The Greatest Hunter

Later, as advised by Vyasa, Arjuna went to the Himalayas to practise austerities for the purpose of getting new weapons from the devas. Arjuna took leave of his brothers and went to Panchali to bid her farewell.

She said: "O Dhananjaya, may you 
prosper in your mission. May God give
you all that Kuntidevi hoped and wished
for when you were born. The happiness,life,
 honor and prosperity of us all depend
on you. Return after acquiring new
weapons."

Arjuna passed through dense forests and reached the mountain of Indrakila, where he met an old brahmana. The ascetic smiled and spoke affectionately to Arjuna:

"Child, you are clad in armor and carry

weapons. Who are you? Weapons are of

no use here. What do you seek in this garb

of a kshatriya in this abode of ascetics and

saints who have conquered anger and

passion?" 

That was Indra, the king of gods, who came to have the pleasure of meeting his son.

Arjuna bowed to his father and said: "I seek arms. Bless me with weapons." Indra replied: "O Dhananjaya, what is the use of weapons? Ask for pleasures or seek to go to higher worlds for enjoyment."Arjuna answered: "O king of gods, I do not seek pleasures of higher worlds. I have come here after leaving Panchali and my brothers in the forest. I seek but weapons."

The thousand-eyed said: "If you be

blessed by the vision of God Rudra, the

three-eyed god, and obtain his grace, you

will receive divine weapons. Do penance

unto Rudra."

Thus saying Indra disappeared. Then, Arjuna went to the Himalayas and did penance to obtain the grace of Siva. Siva under the guise of a hunter and accompanied by his divine spouse Umadevi, entered the forest in pursuit of a game.

The chase grew fast and furious, and presently a wild boar started charging Arjuna, who shot an arrow into it with his Gandiva bow at the same moment that the hunter Siva transfixed it with a shaft from his Pinaka bow.

Arjuna shouted in loud voice: "Who are you? Why are you ranging in this forest
with your wife? How dare you shoot at the game I had aimed at?" The hunter replied as though in contempt:

"This forest, full of game, belongs to us,

who live in it. You do not look tough

enough to be a forester. Your limbs and

bearing bespeak a soft luxurious life. It is

rather for me to ask what you are doing

here."

 He also added that it was his shaft that had killed the boar, and that if Arjuna thought differently be was welcome to fight about it. Nothing could please Arjuna better. He jumped up and showered snake-like arrows at Siva. To his amazement, they seemed to have no effect on the hunter and fell back hurtless like storm-driven rain from a mountain peak. When he had no more arrows, he started to strike Siva with his bow.

 But the hunter seemed not to heed it and wrenched with ease the bow out of Arjuna's hand and burst into laughter. Arjuna, who had been disarmed with humiliating ease by one who seemed an ordinary hunter of the forest, was struck with amazement, almost amounting to doubt. But undaunted, he drew his sword and continued the combat. The sword was split into pieces on the hunter's adamantine frame. There was now nothing to do but to grapple with the formidable unknown. But here again he was outmatched. 

The hunter caught him in an iron clasp so close that Arjuna was quite helpless. Worsted and overmastered, Arjuna humbly sought divine aid and meditated on Siva. As he did so, a light broke on his troubled mind, and at once he knew who the hunter really was. He fell at the feet of the Lord and, in a broken voice of repentance and adoration he prayed for forgiveness. "I forgive you," said Siva smilingly and gave him back his Gandiva bow, as well as the otherweapons, of which he had been deprived.

He also bestowed on Arjuna the marvellous Pasupata weapon.

Arjuna's body, battered in the unequal combat, was made whole and perfect by the divine touch of the three-eyed god and became a hundred fold stronger and more brilliant than before.

"Go to heaven and render dutiful respect
to your father Indra," said Siva and
vanished from view like the setting sun.

Arjuna was overcome with joy and
exclaimed:

"Have I really seen the God

face to face and have I been blessed with

his divine touch? What more do I need?"

At that moment, Matali, the charioteer of Indra, came there with his chariot and took Arjuna to the kingdom of the gods.