Arjuna – Saga of a Pandava Warrior Prince by Anuja Chandramouli – A
book review
Anuja
Chandramouli, in her book has woven the tale of a much revered warrior prince,
Arjuna – a treacherous, arrogant, power hungry, self righteous prince – and yet
history reveres him as the great epic Mahabharatas’ and Kurukshetras’ most
loved and brave warrior! The book, in a simple and lucid language presents the
various facets of the third Pandava. It keeps you interested with the most
heinous actions, incredible plots and skulduggery of some of the most
celebrated heroes of history. The book is no artistic novel, yet a good and
simple representation of much sought after facts of Arjuna, his friends, family
and enemies. There is not much that you can do with history except for presenting the right facts - if it's interesting, it is, if it's not, then it isn't! Post Devdutt Pattnaiks presentation of the Mahabharata in the book 'Jaya' there has been a plethora in the space of the historical heroes, but we ain't complaining and shooting the messenger as long as he/she presents the right facts - hope they do!!
People of this country, a small ask of you. Though, Arjuna was righly a brave warrior, a loving son, a doting father and a great brother, there are some facts you should know before you think
of naming your baby boy as 'Arjuna'
- Arjuna was not the son of Pandu and Kunti. He,
like the other Pandavas, was the son of Kunti and a God from the Heavens,
Indra in this case. Would you not call him an illegitimate child? Why not?
Karna, though born in the same manner of the Sun God Surya and Kunti;
suffered all his life as a low born Sutputra. Then why worship the
legitimacy of Arjuna and the other Pandavas.
- Arjuna was probably the most arrogant and
impulsive character and his haughtiness knew no bounds as he always
considered himself to be the greatest archer in the world and didn’t miss
a chance to portray so. Would he still have been the great archer he
proclaimed to be if Guru Drona would not have treacherously asked the
thumb of the noble and skilled Eklavya? Would he still have been the great
warrior he boasted of if Karna, in spite of his birth as a Kshatriya, was
doomed to receive a curse from his Guru Parshurama?
- If there was a great and truthful warrior, a loyal
friend in the entire Mahabharata, it was the heavily wronged Karna. The
benevolent soul never let anyone go empty handed. He was much superior to
Arjuna in every possible way. Karna was warned by his father Surya about Indras’
trickery of asking from him his invincible ‘Kavach Kundala’, yet he
readily gave it to his foe’s father. Such was his greatness! Krishna tried
to trick him from abandoning the Kauravas’ side by disclosing his actual
parentage just before the war to emotionally weaken him, but being the epitome of loyalty, he
refused to leave Duryodhanas’ side. Kunti, who didn’t have the decency or
the fortitude to accept and welcome her fist born in front of his
brothers and the world, came stealthily before the war to beg of him to forgive her and
not fight his brothers. Karna was large hearted enough to forgive her and
promise to not kill four of her children viz. Yudhistira, Bheema, Nakula
and Sahadeva and though he had every chance to kill these four in battle,
he lived up to his promise.
- If Parshurama was Vishnus’ avatar, how come he didn't know that Karna was a Kshatriya and cursed him of forgetting to use
his celestial weapons at the most opportune moment in the battlefield?
- The Pandavas shared their wife among themselves – what a shame!
- Arjuna did not think twice before assisting Agni
to burn down an entire forest and all its inhabitants and trees to gain
the celestial bow, the Gandeeva from Varuna and the inexhaustible quiver
of arrows and an indestructible chariot from the fire god Agni. And he had
the audacity to call the escaping serpent Ashwasena a coward! And the same
serpent Ashwasena, when trying to take his revenge from Arjuna by
presenting himself on Karnas’ arrow was turned down by the noble Karna as
an improper conduct.
- Arjuna abducted Subhadra and would have had to
face Balaramas’ wrath if not for
- Arjuna was cursed to live as a eunuch during a
year of his exile.
- Such was Arjunas’ audacity and pride, that he
challenged the great Hanuman himself and would have self annihilated
himself if not for Lord Vishnus’ interference.
- Being destiny’s favorite child, Arjuna entered
the battlefield of Kurukshetra with all the needed invincible and
unconquerable celestial weapons; just like wearing a bomb squad suit to
propose to a girl, frightened that she might slap him. He killed Karna in
the most treacherous manner when the wheel of his chariot was stuck and while he
stood harmless without his weapons.
- He was killed by his own son in battle (post the Kurukshetra war) and then was at the mercy of one of his wives for revival.
The Mahabharata probably has the most interesting stories but none that you could happily narrate to your children as bedtime stories!
