The divine union of Arjun and Ulupi

Start writing...Arjuna's life was not limited to war and valour, but it had many unique colours of love, sacrifice and destiny. When he married Draupadi, Kunti had made a rule that each Pandava would stay with Draupadi for one year, and during that time the other Pandavas would stay away from her. But when Arjuna saw Yudhishthira and Draupadi in solitude, he had to go on a 12-year exile as per the rule. During this exile, he had to marry the serpent princess Ulupi, which became one of the most unique events of his life.

Arjuna's travels during exile

Arjuna was travelling to different countries during his exile. One day he was resting on the banks of the Ganga. As soon as he entered the water, suddenly an invisible force started pulling him downwards. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in Nagaloka. There were snakes all around. In the midst of all those snakes,

there stood before him a very beautiful lady- Nagakanya Ulupi. There was immense love in her eyes. She said to Arjuna, "O mighty Arjuna! I am Ulupi, the daughter of Nagaraja Kauravya. Ever since I have seen you, I have been attracted to you. I want to marry you."

On hearing Ulupi's words, Arjuna replied, "O Nagakanya! I am in exile at this time and cannot marry anyone." But Ulupi explained to him that this marriage was extremely necessary not only for him, but also for Nagaloka. She told that all this was the result of a sage's curse.

A sage's curse and Ulupi's duty

Ulupi told Arjuna that once upon a time, one of the ancestors of the Naga dynasty had insulted a great sage. The angry sage cursed that the existence of the Naga dynasty would gradually decline and only the blessings of a great warrior could prevent this destruction. All the scholars of Nagaloka had predicted that the great warrior would be Arjuna. Therefore Ulupi wanted Arjuna to become her husband so that her dynasty could be free from this curse.

Arjuna felt a sense of duty on hearing this. He followed his dharma and married Ulupi. This marriage became a symbol of not only love but also of duty, a sacrifice and a resolve.

Arjuna got a divine boon

After marriage, Ulupi gave Arjun a wonderful boon-the boon of being invincible in water. Due to this boon, Arjuna became an invincible warrior in water. Later in the Mahabharata war, when he was fighting the Kauravas, this boon protected him.

A unique love story

The marriage of Arjuna and Ulupi is one of those sagas of Mahabharata, which depicts a unique confluence of love and duty. This marriage of Arjuna was not just a personal decision but a symbol of his responsibility as a great warrior. The love, dedication and sacrifice of Ulupi made this story even more precious.

The story of Arjuna and Ulupi is not just a love story but it shows that some decisions in life are not only for personal happiness but also for the welfare of the wider society. This marriage of Arjuna reflects his sense of duty, dharma and sacrifice. This wonderful incident of Mahabharata teaches us that love and duty complement each other in life.