Being Handsome and Skillful - Arjuna

If you go around Ubud, you will see a big white sculpture on the intersection of Ubud Raya and Cok Gde Rai St. If you look at the google map, it would tell you that he is Lord Indra. For your information, he is not, instead, he is Arjuna, the son of Indra. The main feature of Arjuna is that he is holding a bow.

Arjuna in the Mahabharata story is known a fine archer. He showed his skills during the game to win Drupadi of Panchala as his wife. During the swayamvara (an event to choose a husband), the test was to lift, string, and shot Pinakin (the bow of Shiva) to the eye of golden fish only by looking through its reflection. Nobody succeeded, but Arjuna. He was able to lift the bow, string it and shot it right into the eye of the golden fish, hence he wins Drupadi. During his tutelage under Drona in the younger years, Arjuna was said to be the only mentee that able to focus and shot a bird through its eye. Nobody else could do what Arjuna did.

Arjuna was the star warrior in the Kurushetra war. He was the one who wins most of the battles. He defeated Bhisma one of the undefeatable warrior from Kurawa by using Shikandi as the shield and shot arrows to Bhisma’s entire body.

The Swayamvara of Drupadi

Defeat of Jayadratha

On the other part of the war, he defeated Bhagadatta, son of Naraka, King of Pragjotisha, who was very skillful when riding his elephant. Thus one of the picture of Arjuna was standing over an elephant.

Arjuna also was said to be very handsome that many fell for him. Drupadi has the soft spot for him. When he was on exile after disturbing Yudhisthira and Drupadi during their dice game, he was getting married to Chitrangadaa, daughter of King Chitravahana of Manipur.

I hope this will bring you some light of the statue you saw nearby.

Good culture, well knowledgeable, NamaStay!

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