Literature of antiquity and the Middle Ages - Summary - 2019
Kirata and Arjuna
Bharavi (VI century)
During their twelve-year-old forest exile, their common wife, Draupadi, once reproached the elder brother of Yudhisthira in idleness, indecision, indignity, and indignant atrocities, and urged them to attack them immediately. The second brother Bhima agreed with Draupadi, but Yudhisthira rejects their reproaches and insists - in the name of virtue and loyalty to this word - in observance of the treaty with the Kurawi. The wise man, who came to visit the pandavas, supports Yudhisthira, but warns that when the expiration date expires, the world will not wait for the Pandas, but the battle, and it is necessary to prepare for it in advance. He advises the third of the brothers - Arjuna to become a devotee to secure the help of the king of the gods of Indra and to obtain from him irreversible weapons.
A certain yashma, the mountain spirit of a demigod, takes Arjuna to the Himalayas and points him to a shining, like gold, Indracil mountain, where Arjuna begins to make his feat. Indra is pleased with the dedication of Arjuna, but decides to subject him to an additional test. He sends to Indraquin heavenly singers - gandharvah, divine virgins - aparsar, goddesses of the six seasons of the year, who have taken the form of beautiful women. Around Arjuna is always an exciting, sweet-sounding music, the naked apars are bathed in his eyes in the brook, sipping it with fragrant flowers, trying to embarrass him with passionate appeals and caresses. But Arjuna is not subject to temptations and remains uncontrollable. Then Indra resorts to another trick. Dressed up by a hermit elder, he appears before Arjuna and, praising him for the firmness of the spirit, persuades to remain a devotee and to abandon plans for revenge on the enemies. Arjuna replies that he thinks of revenge not for the sake of revenge, and not for his own sake and his grudge, but only for the sake of fulfilling the duty entrusted to him to eradicate evil in this world, Indra is satisfied with the answer of Arjuna, approves of his intentions, and advises now to comfort the austerities of a formidable God-ascetic Shiva
Arjuna is even more solemnly betrothed to selfishness. It is so frightening for demons living nearby that one of them, Mukah, having taken the form of a Boar, is trying to interrupt him by attacking Arjuna. Arjuna launches an arrow from the bow into Muk, and at the same time he directs another deadly arrow to the demon Shiva, who appeared in the form of a Kirat, a hunter-hunter. A dispute between Arjuna and Siva is due to the right to the murdered boar. Ghana, the suite of Shiva, also dressed hunters, rush to Arjuna on all sides, but Arjuna disperses them with their own arrows. Then Shiva himself calls Arjuna on a fight. Arjuna mows in Shiva spears, darts, arrows, but they fly by; trying to hit him with a sword, but Shiva splits the sword in two; throws stones and trees in it; enters into a hand-to-hand fight, but can not overcome his divine adversary in any way.
Arjuna pronounces a praise hymn in honor of Shiva and asks to give him the means to defeat his enemies. In response, Shiva gives him his magic bow, teaches possession to them, and then other gods led by Indra give Arjuna his weapon. Blessing Arjuna on the upcoming military feats, Shiva is removed with the other gods, and Arjuna returns to his brothers and Draupadi.