49. Arjuna's Pilgrimage

When Arjuna left for the forest, Brahmins well versed in the Vedas, persons skilled in music, ascetics, people who recite Puranas, narrators of sacred stories, devotees leading celibate lives, Vanaprasthas (People inclined to live the later part of their lives in forests), and various other kinds of people walked behind him for some distance.

Arjuna walked like Indra followed by the Maruts. As he walked, he witnessed many picturesque scenes. After arriving at the source of the river Ganga, he decided to settle down there. The Brahmins who followed him to the forest also settled down there. While staying there, Arjuna, inspired by the Brahmins, performed a number of Agnihotris (fire sacrifices). As a result of these sacrifices, that place itself became extremely beautiful.

Once, after making offerings to his ancestors, by standing in the Ganga, Arjuna was about to move from the river to the shore to perform the rites sitting before the fire. At that time, he was pulled from under the water by Ulupi, the daughter of the Nagas. 

He was carried by her to the palace of the Naga king Kauravya. Arjuna found that there was a sacrificial fire ignited for him. He performed the rites in that fire. Agni was pleased by Arjuna’s performance of the rites by pouring libations into the fire.

After performing the rites, Arjuna smiled at Ulupi and told her, “Oh, handsome girl, what a rash thing have you done by dragging me here! Whose country is this and whose daughter are you?”

Ulupi replied, “I am the daughter of Kauravya, the Naga king born in the line of Airavata. Looking at you perform ablutions in the river, I was smitten by love. I am unmarried. Gratify me by giving yourself to me.”

Arjuna said, “As commanded by my elder brother Yudhishtira, I am undergoing a vow of celibacy for twelve years. I am not free to do what I please. But I am still willing to make you happy. Tell me how I can make you happy without violating my vow and the truth.”

"Ulupi said, “I know why you were asked to undergo celibacy. Your exile is only for the sake of Draupadi. Your virtue will not suffer by acceding to my solicitation. Oh, man of large eyes, it is one’s duty to relieve the distressed. Your virtue will not suffer any diminution by pleasing me. On the other hand, you will earn great merit by saving my life. So, yield yourself to me. It is the opinion of the wise that a man should accept a woman that woos him. I will kill myself if you don’t accede to my request. Earn great merit by saving my life. I seek your shelter. Gratify my wish by yielding to me."

Arjuna fulfilled her desire. After spending the night in the palace, he returned to the originating point of the Ganga in the morning, accompanied by Ulupi. 

Ulupi then took leave of Arjuna and returned to her palace. She gave him a boon that he would be invincible in water. “Every amphibious creature will be vanquished by you,” she said.

Arjuna narrated everything to the Brahmins who were staying with him. He then visited different parts of the Himalayas like Agastyavata, Vasishta’s peak, the peak of Bhrigu etc. He performed various rites at these places and donated many houses and cows to the Brahmins. 

Arjuna then went to a sacred asylum called Hiranyavindu and performed his ablutions there.

He then descended from the Himalayas and journeyed towards the East. The Brahmins followed him.

Arjuna went to then forest of Naimisha (Naimisharanya,) where the rivers Utpalini, the Nanda, the Apara Nanda, the Kausiki, Gaya and Ganga were flowing. He purified himself by bathing in those sacred rivers. 

Arjuna also visited the holy places in Vanga and Kalinga and bathed himself in all the holy waters in those regions. The Brahmins took leave of Arjuna when he entered Kalinga.  

Arjuna, accompanied by a few attendants, went to many regions, visiting several holy places and palaces. He saw the Mahendra mountain on his way. 

He then went to Manipura. He walked along the seashore and reached the palace of King Chitravahana.

Chitravahana had a beautiful daughter by name Chitrangada. Arjuna happened to look at her and instantly developed a desire to possess her. He went to the king and requested him to give his daughter in marriage to him. 

The king asked Arjuna, “Who are you and who are your parents?”

Arjuna said, “I am Arjuna, the son of Pandu and Kunti.”

