The Kirata and Arjuna

About 12 min read · 1,990 words

In the story-assembly on Kailasa, Nandishvara spoke. Great sage, hear now the tale of Shambhu’s descent as the Kirata, the hunter, in which he killed the demon Muka and, well pleased, granted Arjuna a boon. The story begins in Dvaitavana. The Pandavas, cheated at dice, were passing their days in the forest with Draupadi, their one resource the cooking pot the Sun had given them, and from it they fed every guest who came.

The Test at Dvaitavana

Away in his palace, Duryodhana could not bear even this much contentment in his cousins. To work his treachery, he goaded the great sage Durvasa into calling on the Pandavas. The rishi arrived at Dvaitavana with ten thousand disciples and asked for a meal of his choosing. The Pandavas accepted the request and sent all the sages off to bathe, then trembled inwardly, for there was no food left at all. The danger was so sharp that thoughts of surrendering their lives began to stir in their hearts. Then Draupadi called Krishna to mind. He came at once, accepted the offering of a single leaf of greens, and satisfied every one of the ascetics. Durvasa understood that his disciples were already full, and he left from there without another word.

Then Krishna advised them to turn now to the worship of Shiva. Soon after, Vyasa arrived as well and said that Shiva is the destroyer of every sorrow, that devotion pleases him in a very short while, and that he grants enjoyment in this world and even moksha, liberation, in the next. For now, he said, let Arjuna first recite the Shakra-vidya, the lore of Indra, with steady resolve. Indra would test him first, then, satisfied, would clear away every obstacle and secure for him Shiva’s supreme mantra. So saying, Vyasa gave Arjuna that lore, which Arjuna received after bathing and turning his face toward the east. Then, having explained the rite for worshiping an earthen Shiva-linga, the sage said, Partha, go now to Mount Indrakila and perform austerities on the bank of the Jahnavi, the Ganga, and this lore will stay unseen and forever work for your good. Blessing the Pandavas to hold firm to dharma, Vyasa vanished. The moment Arjuna took up the Shiva-mantra, a matchless radiance filled him, so bright that his brothers grew certain of victory. Arjuna asked leave of his four brothers and of Draupadi, and though the pain of parting touched them all, they saw the greatness of the errand and gave their consent.

Austerity on Indrakila

On Indrakila, near the Ganga, Arjuna found a place lovelier than heaven itself. He bathed, bowed to his guru, dressed as the teaching he had received prescribed, drew his senses inward, settled onto his seat, and sat. He shaped a fine, well-proportioned earthen Shiva-linga and before it began to meditate on Shankara, that mass of pure radiance. Bathing at the three junctures of the day, worshiping again and again, his devotion grew so single-pointed that a flame of light began to rise from the crown of his head.

Indra’s spies, unnerved, reported to the king of the gods. Lord of the devas, some man is performing austerities in the forest, and we cannot tell whether he is a god, a rishi, the Sun, or Fire itself. Indra guessed at once that this was the resolve of his own son, Arjuna. He went to test him in the guise of a celibate brahmana student. Arjuna honored the guest, praised him, and asked the reason for his welcome arrival. Indra said things meant to shake the austerity loose, yet Arjuna’s resolve proved immovable. Then Indra revealed his true form, told Arjuna the mantra of Lord Shankara, commanded him to recite it, ordered his attendants to protect him, and said, gentle one, never rule your kingdom with negligence. Let the seeker keep his patience, for Shiva himself is the protector, and he grants wealth and moksha alike, with an equal hand. Having said this, the king of the gods returned to his palace.

The Boar, the Hunter, and Two Arrows

Now Arjuna began fierce austerity, reciting the five-syllable mantra. Alarmed by that radiance, the gods came to Shiva and said, Lord of all, whatever he wants, why not simply give it to him. The great lord laughed and said, gods, go back, we will accomplish your errand in every way.

At that very moment a demon named Muka arrived there in the form of a boar. Understand this: the cunning, wicked-souled Duryodhana had sent him against Arjuna. Tearing up mountain peaks, snapping trees, making all manner of noises, the beast came forward along that same path. Arjuna called Shiva’s lotus feet to mind and reasoned that this cruel creature had surely come to work him harm. The one whose sight gladdens the heart is a well-wisher, he thought, and the one whose mere appearance throws the heart into distress is an enemy. Eyes too are said to be of four kinds: bright, tender, slanted, and red. The instant I saw this creature my senses grew clouded, so it deserves to be killed, and my Shiva-guru’s own command is that whoever comes bent on killing should be killed without a second thought. Arjuna fitted an arrow to his bow and stood ready.

