Arjuna (mythology)
Arjuna ( Sanskrit , m., अर्जुन, [ ʌɽʤunʌ ]) is one of the most important heroic figures in the Indian epic Mahabharata . He is Krishna's dialogue partner in the Bhagavad Gita , probably the most widespread holy text of Hinduism in the West .
CV according to Mahabharata
Arjuna is the son of the sky god Indra and Queen Kunti , who lives in a polygamous marriage with Prince Pandu and his concubine Madri . Pandu cannot father children because of a curse; therefore his two wives bore him sons, begotten of gods. They are called pandavas after him .
Arjuna develops into an excellent archer and Agni gives him the magic bow Gandhiva. He and his four brothers live in polygamy with Draupadi . The Mahabharata tells that by mastering the bow he was able to win her as a woman, but due to a misunderstanding by his mother Kunti he had to share the princess with his brothers.
After losing a game of dice against their opponents, the Kauravas , the five Pandavas are forced to go into the woods with Draupadi. There they should live according to the conditions for twelve years and then spend the thirteenth year unrecognized in society. If they were discovered, they would have to be exiled for another twelve years. Therefore, the Pandavas hire themselves out in various professions at the court of the king of the Matsyas. Arjuna poses as a eunuch, lives in women's clothes, has braided his hair and wears arm and ankle rings made from sea shells. He taught the women at court in dance, singing and playing musical instruments.
One day there is a battle between the attacking Kauravas and the army of the Matsyas. Arjuna and his brothers fight in disguise at first, but the thirteenth year of exile comes to an end during the fighting and Arjuna can reveal himself. He is the strongest fighter and hero of his time and defeats all heroes of the Kauravas. But he breaks the crown of King Duryodhana as a sign of humiliation.
Although the Pandavas have fulfilled their debt from the game of dice with the thirteen-year exile, the Kauravas are not prepared, contrary to the agreements, to give half of the kingdom back to their cousins. After long negotiations, the decisive battle of Kurukshetra takes place . Arjuna is ready to do his warrior duties. But when he saw his numerous relatives, his teacher and other people he valued on the other side, he was in despair and did not want to fight. At this moment it is his friend and charioteer Krishna who shows him the right way to right action and reveals himself to him as the highest in a great vision. This conversation, which is said to have taken place between the two armed armies, went down in history as the Bhagavadgita .
The Pandavas win the battle and the older brother Arjunas, Yudhisthira becomes king of the land. Abhimanyu the son of Arjuna had also fallen. His wife Uttara gave birth to a son named Parikshit after his death, who later became an important king.
See also
Other uses
Arjuna is the namesake for a class of asteroids , the Arjuna asteroids .
