Arjuni: The Kuru Princess
Arjuni's name resounded in every corner of Aryabhart, celebrated for her fierceness, bravery, kindness, and unmatched skills. She embodied Vibhatsu and Karuna, destruction intertwined with kindness. Feared yet beloved, she was the cherished princess, the very soul of the realm. To her family, she was the epitome of joy, adored by siblings and cousins alike. Legends whispered that her presence alone illuminated every space with laughter and vitality. Though quiet and serene, her mere existence filled hearts with pride and joy.
The Pandavas and Kauravas shared a profound sibling bond, despite their playful quarrels, especially between Bhima and Duryodhana. They revered, cherished, and respected each other deeply. It was a known truth throughout the realm that any harm directed towards the Pandavas would invoke the fierce protection of the Kauravas, and vice versa. Above all, to incur the wrath of the Kuru Princess, Arjuni, was to invite unimaginable consequences.
The Pandavas were not merely ordinary princes and princesses; they were the divine blessings bestowed through unwavering devotion and penance.
Though Arjuni harbored equal love for all her siblings and cousins, her affection, devotion, and reverence towards Karna, the eldest of the Pandavas, surpassed imagination. Karna, born to Kunti through the blessings of Suryadev during her maidenhood, held a unique place in her heart. Before her marriage to Pandu, the prince of Hastinapur, she disclosed the truth about her eldest son, fearing rejection from her beloved upon learning the truth. Yet, Pandu, a man of profound kindness and love, embraced Karna as his own, regarding him as his eldest with unwavering affection.
Karna, despite harboring love for all his siblings and cousins, adored and loved Arjuni a bit more than the others. He was almost sixteen when Arjuni was born, and from the moment he held the little princess in his arms, she had wrapped her eldest brother around her tiny fingers. Karna was Arjuni's rock and shoulder, and she was his in return. They could understand each other without needing words, representing a sibling bond that ran incredibly deep. Even when Karna was breaking down in grief after losing their father Pandu, little Arjuni provided him a shoulder to cry on, even though her own heart was breaking into pieces due to the loss of their father.
Arjuni revered Karna like a second father and followed him like a devoted cub. Being the eldest in the dynasty, he was the first to complete his education in warfare and politics. He introduced Arjuni to archery, a technique of warfare that never failed to amaze the little princess, whenever Karna was performing simple or intricate tricks for his young protégé. Karna was the one who taught Arjuni the basics of archery whenever he returned home from the gurukul.
While many credited Dronacharya for teaching Arjuni archery—an assertion that holds true, as Guru Dronacharya indeed imparted significant knowledge—it is undeniable that Karna was the one who planted the seed of passion for archery in the heart of the princess.
Not only Karna, but Arjuni was a favorite of all the Kuru men; she was the apple of their eyes. Pampered and doted upon, she sometimes felt embarrassed by their indulgence. Whenever her cousins and siblings went to town or on diplomatic missions, they would bring her sweets, jewelry, and trinkets. Every time her grandsire Bhishma saw her, he would take her on adventures and shower her with gifts. She was the only one who read stories, books, and poetry daily to her blind uncle, King Dhritarashtra, who in return would recount tales of her father Pandu's childhood. Her uncle Vidura would regale her with stories about myths and histories, a subject that deeply fascinated the young princess.
It wasn't just the Kuru men who adored her; the Kuru women loved and cherished her as well. Her mother, Kunti, and aunt Gandhari would always cook delicious meals for her whenever she desired. Dushala, her partner in crime, shared a deep bond of friendship with her. Though Dushala was a bit older, the two, being roughly the same age, were inseparable. They would often visit the town together, mingling with the common people of the realm, earning Arjuni the affectionate title of "People's Princess."
The only one who didn't like her, or any of the Pandavas in general, was Gandhar Raj Shakuni, the brother of Gandhari and the maternal uncle of the Kauravas. He was a vicious and hatred-filled man, who harbored deep animosity towards the Kuru dynasty. Shakuni always sought to manipulate the Kauravas against their cousins and create a rift between them. However, as we know, blood matters and blood runs deep; their familial ties of kinship ran so profoundly that even the gods above couldn't separate the two sets of cousins.
