Arjuna and Ulupi

Hi guys! This week I read part B of the Mahabharata. 

So far, I am really loving the diversity of stories in the Mahabharata and the connection each story has with the next. It is very easy to sit down and read the stories and know exactly what is going on. I think learning the characters in my part A notes really benefited my ability to keep up with the story. 

There are three stories I was really drawn to and enjoyed. They all include Arjuna, who must have a million wives by now haha. I think he would be an awesome character to write a story about! Maybe Arjuna's adventures on Tinder or his time on the Bachelor after being broken up with on the Bachelorette, Draupadi. He is definitely a huge focus of part B and I think I would have a lot of fun writing more detail about him. 

Wife of the Five Pandavas

• Draupadi is won at a swayamwara by Arjuna. All five of the Pandavas brothers end up marrying her. 

Arjuna and Ulupi

• Arjuna is exiled for cutting into his brother's time with Draupadi. While in exile he falls in love with the Naga princess Ulupi. She brings him to the palace and he is granted the power of invisibility. They end up having a baby named Iravat

Arjuna and the Apsaras

• Arjuna finds a group of holy men near a river and begs to stay with them in his exile. They allow him and he asked to bathe in the river. They tell him there is a man-eatng alligator. Arjuna jumps in anyways and is attacked. He drags the alligator onto the land and it turns into a beautiful woman. She is a nymph that has sisters that have been cursed. The curse is lifted when they are dragged onto land. Arjuna lifts the curse and they all go back into the river. 

Arjuna the Wanna be Bachelor, picture from Image library for MLLL-4993

Bibliography: PDE Mahabharata by Arnold, Besant, Devee, Dutt, Ganguli, Kincaid, Macfie, Mackenzie, Nivedita, Seeger, and Tagore. link here