All the men in Krishna's clan had killed each other in a drunken brawl. Krishna himself was shot in the foot by a poisoned arrow and had ascended to heaven. His last instruction to Uddhava was to bring Arjun to Dwarka so that he could safely take the women and children back to Hastinapur because Dwarka would soon be submerged under the sea. Accordingly Arjun led a caravan carrying the women and the children and the wealth and the arms from Dwarka to Hastinapur.
On the way he encountered a solitary Bhil, blocking the path of the caravan. Bhils were a tribal people subsisting largely on whatever they could hunt, but often resorting to robbing travelers as well. The Bhil commanded, "Leave the women, wealth and weapons behind and be on your way with the hags and children."
Arjun was amazed and angry that he could be so challenged. He replied, "Let me introduce myself. I am Arjun, son of Pandu, who almost single-handedly defeated the Kaurava army in the Mahabharata war. Now get off the way and let us proceed."
The Bhil did not oblige. He replied, "When I was a child, my mother did tell me about the war and recounted your exploits in it. Since then I have had a burning desire to test my skill against yours. God has given this opportunity to me. Lift your bow and defend yourself."
Arjun reached out for his bow. The bow, which he normally handled as if it were a feather, now appeared heavier than lead. Scarcely had he lifted the bow, his vision blackened, he began to feel dizzy and he fainted and fell down. When he recovered consciousness he found that the Bhil had vanished with his booty.
Arjun remembered an event from time gone by. The Mahabharata war had just ended. Arjun requested Krishna who was his charioteer in the battle to descend from the chariot. But Krishna said, "Today you alight first, Arjun." A surprised but obedient Arjun did as he was told and waited for Krishna to alight. As soon as Krishna's feet left the chariot, it burst into flames and was reduced to ashes. Krishna told Arjun that during the last eighteen days the chariot had suffered innumerable onslaughts because Arjun had been the target of the Kaurava army. The only reason the chariot was intact was because Krishna was sitting in it, else it would have been destroyed in the war. "I am your strength Arjun and your valour has brought fruit because I am by your side. By yourself you are nothing."
Go To Page: 1 2
