How was Arjuna got defeated by a group of bandits and abducted Yadava women?

 

Defeat of Arjuna in the hands of bandits, while trying to rescue the Yadava women, was mentioned in the Mausala Parva of Mahabharata.

We have to remember that the Jaya Samhita, original story of Mahabharata, ends with the coronation of Yudhisthira and revival of dead Parikshit by Shri Krishna, as the intention of Sage Vyasa is to close his work with a victory note.

Jaya indicates VICTORY.

In Jaya Samhita, Shri Krishna is mentioned as the adherent to TRUTH and DHARMA, but not as the incarnation of Vishnu. That was why Shri Krishna uses his ascetic power of adherence to TRUTH and Dharma to revive the dead Parkshit, but not his SUPER POWERS as Vishnu.

——

Shanti Parva, Anushasana Parva, Ashwamedhika Parva, Mausala Parva, Ashramavasika Parva, Mahaprasthanika Parva and Swargarohana Parva are interpolated versions, added by later date scholars.

Please go through the following narration, wherein the predicament of Arjuna was mentioned.

Beholding those lordless widows escorted by Pritha’s son alone O Bharata, the robbers felt a great temptation (for plunder). Then those sinful wretches, with hearts overwhelmed by cupidity, those Abhiras of ill omen, assembled together and held a consultation. They said, ‘Here there is only one bowman, Arjuna. The cavalcade consists of children and the old. He escorts them, transgressing us. The warriors (of the Vrishnis) are without energy.’ Then those robbers, numbering by thousands, and armed with clubs, rushed towards the procession of the Vrishnis, desirous of plunder. Urged by the perverse course of time they fell upon that vast concourse, frightening it with loud leonine shouts and desirous of slaughter.

The son of Kunti, suddenly ceasing to advance along the path, turned, with his followers, towards the place where the robbers had attacked the procession. Smiling the while, that mighty-armed warrior addressed the assailants, saying, ‘You sinful wretches, forbear, if ye love your lives. Ye will rue this when I pierce your bodies with my shafts and take your lives.’ Though thus addressed by that hero, they disregarded his words, and though repeatedly dissuaded, they fell upon Arjuna.

Then Arjuna endeavoured to string his large, indestructible, celestial bow with some effort. He succeeded with great difficulty in stringing it, when the battle had become furious. He then began to think of his celestial weapons but they would not come to his mind. Beholding that furious battle, the loss of the might of his arm, and the non-appearance of his celestial weapons, Arjuna became greatly ashamed. The Vrishni warriors including the foot-soldiers, the elephant-warriors, and the car-men, failed to rescue those Vrishni women that were being snatched away by the robbers.

The concourse was very large. The robbers assailed it at different points. Arjuna tried his best to protect it, but could not succeed. In the very sight of all the warriors, many foremost of ladies were dragged away, while others went away with the robbers of their own accord. The puissant Arjuna, supported by the servants of the Vrishnis, struck the robbers with shafts sped from Gandiva. Soon, however. O king, his shafts were exhausted. In former days his shafts had been inexhaustible. Now, however, they proved otherwise. Finding his shafts exhausted, he became deeply afflicted with grief.

The son of Indra then began to strike the robbers with the horns of his bow. Those Mlecchas, however, O Janamejaya, in the very sight of Partha, retreated, taking away with them many foremost ladies of the Vrishnis and Andhakas. The puissant Dhananjaya regarded it all as the work of destiny. Filled with sorrow he breathed heavy sighs at the thought of the non-appearance of his (celestial) weapons, the loss of the might of his arms, the refusal of his bow to obey him, and the exhaustion of his shafts. Regarding it all as the work of destiny, he became exceedingly cheerless.

He then ceased, O king, to make further efforts, saying, he had not the power which he had before. The high-souled one, taking with him the remnant of the Vrishni women, and the wealth that was still with them, reached Kurukshetra. Thus bringing with him the remnant of the Vrishnis. he established them at different places. He established the son of Kritavarma at the city called Marttikavat, with the remnant of the women of the Bhoja king. Escorting the remainder, with children and old men and women, the son of Pandu established them, who were reft of heroes, in the city of Indraprastha. The dear son of Yuyudhana, with a company of old men and children and women, the righteous-souled Arjuna established on the banks of the Sarasvati. The rule of Indraprastha was given to Vajra. The widows of Akrura then desired to retire into the woods. Vajra asked them repeatedly to desist, but they did not listen to him.

Rukmini, the princess of Gandhara, Saivya, Haimavati, and queen Jamvabati ascended the funeral pyre. Satyabhama and other dear wives of Krishna entered the woods, O king, resolved to set themselves to the practice of penances. They began to live on fruits and roots and pass their time in the contemplation of Hari. Going beyond the Himavat, they took up their abode in a place called Kalpa. Those men who had followed Arjuna from Dwaravati, were distributed into groups, and bestowed upon Vajra.

——

Before analysing the issue, we have to remember that

• Shri Krishna did not teach Arjuna the knowledge of celestial weapons , but Drona taught him.
• The celestial bow Gandiva was given by Agni to Arjuna, in order to aid the former in consuming the Khandava Forest. There was no intervention of Shri Krishna there.
• Similarly, the inexhaustible quivers were not given by Shri Krishna to Arjuna, but AGNI gave them to Arjuna.

——

Now, please carefully what was stated in the above narration of Arjuna’s predicament.

• Arjuna, could string the Gandiva with great difficulty
• Arjuna could not remember his celestial DIVINE weapons, and the inexhaustible quivers getting exhausted of arrows.
• Gandiva refused to obey him

——

Now, according to my understanding:

a) As Drona taught the knowledge of DIVINE weapons to Arjuna, but not Shri Krishna, the question of Arjuna forgetting those DIVINE WEAPONS, due to demise of Shri Krishna, does not arise.

b) The celestial bow Gandiva and the inexhaustible quivers were given by AGNI to Arjuna, but not given by Shri Krishna. Hence, the issues of Gandiva refusing to obey Arjuna and the inexhaustible quivers getting exhausted do not arise.

—-

The above story of Arjuna getting defeated by bandits is an interpolated story, incorporated to shift the focus of the main story from adherence to TRUTH and DHARMA, as advocated by Sage Vyasa to Bhakti concept towards Vishnu.