Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.1547

c7.1547

The Pāṇḍavas began the sacrifice of Aśvamedha. Arjuna led the sacrificial horse. He continued his victorious march defeating all Kings and reached the city of Niladhvaja. Niladhvaja was not prepared for a fight. Seeing this his wife Jvālā tried various ways to push her husband to war. Seeing them to be futile she approached her brother Unmūka and asked him to fight with Arjuna. He also was not prepared to fight with Arjuna. Jvālā became very angry and walked to the bank of the Ganges. When the Ganges-water touched her feet she stopped and said, “Dear me ! I am become sinful by the touch of Ganges-water.” The amazed Gaṅgā took the form of Sumaṅgalādevī and stood before Jvālā and aked her the reason for saying so. Jvālā said “Gaṅgādevī submerged her seven sons and killed them. After that she took the eighth son from Śantanu. That son too was killed by Arjuna in the Bhārata-battle. Thus Gaṅgā is childless and sinful.” Hearing this Gaṅgā Devī cursed Arjuna “Let his head be cut off in six months’ time.” Jvālā was satisfied. (For the result of the curse see under Arjuna, Para 28).