Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.96

c7.96

5) Arjuna gives up Gāṇḍiva. The great Kurukṣetra war, which shook Bhārata, to its very foundation came to an end. Dharmaputra was crowned a King. It was at this juncture that the Yādava dynasty got itself annihilated and Śrī Kṛṣṇa entered mahāsamādhi. Now the Pāṇḍavas lost all interest in mundane life, and they set out for the forest on their great journey after crowning Parīkṣit, the grandson of Arjuna as King. Their great travel took them to the shores of the Red Sea. The Gāṇḍiva was still in Arjuna's hands. On the shores of the Red Sea Agni Deva appeared before the Pāṇḍavas and spoke to them "Well, Pāṇḍavas, I am Agni Deva. Arjuna requires the Gāṇḍiva no more. I got it from Varuṇa for Arjuna. Return it, therefore, to Varuṇa."