely built a tunnel for the Pandavas to escape this tragedy. When the palace was on fire, the Pandavas, through the tunnel escaped into the forest and disguised themselves as Brahmins and lived in the forest for some time.

The Panchala king Drupada had arranged his daughter Draupadi’s Svayamwara and had set the severest test of shooting down a fish by seeing its reflection in a container filled with oil. Drupada always wanted to give his daughter Draupadi to Arjuna. He knew only Arjuna could accomplish the task. This was the reson why he arranged this nearly impossible task. He got a bow which only Arjuna could lift, and string and shoot the arrow from the bow. The princes gathered there failed to even lift the bow. Then Drupada unwillingly announced that even the Brahmins could attempt.

The Pandavas in the disguise of Brahmins encouraged Arjuna to attempt. Arjuna went around the bow once. He prostrated and prayed lord Shiva. By remembering Krishna he lifted the bow easily and fixed the string and fired. The target was broken and fell on the ground. Draupadi put the garland around his neck.

At the Kurukshetra war the Pandavas’ and the Kauravas’ armies stood face to face. Arjuna saw his teacher Drona, Bhishma and other relatives. The thought of killing them brought gloom to his mind. He thought it was a sinful act to kill his own teachers and elders.

Arjuna asked Krishna to stop the chariot and placed his Gandiva on the ground and sat downcast. Krishna understood Arjuna’s plight and said “Arjuna, this is not the time to show mercy and this is not a place for emotions.” He asked Arjuna to do his duty as a Kshatriya. “I am the doer and you only follow your Dharma”.   He displayed Vishwaroopa to Arjuna. 

The mankind should be grateful to Arjuna who was the reason for getting us  the great Bhagavadgita from the mouth of Lord Krishna himself.