Urvashi could not sleep in the night. She was constantly thinking about Arjuna. She became too overpowered by her desire for Arjuna. She stole in to Arjuna?s chamber. Arjuna welcomed her with love, courtesy and honour. Urvashi expressed her desire for Arjuna. A surprised Arjuna told her that he had heard about the great romance between her and his ancestors Pururva. That was the reason he was kept watching her in Indra?s court as a child looks at her mother whom he had never seen. He only regarded her as the beloved of his ancestor. She was like a mother to him. Any other relationship was impossible even to contemplate.

Urvashi was very much mistaken,she thought Arjuna was interested in her as an admirer. Urvashi became furious with rage. She took it as a great insult to be turned down by a mere mortal. She said it was not proper to refuse a woman, her desire. Arjuna, by doing so has insulted her. Therefore, she declared, Arjuna, shall never be able to enjoy a woman?s company. He will become a eunuch. Arjuna was dumb with the injustice done to him by Urvashi.

In the morning he told these things to a Gandharva, Chitrasena who he had befriended. Indra, being informed about Arjuna?s curse, came to him to console him. Indra said that he would request Urvashi to reduce her curse for a period of one year. The Urvashi curse will be of great help to Arjuna during the period of one year when they were to live in disguise. Arjuna stayed in Amravati for sometime. Indra gave him all the divine astras. Then he came back to earth but before that he learnt the art of dancing and singing from his friend Chitrasena and he became quite an expert in these fine arts.

During that period once sage Lomash came to the court of Indra. He was surprised to see Arjuna there sharing Indra?s throne with him. Indra told sage Lomash about Arjuna that he was his son from Kunti and Pandava. Indra requested the sage that during his visit to earth. He should inform the Pandavas who were living in the forest that Arjuna was well with him. After performing certain deeds for Indra he would be back with his brother and wife. The Pandavas will be very unhappy without Arjuna. They should be advised to go on a piligrimage. Sage Lomash left Indra?s court for the earth.

PILGRIMAGE OF YUDHISTHIRA

The Pandavas were spending their days in the forest. In absence of Arjuna they were quite unhappy. Bhima, Nakula, Sahdeva and Draupadi were quite miserable living like ascetics. Yudhisthira was the only one who has had no regrets. The lip of ascetics was quite suited to his temperament. Others constantly complained about their condition. They always were for full-fledged attack on Kauravas and for a decisive war. Yudhisthira was for restraint and forbearance. At appropriate time, that is, after their term of exile was over if Duryodhana refused to return their kingdom, only then war was to be the option. Bhima and others were not at all convinced and they were always very unhappy and sullen.

Bhima was also quite critical of the idea of sending Arjuna for doing penance. It was not the dharma of a Kshatriya to do tapas. He should rely on his strength and his skill in the use of weapons. By doing penance and obtaining astras from gods was not a quite Kshatriya like conduct to Bhima?s simple mind. Yudhisthira had a lot of affection for Bhima. All his talks to Bhima could not convince him or to other Pandavas. They constantly talked about war and to win back their kingdom through their Kshatriya like bravery.

At that time a great sage Brihadasva visited the cottage of the Pandavas. He heard about the misfortune, which had befallen on the Pandavas. He told the Pandavas that king Nala had similarly lost his kingdom through gambling. But king Nala also regained his kingdom through gambling. Sage Brihadashva taught a game called "Akshahridaya". This game was learnt by Yudhisthira, who mastered it soon. Then the sage departed after giving his blessings to the Pandavas.

After him, Sage Narada paid a visit to the ashrama of the Pandavas. Narada suggested that the Pandavas may go on a pilgrimage. The suggestion of Narada was liked by all of them. Sage Dhaumya the Kulguru of the Pandavas also gave his approval. The Pandavas decided to go on a pilgrimage to all the sacred places in Bharatavarsha. They were planning and discussing from where to start their pilgrimage. Sage Lomash also reached the cottage of the Pandavas at this time. He gave news of Arjuna to the Pandavas. After many years the news of Arjuna?s being in the court of Indra and that he had obtained all the divine astras,that he was staying there to fulfill some task for his father Indra, etc. pleased them and Draupadi to no end. They all paid great respect to sage Lomash. Lomash expressed his wish to join the Pandavas during their pilgrimage. This pleased the Pandavas as Lomash knew all the holy places. After three days the Pandavas, Draupadi, Lomash and sage Dhaumya started on their journey.

First they reached Namishyaranya situated at the banks of river Gomati.Then they reached Prayag which is called the king of all Teerths,here The golden tinged pious water of Ganga meets with the mid night blueish coloured water of Yamuna. After spending some time here, they went through Narmada and Mahananda riverbanks to Hemkuta mountain peak. All these sacred places have great importance of their own. Sage Lomash who knew all about these things told their histories and importance to the Pandavas. The Pandavas were very happy listening to these sacred histories. The time passed very quickly and pleasantly.

Then the Pandavas turned to west. They went to the holy river Godavari and to Agastyateertha. Then reached the great ocean. From there they reached Dwaraka the capital of Vrishnis. Balarama, Krishna and all Vrishnis were over whelmed with joy to see the Pandavas and Draupadi among them, Balarama was stricken with great sorrow to see Yudhisthira and his brother in the state of mendicants. He was extremely sorry to see Draupadi in the garb of tree barks and deer skin, smeared with dust and grime. He had seen Yudhisthira, Resplendent in his court sitting among the kings of the world and Draupadi as his beautiful and gracious queen attired in the finest skills and wearing finest of jewels. He became enraged. His rage was terrible. He was willing to start an attack on the wicked Kauravas at once. He was very perturbed at the silence of Bhishma, Drona, Kripa etc against such grave injustice done to the Pandavas. He was very angry with his disciple. Duryodhana.

Krishna could pacify Balarama after much efforts and persuasion. He said that Yudhisthira was treading path of the ?truth?. All the riches and kingdom obtained dishonestly was of no value to him. It is just cause, which Yudhisthira is espousing. They should wait till their term of exile was over and then if Duryodhana failed to return there kingdom then the war was inevitable. The destruction of the Kauravas was equally certain. The path of Dharma chosen by Yudhisthira was the right path. Yudhisthira was very happy to hear Krishna. He was the only one who could understand his point of view. He said that the anger of Balarama has already started the destruction of Kauravas. He was all praise and gratefulness for what was done by Krishna for the Pandavas. After a pleasant stay there, they started for the north.

They reached the banks of river Saraswati, While proceeding ahead they again reached Ganga. They went up to Mainak Mountain. From there they could observe all the streams of Ganga. From there, while going further, they reached Mandara Mountain, the abode of Kubera. The beauty of Mandara was such that they forgot all their fatigue. Even Bhima forgot all about his anger. All the directions were suffused with light and fragrances of the flowers.The Pandavas and their entourage rested for a while at Mandara Mountain. The scented air had made them forget all their hardships.