The king told Arjuna, “In our race, there was a king by name Prabhanjana. He had no children. He performed a penance meditating on Lord Siva. Lord Siva granted him a boon that each successive descendant of his race would have only one child. Each of my ancestors had a son but I have a daughter. 

"However, I look upon my daughter as my son. If you marry her, one of the sons born to her through you will be the perpetuator of my race. If you agree to this, you can marry her.”

Arjuna agreed to this and married Chitrangada. He lived with her in the city for 3 years. After she gave birth to a son, Arjuna took leave of her and began to wander again.

Arjuna then went to the South and travelled along the shores of the southern ocean. He came across five regions in which ascetics lived. But he found that they had shunned the five sacred waters in that region. 

Of these five, Agastya, Saubadra and Pauloma were considered holy while Karandhma was considered propitious for performing Aswameta Yaga (horse sacrifice) and Bharadwaja, a washer of sins.

Arjuna asked the ascetics why they were shunning the five sacred waters. The ascetics said that they were avoiding those sacred waters because those waters were inhabited by crocodiles that would take away the people who bathe in those waters.

Hearing this, Arjuna, though dissuaded by the ascetics, decided to explore those waters. Perhaps, he remembered the boon by Ulupi that he would be invincible in water). He first went to Saubhadra and plunged into the water. A large crocodile seized his leg. He dragged it to the shore. Once the crocodile was brought to the shore, it transformed itself into a beautiful woman.

When Arjuna asked her who she was, she replied, “Oh, strong armed one, I am an Apsara by name Varga. I was dear to Kubera. I and my four companions were once going to the abode of Kubera. On the way, we saw a Brahmin of handsome appearance and rigid vows meditating. We tried to lure him by singing and dancing. He was not lured by us. He became angry and cursed us to become crocodiles and range the waters for hundred years.

“Distressed by his curse, we sought his forgiveness for trying to lure him with our beauty and distract him from his meditation. Moved by our propitiation, the Brahmin said, 'The word hundred normally indicates eternity. But the word hundred used by me may mean a limited period of hundred years and not eternity. You will be crocodiles for a limited period of hundred years, seizing and taking away people. At the end of hundred years, an exalted individual will drag you all from water to the land. Then you will go back to your original forms. The sacred waters in which I will assign you to live will, after you are delivered by that individual, become known as Nari-tirthas (or sacred waters connected with the sufferings and liberation of women). These waters will become sacred, having the power to wash away sins.'

“We saluted the Brahmin and left him. We then came across Narada who asked us about our plight. When we narrated our story to him, he said, ‘In the low lands adjoining the southern ocean, there are five regions of sacred water.  Go there immediately. Arjuna, the son of Pandu will deliver you.’ Oh, hero, as per the sage’s words, you  have freed me from my curse. Please free my four friends also.”

Arjuna then freed the other four women also by pulling them out of the sacred waters in which they were living.

After giving leave to the five Apsaras, Arjuna became desirous of seeing Chitrangada one more time. He then proceeded to the city of Manipura. He saw Chitrangada and his son Vabhruvahana, who was installed on the throne. Arjuna then left for Gokarna.

Arjuna visited many sacred waters and holy places on the shores of the western ocean. When he came to a place called Prabhasa, Krishna, learning about his arrival there went to that place to meet his friend.

After the two friends had embraced each other and exchanged pleasantries, Krishna asked Arjuna, “Why are you  wandering over the earth, visiting the sacred waters and other holy places?"

Arjuna narrated the happenings to Krishna. Hearing this, Krishna said, “This is as it should be.”

The two friends then went to the Raivataka mountain to spend some days there. Before they arrived at Raivataka, Krishna had arranged for food and entertainment shows. However, Arjuna  politely dismissed the singers and dancers and retired to bed.  Before going to sleep, he described to Krishna the holy places and sacred waters visited by him.

Arjuna then set out to Dwaraka, the capital of the Yadava kingdom. The citizens of Dwaraka thronged to see the son of Kunti. He stayed there in the company of Krishna, for many days.