Meanwhile Shankara, tender toward his devotees, came in person to test that devotion and to destroy the demon. Shiva had taken the form of a king of the Bhillas, the forest hunters: his loincloth cinched tight, a banner of cloth-scraps knotted about him, white stripes across his limbs, a full quiver on his back, bow and arrows in hand, and a troop of his ganas beside him in the same hunter’s dress. Just then the boar’s snarl rang through all ten directions, and the very mountains shuddered with the sound. Startled, Arjuna began to wonder whether this might be Lord Shiva himself, come to do him good. Krishna and Vyasa had said as much, that Shiva is the doer of blessings. Those who worship him with their whole being never meet sorrow even in a dream, he thought, and the hardship of a test only purifies a devotee the way fire purifies gold. He turns poison to nectar and nectar to poison. By worshiping Shiva I will win the highest happiness from him alone.

Arjuna was still turning these thoughts over when the boar came straight into his arrow’s line, and behind it he could see Shiva as well, in pursuit. Between the two of them the boar loomed like some strange peak. In the same instant both loosed arrows at it. Shiva aimed at the tail, Arjuna at the mouth. Shiva’s arrow entered through the tail, emerged from the mouth, and vanished into the earth; Arjuna’s arrow passed out through the hind part and fell to one side. The demon died in that instant and collapsed, and his cruel true form was laid bare. The gods raised shouts of victory and rained down flowers, Shiva’s heart was satisfied, and Arjuna felt a great happiness. He said to himself, this creature had come to kill me, yet it was Shiva who protected me. Arjuna sang the name of Shiva aloud and, bowing again and again, offered his praise.

Recognition and the Pashupata

Just then one of the Kirata king’s attendants came and stood there, laying claim to the kill. This boar belongs to our master, he said, let it go. The dispute between Arjuna and this messenger of Shiva grew and grew until it reached open battle, and Shankara himself, in his Kirata’s disguise, closed with his own devotee. Arjuna’s blows kept landing on the hunter’s body, the very blows that would later be counted as worship of Mahadeva. Then came the moment when Arjuna recognized that this king of the Bhillas was Shankara in person. He spoke with devotion. Shambhu, you are the most excellent of masters; how can we describe your compassion? And he began his hymn of praise. God of gods, dweller on Kailasa, five-faced supreme lord, Sadashiva, before you we bow our head. Wearer of matted locks, three-eyed one, blue-throated one, bull-bannered lord who holds Girija at your left side, to you we bow again and again. With the damaru drum, the skull, the trident, and the Pinaka bow in your hands, your sacred form fair as camphor, a tiger’s skin across your body, bearer of the Ganga, chief of the ganas whom the ganas serve, to you we bow. And we bow also to that self of yours which, in grace toward us, put on this Kirata’s guise. Whatever is seen in the world is only your own radiance. As the raindrops cannot be counted, so your virtues are beyond number, and the Vedas themselves cannot count them; what count, then, are we? You are the master, we are the servant; be gracious to us.

Hearing the hymn, Shankara laughed and said, child, we are supremely pleased; now ask your boon. The blows and strikes you dealt us we have accepted as our own worship. All of this happened by our will alone; where is any fault of yours in it? What has come to pass has come out well, for the sake of your fame and the founding of your kingdom among your enemies. Set aside your worry, and ask for whatever you long for; we have nothing at all that we would withhold from you. Arjuna joined his palms and said in a voice thick with feeling, all-pervading lord, you are the inner ruler of every heart; what is there for us to say? The suffering my enemies caused has been destroyed by your darshan itself. Now grant me such grace that I may win the highest accomplishment in this world.

Shiva understood that Arjuna was his devotee beyond any other, and the great lord gave Arjuna his weapon called the Pashupata, forever unconquerable by every living being. He said, child, by wielding this you will become invincible against all your enemies; go, and win your victory. We will speak to Krishna as well, and he will help you, for Krishna is our own self, our devotee, the one who carries out our work. Bharata, by our power enjoy a kingdom free of every thorn, and see to it always that your brother Yudhishthira performs the works of dharma. So saying, Shankara laid his lotus hand on Arjuna’s head and vanished.

With the boon and the weapon won, Arjuna returned to the hermitage, keeping his guru Shiva in mind. His brothers felt a joy as though life had come back into dead bodies; Draupadi, faithful to her vows, was overjoyed as well, and no one could hear enough of the story, however long the telling ran. In that same hour a rain of sandal-scented flowers began to fall on the hermitage. The Pandavas bowed to Shiva, the doer of blessings, and, knowing that the term of thirteen years was near its end, made up their minds for victory. When the news reached him, Krishna too came to meet them and said, this is exactly why we told you that Shankara is the destroyer of every affliction. We serve him without fail; you should do the same.

Nandishvara drew the story to a close. Sage, whoever hears or tells this Kirata-charita, this deed of the hunter, sees all his desires fulfilled. Let us say one thing plainly: in the familiar telling of the Mahabharata, the quarrel over the kill breaks out directly between Arjuna and the Kirata, yet the Shiva Purana holds that Muka was sent by Duryodhana and that the first exchange of words was with Shiva’s messenger.

Source: Shiva Purana (Gita Press, abridged Shiva Purana edition), Shatarudra Samhita