THE FAMOUS STORY OF PATHETIC DEFEAT AND RETREAT OF ARJUNA FROM HIS ENCOUNTER WITH WEAPONLESS ROBBERS

According to original ved vyass mahabharata, arjuna was the only warrior who was defeated by weaponless robbbers and fled away to save his life. He had broken all records of usain bolt when he took heroic flight abandoing 16000 wives of lord krishna

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BORI Critical Edition -

Mausala Parv, Section-8

1) During the fierce encounter with dwarka robbers, arjuna was protected by entire yadava army including Vrishnis and andhakas chariot fighters, horse fighters, elephant fighters and foot soldiers. Yadava army was one of the best army of dwapar yuga

Translation by B.Debroy -

On Partha’s instructions, the servants of the Andhakas and the Vrishnis, horse riders and chariot riders surrounded the women, the aged, the young and the citizens, who were without any brave ones to defend them, and advanced. Elephant riders advanced on elephants that were as large as mountains. There were foot soldiers for protection. They also raised their weapons and advanced. All the sons of the Andhakas and the Vrishnis followed Partha.

Cross Reference -

Translation by B.Debroy -

Supported by the servants of the Vrishnis, the lord Partha Dhananjaya, forcefully shot arrows from Gandiva and struck the bandits.

2) Robbers were armed with wooden sticks (practically weaponless). All robbers had attacked arjuna and yadava army. All of them disregarded the warning of arjuna and attacked him from all sides

Translation by B.Debroy -

Thousands of bandits descended and began to strike them with sticks. Desiring to steal the property, those people attacked the Vrishnis. As if goaded by the progress of time and desiring the riches, they attacked. With his followers, Kounteya swiftly returned. Th mighty-armed Arjuna laughed and said, “O wicked ones who do not know about dharma! If you wish to be safe and do not wish to die, retreat. Otherwise, you will have to sorrow when my arrows mangle your bodies and you are killed by me.” When the brave one spoke in this way, they paid no attention to his words. Arjuna repeatedly tried to restrain the foolish ones who had attacked.

3) Arjuna was unable to string gandiva properly and all weapons escaped from his poor memory. During encounter with robbers, he lost his strength as robbers washed him under bamboo sticks. Arjuna was greatly ashamed for his failure

Translation by B.Debroy -

‘Arjuna then tried to string the giant, undecaying and divine bow, Gandiva. To be able to string it, he had to make a great deal of effort. While that tumultuous engagement was going on, he struggled and finally strung it. He then thought of his weapons, but couldn’t remember them. In the engagement, he witnessed this great calamity of the strength of his arms having disappeared. The great and divine weapons no longer manifested themselves and he was ashamed.

4) Valiant robbers had overpowered arjuna and entire yadva army and single handedly kidnapped best of all wives of lord krishna in front of arjuna. Some ladies had surrenered themselve in front robbers as they too realized that arjuna was not worthy to protect them from evil robbers

Translation by B.Debroy -

All the Vrishni warriors, those who were fighting on elephants, horses and chariots, were unable to prevent those men from stealing their possessions. As they attacked from different directions, they abducted many women. Though Partha made great efforts, he couldn’t protect the people. While all the warriors looked on, in every direction, the best of women were seized. There were other women who voluntarily went with the robbers.

5) Arjuna himself accepted his inability and he began to blame destiny for his pathetic defeat. Instead of to protect wives of his best friend, arjuna began to run away abandoing 16000 ladies to the mercy of robbers

Screenshot -

Translation by B.Debroy -

O Janamejaya! However, in every direction, while Partha looked on, the mlechchhas seized the best of the Vrishni and Andhaka women. The lord Dhananjaya thought that this could be nothing other than destiny. He was full of sorrow and grief and sighed deeply. The weapons had disappeared and the valour of his arms had been destroyed. The bow was no longer under his control and his arrows had been exhausted. Partha was cheerless and thought. ‘O king! He started to retreat and said, “This is nothing but destiny.” The immensely intelligent one collected the remaining wives and the remaining jewels and went to Kurukshetra.

Cross Reference -

Adi Parv, Section–1

Then is described the journey from Dvaravati with the aged and the children and the sufferings, with the defeat of the gandiva bow. He witnessed the inefficacy of his celestial weapons and the failure to prevent the destruction of the Yadava women.

Summary of encounter-

1. Valiant robbers armed with bamboo sticks attacked arjuna and yadava army
2. All robbers overpowered arjuna and abducted 16000 wives of lord krishna
3. When robbers were engaged in dragging women, great arjuna took heroic flight and fled away abandonoing those helples ladies
4. It was arjuna who adviced robbers to run away for saving their life. Irony is that it was again arjuna who fled from robbers to save his life. Robbers must be laughing at retreating arjuna !!

Conclusion : Valiant robbers defeated arjuna and compelled him to flee from encounter

SOURCE : BORI Critical Edition Of Ved Vyass Mahabharata