Arjun

Arjun was a hero Pandava prince in the Mahabharata, and one of the two principal character in the Srimad Bhagavadgita. He was the third among five brothers. King Pandu of Hastinapur was his father and Kunti was his mother. Kunti begot this son from Indra.

He was sent to Guru Dron along with his brothers where he became his favourite and learned the use of arms. At the time of Svayamvar of Draupadi, he won by hitting the eye of a fish by seeing its reflection in the water put beside the pole below while it was hung above. Draupadi when brought to Kunti, she was made wife of all the five brothers. Arjun had a son by Draupadi named Shrutkirti.

Arjun had to go on pilgrimage for twelve years for accidentally violating an agreement when he entered Yudhishthir's house while Daraupadi was staying there.

During that period he learnt the science of using arms by Parashuram, married the Nag princess Ulupi who bore him a son named Iravan. He married Chitrangada, the daughter of king of Manipur, who bore him a son named Babhruvahan. While in Dwarka, he, on Krishna's advice, married Shubhadra, who bore him a son named Abhimanyu. He obtained a bow named Gandiv from Agni as a thanksgiving for helping him to burn the Khandav forest.

When Yudhishthir gambled away their kingdom and wife, Pandav brothers were forced into fourteen years of exile, the last one as underground without being detected. In the fourteenth year of exile, the Pandav brothers served the king Virat of Matsya. Arjun disguised himself as Brihannala, an eunuch. When the period of exile was over, they were forced into Mahabharat War by Duryodhan.

Arjun got celestial weapons for the war from Shiva, Indra, Varun and Yama. In the battlefield at Kurukshetra, both Kaurav and Pandav assembled to fight, but Arjun got confused and declined to fight just before the beginning of the War. He was, however, advised by his charioteer Krishna not to surrender but to fight for Dharm.

He became instrumental in winning the Mahabharat War. He killed many fighter including his grandfather Bhishma and his brother Karn.

After the war was over, Yudhishthir was made king of Hastinapur, who resolved to perform Ashvamedh Yagya in which Arjun was assigned to protect the horse as royal guard. He moved along with the horse that was let loose. They, thus moved into the area of Manipur, and he was killed by his own son Babhruvahan, but was restored to life by Ulupi.

He returned with the horse to Hastinapur after fighting and winning many battles with those who obstructed the course of the horse. Finally, Ashvamedh Yagya was successfully completed.

He died in the way while the brothers were going towards Svarga through a passage in the Himalaya.