Were Arjuna’s marriages with Ulupi and Chitrangada interpolated stories?

 

When Janamejaya requests Sage Vyasa to narrate the story his ancestors, the latter directs his disciple Vaishampayana to narrate the story. And, Vaishampayana first narrates the whole story in brief, starting from Pandavas coming back to Hastinapura to Pandavas winning the great war.

In this story that was narrated in brief (Chapter 61 of Adiparva - Gita Press), there was a mention of Arjuna spending 1 year and 1 month in the Forest, during which time he married Subhadra. Even the BORI version contains this shloka.

स वै संवत्सरं पूर्णं मासं चैकं वनेऽवसत्
ततोऽगच्छद्धृषीकेशं द्वारवत्यां कदाचन

He lived in the forest for one year and one month. He once went to Hrishikesha in Dvaravati.

——

However, in the 212th chapter (Gita Press) of Adi parva, it was mentioned that he spent 12 years visiting so many Tirtha Kshetras. It was mentioned that during that period of 12 years, apart from visiting so many Tirtha Kshetras, he married Ulupi, Chitranganda and Subhadra. Even the BORI version contains this shloka.

द्रौपद्या नः सहासीनानन्योन्यं योऽभिदर्शयेत् ।

स नो द्वादश वर्षाणि ब्रह्मचारी वने वसेत् ॥

They decided that whenever one of them spent time with Draupadi, any of the other four, who saw him must retreat to the forest for twelve years.

——

According to my understanding, the shloka containing द्वादश वर्षाणि - 12 years must be an interpolated version, included in order to accommodate the stories of Arjuna’s marriages with Ulupi and Chitranganda, who were not mentioned in the Chapter 61 of Adiparva.

 

 

The shloka in 212th chapter (Gita Press) of Adi parva, if modified suitably त्रयोदश मासानि - Thirteen months, it will agree with the content in Chapter 61 of Adiparva - Gita Press.

द्रौपद्या नः सहासीनानन्योन्यं योऽभिदर्शयेत् ।

नो त्रयोदश मासानि ब्रह्मचारी वने वसेत्॥

—

Further, according to the available versions of Mahabharata, it was Sage Narada, who guides them to follow a rule with Draupadi, so that they would not quarrel among themselves like Sunda and Upasunda.

As Sage Narada is a Puranic Character, he might not have advised the Pandavas in the original version of Vyasa’s Mahabharata.

---

Pandavas began the construction of Indraprashta, with the advice of Sage Vyasa.

ततः पुण्ये शिवे देशे शान्तिं कृत्वा महारथाः ।

नगरं मापयामासुर्द्वैपायनपुरोगमाः ॥

These mighty warriors, with Dwaipayana's (Sage Vyasa) help, chose a sacred and favourable site, performed propitiatory ceremonies, and measured out land for their city.

Then, it must be Sage Vyasa, but not Sage Narada, himself might have advised Pandavas to follow a rule with Draupadi, so that they may not quarrel among themselves.