Wednesday, 3 May 2017

In the land of Pramila

The horse moving around, landed in a kingdom that was ruled by women. The land was ruled by a queen called Pramila. The women warriors seeing the horse, captured it.
Arjuna was in a fix. This was a land where he was not seeing a single man. Everywhere he looked, he saw only women. If it came to a war, how would he fight women?
Pradyumna asked Arjuna to go and talk to the queen. Arjuna agreed and they decided to meet Pramila.
Seeing the warriors, women came rushing with their bows. Arjuna said he wanted to meet the queen.
Pramila was informed about the arrival of Arjuna. Decking herself, she came to see Arjuna. She carried a golden plate with flowers and holy water in it. She greeted Arjuna with the flowers and the water and welcomed him.
Both sat down to talk. Arjuna asked why there were no men in the kingdom.
Pramila said - Once there was a great king called Dilip. I am his daughter. One day my father went hunting. I went along with him. A small army had also accompanied us. Parvati was roaming in the same forest with Shiva. My father happened to see Parvati with Shiva. Parvati was shocked and cursed all to become women. Since that day no man comes here. I have your horse with me. Marry me and take me away from here, along with the horse.
Arjuna said Yudhistira is currently in the sacrifice and it my duty to protect him. I promise to marry you once the sacrifice is over. Till then, please go to Hastinapura and wait for me there.

Pramila agreed. The horse was freed and Pramila left for Hastinapura.

From there, Arjuna followed the horse. The horse landed in the land of Vriksha. This was ruled by a rakshasa called Bhishan. He had many followers living there. He had pleased Shiva and Durga with his worship. In the morning, the plants bloomed with flowers. In the evening the flowers changed into humans which became meals for the rakshasas. Because of this, the land was called Vriksha,

The horse came here. Seeing the army following the horse, Bhishan was informed about the entry of humans in his land.  Bhishan gave orders for a sacrifice to be conducted where he would kill and sacrifice all the humans who had come, and then feast on their meat.
He then asked a female attendant, Lambodari, to take the shape of humans, mix with the army and find out who they were.
Lambodari went inside the army and then came back. She told Bhishan that Arjuna had come. Along with him was the son of Ghatotkacha, son of Karna and Hanumana was there, sitting on Arjuna's chariot.
Bhishan, who happened to be the son of Bakasura, was happy. He would be able to avenge his father's death by killing Arjuna.

A fight broke out among the armies. In the fight that followed, Arjuna killed Bhishan, and then freeing the horse, resumed his journey.

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