Shakuni especially blamed Arjuni because both sets of princes adored her the most, making her the link that united the two groups. One day, he went as far as to poison the young princess, but was captured in the process by none other than his own nephews, Duryodhana and Dushashana. They were livid when they discovered his intentions and literally dragged the crippled man to the court, throwing him in front of the others. They relayed his cruel and monstrous intentions to the king and the court, inciting great anger, especially among the princes. The princes had to be physically restrained by the guards on the order of Arjuni herself, preventing them from killing the evil man then and there.
Shakuni was found guilty by the sabha. He sought help from his sister, but she denied him, overwhelmed with shame that such an evil man was her brother. Shakuni was executed in the palace courtyard a day after his trial. His execution was attended by most citizens of the realm, who wanted to witness the death of the malevolent creature who had attempted to poison their beloved princess.
Before his execution, Shakuni was tortured by the Kuru princes, with Karna taking a particularly active role. Karna used various poisonous arrows to torment him and shatter his egoistic mind. Ultimately, Shakuni was beheaded by his nephew, thereby establishing the principle that any harm against their cherished princess would inevitably result in the perpetrator's death.
As years passed, the bond between the Kauravas and Pandavas not only remained steadfast but grew even deeper. The princes and princess were rigorously trained in politics and the arts of warfare. They were formidable with weapons in their hands, but none were as lethal and proficient as Arjuni. She mastered all forms of warfare at a young age, especially excelling in archery. Her bow and arrows became an extension of her body. She was called Savyasachi, the only one in the entire realm—and the world—who could shoot arrows with both hands.
Arjuni was feared for her intelligence and unparalleled skills. She and her eldest brother, Karna, were exceptional in archery, so brilliant that even the divine gods were awestruck by their prowess. They were absolute war machines; the sound of their bows struck terror into the hearts of their enemies. It was well known that to face either of them in battle was tantamount to a death sentence.
As Arjuni grew, she married Draupadi, the fireborn princess of Panchala, by winning her hand at her swayamvar. They became the first women ever to marry each other in the realm. Their union was opposed by some narrow-minded individuals, but neither Arjuni nor Draupadi, nor their families, cared about their opinions.
A year passed, and one day Maharishi Ved Vyasa advised the Kuru family to arrange another swayamvar for Arjuni, as her destiny ('bhagya') dictated that she was to marry two individuals. According to Vyasa, her union with these two would change the course of Aryavarta's history. This suggestion initially met with resistance from Arjuni, but after a deep conversation with her wife Draupadi, she was ultimately persuaded.
With Arjuni's and Draupadi's consent, preparations for the swayamvar began. However, her siblings—Karna, Yudhishthira, Bhima, Nakula, and Sahadeva—as well as her cousins, were reluctant to let her go. Arjuni managed to reassure them by saying they could threaten her future husband if needed and that she would spend most of her time with them, which alleviated their concerns.
The swayamvar was finally arranged, and princes and even princesses from far and wide came to take part in the challenge, hoping to win the heart of the Kuru Princess. The challenge was to string a bow that once belonged to Lord Vishnu himself. Each contestant tried but failed to even lift the bow. They were astonished that Arjuni could lift it effortlessly, as she had brought the bow to the tournament and placed it in the middle of the courtyard.
No one knew that Arjuni's ease in lifting the bow was because she was the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi, Goddess Saraswati, and Goddess Parvati—the Tridevi. Previously, she was Naari, the consort of Narayana, and a partial incarnation of Lord Vishnu himself, in addition to being the daughter of Indra.
Suddenly, the arena fell silent as someone entered. Everyone turned to see who it was, and they were shocked. The person had a dark complexion, shoulder-length black hair, a brilliant smile, and a divine aura. The most enchanting feature was his multihued eyes, which seemed to contain entire galaxies. It was none other than Mathura's dear prince, Vasudev Krishna.
Krishna was, like Arjuni, both feared and beloved in the realm. He was the incarnation of Vishnu himself, and his tales were famous even in the remotest corners of the land.
