An Index to the Names in the Mahabharata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s7.87

c5.s7.87

Kairātaparvan ("the section treating of the Kirāta"), the 33rd of the minor parvans of Mhbhr., forming an episode to Arjuna's journey to the abode of Indra (cf. Kairāta). § 331. It is anew related how Arjuna set out from the Kāmyaka wood towards the north; he entered a terrible forest (description), resorted to by Siddhas and Cāraṇas, and then proceeded to the Himavat (description). For four months he practised austerities (specified), until the ṛṣis made representations about it to Çiva, who dismissed them after having removed their fears (III, 38). Then Çiva with his bow and arrows, in the guise of a Kirāta, accompanied by Umā in the guise of a Kirāta woman, by merry spirits (bhūtaiḥ), and thousands of women, approached Arjuna as he was about to kill Mūka, a son of Danu, who in the form of a boar would have killed Arjuna. Arjuna and Çiva at the same time pierced Mūka with their arrows, and killed him; when dying he again assumed his rākṣasa form; then they fought against each other, first with arrows, then with the very bows, then with swords, then with trees and stones, then with the fists, and then by clasping each other; at last Arjuna lost his senses, and was almost reduced to a ball of flesh; when he regained consciousness he made a clay image of Çiva, which he worshipped with a garland, which then appeared on the head of the Kirāta; he thus learned that it was Çiva, and prostrated himself at his feet. Çiva declared that Arjuna's prowess was equal to his own, promised to give him his weapon, and gave him 'eye' (cakṣus), so that he beheld him in his true form, together with Umā.—§ 332: Arjuna then fell on his knees and worshipped him, saying: "O Kapardin! etc." (v. Mahādevastava) (III, 39).—§ 333: Çiva said that Arjuna (b) was in a former life Nara, etc. When granted a boon, Arjuna asked Çiva to give him the Pāçupata weapon named Brahmāçiras (c). Having purified him as he was instructed in its use on the condition that he should not hurl it against a human being, for then it would destroy the universe. The earth trembled, etc. The gods and Dānavas beheld the weapon in its bodily shape standing by the side of Arjuna. When Arjuna had been touched by Çiva, all that was evil in his body was dispelled. Having said to Arjuna, "Go thou into heaven," Çiva went up into the skies accompanied by Umā (III, 40).—§ 334: Then Arjuna was on the Himavat visited by the Lokapālas, viz., Varuṇa (blue as lapis lazuli), together with rivers, Nāgas, Daityas, and Sādhyas; Kubera, who dwells on Kailāsa, golden-coloured (jāmbūnavakapuk), accompanied by Yakṣas; Yama, with staff in hand (daṇḍapāṇiḥ), illuminating the three worlds, and the Guhyakas, Gandharvas, and Nāgas, accompanied by those lords of the creation (lokabhāvanaiḥ) the Pitṛs; further Çakra, with Māhendrāni, mounted on the neck of Airāvata, and surrounded by the gods, and eulogized by Gandharvas and ṛṣis. Each of them occupied a particular summit of Himavat (Yama to the south, Varuṇa to the west). They granted him 'sight' (dṛṣṭi), that he might see them. Yama said that Arjuna would defeat the Nivātakavacas, etc., and gave him his irresistible staff (daṇḍa) as a weapon. Varuṇa (b) gave him his irresistible nooses. Kubera said that in bygone kalpas Arjuna had always gone through ascetic austerities along with them, and gave him his favourite weapon Antardhāna (c). Indra said he would descend to earth in his chariot with Mātali as his charioteer, and taking him to heaven grant him all his celestial weapons (III, 41).