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Draft:Arjunavivaha

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Arjunavivaha
Arjunavivaha
by Mapu Kanva
Arjuna, the main character here in this historical book about the Mahabharata, was one of the five Pandavas and also, one of the main characters there
Original titleArjunavivaha
Written1019 to 1042
CountryIndonesia
LanguageJavanese
Subject(s)Religion
Genre(s)Mythology
FormEpic
PublisherMapu Kanva
Publication date1019 to 1042
Media typeManuscript
Full text
Jv/Kakawin Arjunawiwāha at Wikisource

Arjunavivaha is one of the first poems to appear in the Eastern Javanese period of Hindu Java in the 11th century CE. Arjunavivaha was composed by Mapu Kanva during the reign of King Airlangga, the king of the Kahuripan kingdom, from 1019 CE to 1042 CE.

This historical book tell the story of one of the five Pandavas named Arjuna in the Mahabharata as he meditated and undertook a serious exercise in asceticism on Mount Indrakila. During his meditation, he was tested by the gods and goddesses by sending two of the apsaras who were the most beautiful of them, Suprabha and Tilottama, to seduce him. The young Arjuna did not budge and resolutely continued to meditate despite the charms of the apsaras. Then, the god Indra came to the earth disguised as an old Brahmana. They discussed religious matters and Arjuna succeeded in answering Indra's questions, after which he revealed his true identity and returned to Svargaloka.

Suddenly, a demon named Muka in the form of a wild boar sent by Duryodhana to kill Arjuna went on a rampage against Arjuna, after which Arjuna shot him with an arrow from his bow and killed him. But at the same time, an old hunter also shot and killed the asura in the form of a wild boar and then, he appeared before Arjuna telling him that he had also shot and killed the asura in the form of a wild boar, and then both Arjuna and the old hunter were arguing about who killed the asura in the form of a wild boar, after which they both found that they both killed the asura in the form of a wild boar.

It turns out that the hunter is actually the god Shiva, who came to give Arjuna his Pashupatastra arrows which gave him then and went away to Kailasha. Arjuna was assigned the task of killing Nivatakavacha, an asura who has disturbed the peaceful and orderly world of Svargaloka by the gods and goddesses. To carry out this task, the gods and goddesses gave Arjuna all powerful arrows as weapons.

Arjuna finally succeeded in his mission to kill Nivatakavacha and killed both him and all his asuras and asuris, and as a reward, the gods and goddesses gave Arjuna seven apsaras for his marriage to them and they married him to all of them and he was made to enjoy Svargaloka for seven days and he enjoyed the joys of Svargaloka for seven days and later he went to Indraprastha.[1]

The reliefs of Arjunavivaha are carved on Candis (Temples) in East Java, such as Candi Kedaton in Probolinggo Regency, Candi Suravana near Kediri and Candi Jago near Malang.

References

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  1. ^ "About the translation of Arjunavivaha"(https://doi.org/10.1163%2F22134379-90003817). Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bijdragen_tot_de_Taal-,_Land-_en_Volkenkunde). 157 (1): 35–50. (https://doi.org/10.1163%2F22134379-900), Robson, Stuart (2001).