Arjuni, upon seeing the dark-complexioned prince, felt an unknown magnetic force pulling her towards him. Her eyes met his, and suddenly a miracle occurred. She saw behind him a silvery outline of Lord Vishnu, surrounded by a radiant glow. At the same time, Krishna saw faint outlines of Devi Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Parvati behind Arjuni, enveloped in a soft pinkish light. Their eyes met again, and they nodded softly to each other. Krishna's dazzling smile made Arjuni blush, causing Draupadi to nudge her wife with a teasing grin.
Krishna was Draupadi's best friend, and she knew he was the best person to trust for Arjuni to marry. Although Draupadi had said she was okay with Arjuni marrying again, she harbored an irrational fear that the new spouse might try to disrupt their union. This fear had troubled her, but seeing Krishna there, she was able to let go of those worries.
Krishna stepped up to the bow with a calm and serene demeanor , he first did a pranam to the elders and everyone present there and then with effortless grace, he lifted the bow of Vishnu, stunning the crowd into silence. He strung it with ease, demonstrating his unparalleled strength and divine favor. The bow sang as he drew it back, a melody of power and grace that echoed through the courtyard.
Arjuni's heart swelled with admiration and joy. Krishna, with his divine aura and unmatched skill, had proven himself worthy. The crowd erupted in applause and cheers, acknowledging the new victor, and even the kuru family celebrated in happiness as they knew Krishna would protect arjuni with his life, even though arjuni didn't need any protection but still.
Draupadi, watching from the arjuni's side, felt a wave of relief wash over her. The fears she had harbored about losing her bond with Arjuni faded away, replaced by a sense of certainty and trust. She gave a teasing nudge again to her wife who blushed but still had a beautiful and dazzling smile on her face.
Krishna approached Arjuni, his smile dazzling. Arjuni could see her mother, wife and sister giving her teasing smiles but she just mock glared at them making them giggle. Gandhari was also chuckling softly when kunti relayed arjuni's blushing to her. Arjuni slowly placed the garland around Krishna's neck while the crowd erupted into cheers. Krishna slowly took Arjuni's hand, and they stood together before the assembly, their divine connection clear for all to see.
"With the blessings of the gods," Krishna began, his voice resonating with warmth and promise"I vow to honor and cherish Arjuni, as we unite not just in marriage but in purpose and destiny." Arjuni gave him a wide dazzling smile in return of his words. The kuru family could feel that Arjuni and Krishna's marriage was not just a bond of love but a union that would shape the future of Aryavarta.
As the feasting began, Arjuni's cousins and siblings took Krishna aside to deliver a threatening speech that even made the great lord feel a tad bit nervous. Arjuni and Draupadi, who stood by his side, laughed heartily at the sight of the protective group. Karna was particularly detailed about the tortures he would enforce if Krishna ever dared to hurt his sister, while the rest agreed vehemently. Krishna reached forward and held Karna's palm, promising them all that he would sooner die than make Arjuni cry. This heartfelt promise relieved the group of cousins, and Arjuni blushed a deep shade of red, prompting Draupadi to offer her a teasing nudge.
After the brothers went away, Arjuni and Draupadi began teasing Krishna, noting how even the lord himself had been intimidated by the protective siblings. Krishna pouted sweetly, and Draupadi and Arjuni pinched his cheeks while laughing merrily.
That evening, wedding arrangements were made for Krishna and Arjuni. They performed the pheras together, and Krishna placed the churamani on Arjuni's head, making her smile softly and deepening their divine bond. Arjuni also renewed her vows with Draupadi, forging a soulmate bond among the three.
They knew that their journey together would be one of great adventures and profound connections, a path illuminated by divine guidance and unwavering love.
Even today, millennia later, the citizens of Aryavarta, modern-day India, when regaled with the tales of the illustrious Kuru Kingdom, invariably recall the profound familial bond shared between the two factions of cousins, the preeminent warrior of that era, Arjuni, and the profound love she shared with her consorts, Krishna and Draupadi. Together, the triumvirate of Krishnas indeed altered the trajectory of Aryavarta, transforming it into a realm where harmony prevailed, and each individual was accorded equitable respect.
@aru-loves-krishnaxarjuna this for you! I hope you'll like this! This is the first time I am writing a story like this and posting here on Tumblr lol, so I am a bit nervous haha