Arjuna and Angaarparna

Arjuna and Angaarparna

With the strength of brahmacharya Arjuna was able to defeat Angaarparna, a great Gandharva. The story goes like this:

The Pandavas, sons of Pandu, proceeded towards Panchaala. They walked day and night and reached Somasrayan, on the bank of the river Ganges. Arjuna walked ahead, carrying torch in his hands for showing them the way and for protecting them. There in the delightful waters of Ganges, Chitrasen, the King of Gandharvas, was sporting with his wives. He heard the noise of the footsteps of the Pandavas approaching the river. The greatly strong Gandharva was inflamed with wrath by hearing the noise. Seeing the Pandavas with their mother, and drawing his fearful bow, he spoke thus, "If any man out of greed wanders during dark twilight (after its first forty seconds) and comes near us, we both Gandharvas and the Rakshasas kill those fools. Stay at a distance. Do not come near me. Know you not that I am now bathing in the waters of Ganges. Know me to be the Gandharva named Angapaarna who depends only on his own strength or arms. The Kapalikas, the Srngis or the Devas dare not come here. It appears you are human beings. How dare you then to approach me, who is the brightest jewel in Kuber's crown?" Arjuna said, "O wretch, to whom can the ocean, the sides of the Himalayas or this river Ganges be barred, whether at night or day or at twilight? We are endowed with prowess. We care not disregarding your words, touch at pleasure the sacred waters of the Ganges which is ever accessible to all."

Hearing this, Angaarparna became very angry and drawing his bow he shot at them his arrows, which were like the poisonous snakes. The Pandava Arjuna, who had an excellent shield, warded off all those arrows with it and with the torch in his hand. Then the Pandava angrily hurled at the Gandharva that celestial weapon, blazing fire weapon, which immediately burnt his chariot. Having fainted away by the force of the weapon, the greatly powerful Gandharva was falling headlong downwards from his chariot. But Arjuna seized him by the hair of his head, which was adorned, with garlands of flowers. He dragged towards his brother that Gandharva insensible in consequence of being wounded by the weapon. Seeing this, his wife Kumminasi being desireous of rescuing her husband, came to Yudhisthira and asked for his protection. Yudhisthira said,"O, chastiser of foes, who would kill an enemy who has been vanquished in the battle, who has been deprived of his fame, who is protected by a woman and who is incapable of defending himself. 0 child, set him free."

Arjuna said, "O Gandharva ! Take your life. Go hence and do not grieve. The king of the Kurus, Yudhisthira orders me today to show you mercy."

The Gandharva said, "I have been defeated by you, therefore I shall give up my former name of Angaarparna (the blazing vehicle). My excellent and beautiful chariot has been burnt by your fireweapon. I was formerly called Chitraratha having a beautiful chariot; I shall now be called Dagdharatha (having the chariot burnt). I am desirous to impart to Arjuna the power of producing illusions of the Gandharvas. This science is called Chaaksusi. It was taught by Manu to Soma. Soma taught it to Vishwaprabha. Vishwaprabha taught it to me. Having been given by the preceptor to one who is a Kaapurus (without energy) it went to die out. Listen now to its prowess. Whatever you will desire to see by your eyes in this world and whatever its nature, it will be seen by you with the help of this science. One can acquire this science by standing on one leg for six months. I shall impart to you this science without your observing any vows. 0 King! Only on account of this science, we have superiority over men. Because we are capable of seeing everything (by our spiritual eyes) we are equal to the celestials. 0 excellent man, I desire to give you and your brothers, each separately, one hundred horses born in the regions of the Gandhara. They are of the celestial colour and they possess speed as that of the mind. Arjuna refused to be obliged by the Gandharva. Gandharva then asked to give his fire weapon in exchange of his horses.

Arjuna said, "O Gandharva ! I shall take your horses in exchange of my fire-weapon. Let our friendship be everlasting. 0 Gandharva ! we are all chastisers of foes, we are all learned in the Vedas, and we are all virtuous. Tell us why we were censured by you when travelling at night."

Gandharva said, "O sons of Pandu ! you do not keep fire, you do not have wives; you have no Brahmanas walking before you, therefore you were censured by me. 0 descedant of Kuru ! no man, possessing strength of arms, ought to bear with patience any ill usage before his wife. 0 son of Kunti, our strength specially increases at night. As I was accompanied by my wife, I was filled with wrath. 0 best of all vow-observing men, I was vanquished by you in battle; hear from me the reason for which I was discomfited. 0 chastiser of foes, if any Kshatriya, engaged in the exercise of his desire to fight with us at night, he can never escape from us with life. But Brahmacharya is a great virtue, you are leading that mode of life. 0 Arjuna, it was for this that I was defeated by you in battle."

So it is clear that preservation of vital fluid is very essential. Now let us understand the actual meaning of Brahmacharya before we discuss about some powerful aids to the practice of Brahmacharya.