Arjuna is the central character of the Mahabharata and the greatest archer of his time. He was the third son of Hastinapur’s King Pandu and Queen Kunti. Kunti had three sons: Yudhishthira, the eldest; Bhima, the second; and Arjuna, the third. Pandu’s other wife, Madri, had two sons, Nakula and Sahadeva. Together, the five brothers are known as the Pandavas.
His and his brothers’ lives were full of difficulties. However, how they remained on the path of Dharma and righteousness is the central theme of the Mahabharata. Along with that, Arjuna’s life was also a rollercoaster ride.
We all know about Draupadi, whom Arjuna won in the Swayamvara. But later She married all the Pandava brothers. Along with Draupadi, Arjuna had three more wives, and through them, he had sons as well. Vyasa’s Mahabharata does mention all of them, but not in much detail. Here, we will discuss the stories behind all of Arjuna’s marriages and his sons.
1. Draupadi
She was the daughter of Drupada, the King of Panchala. She was born from a Yagna. Drupada arranged a Swayamvara for her, with the intention of Arjuna winning her hand. Around the same time, the Varanavrat incident occurred, leading the Pandavas to attend the Swayamvara in disguise as Brahmanas. Arjuna won the Swayamvara and married Draupadi. However, she later ended up marrying all five brothers.
Draupadi had one son with each of the Pandavas, and together, her sons were called the Upapandavas.
Shrutakarma was the youngest of the Upapandavas, the son of Arjuna and Draupadi.
When the five Pandavas married Draupadi, they agreed that each brother would spend one year with her, and during that time, no other brother could enter her palace. If any brother broke this rule, he would have to go into exile for 12 years as a celibate. All the brothers, along with Draupadi, agreed to this arrangement.
Under unavoidable circumstances, Arjuna broke this rule and willingly accepted 12 years of exile. During this exile, he met his other three wives.
2. Ulupi
She was the daughter of the Underwater Naga king Kauravya. Upon seeing Arjuna, Ulupi immediately fell in love with him. While Arjuna was performing his Sandhya Vandana, Ulupi pulled him underwater and took him to Naglok. She confessed her feelings to him. Arjuna explained that he was in exile and bound by a vow of celibacy. In response, Ulupi clarified that his vow of celibacy applied only to his wife, Draupadi, and pleaded with him, saying that if he refused to marry her, she would end her life.
Arjuna married her, and they had a son named Iravan. Ulupi did not accompany Arjuna to Indraprastha but instead stayed in Naglok and raised her son with all love and care.
Iravan participated in the Mahabharata war and died on the 8th day, fighting bravely against the demon Alambusha.
3. Chitrangada
She was the daughter of King Chitravahana of Manipur. He raised her as a son, instilling in her all the qualities of an heir. During Arjuna’s exile, he passed through Manipur and was captivated by Chitrangada’s beauty and bravery. Her father, King Chitravahana, agreed to their marriage on the condition that their son would inherit the throne of Manipur, as Chitrangada was his sole heir. Arjuna accepted the condition, and the two were married.
Chitrangada and Arjuna had a son named Babruvahana, who grew up to be a brave and skilled ruler of Manipur. He did not participate in the Kurukshetra war.
4. Shubhadra
The final destination of Arjuna’s exile was Dwaraka, Krishna’s home, where he fell in love with Krishna’s sister, Subhadra. At the time, Balarama was preparing to marry her to Duryodhana. Arjuna sought Krishna’s help, and Krishna suggested that Arjuna abduct her. Following Krishna’s advice, Arjuna abducted Subhadra. Later Krishna convinced Balaram and they were properly married in Dwaraka.
After marrying Arjuna, Subhadra moved to Indraprastha and became a part of the Pandava household.
Through their union, they had a son named Abhimanyu, who is the most celebrated son of the Pandavas. On the 13th day of the battle, to the Kauravas’ surprise, he entered the Chakravyuha formation and fought valiantly against all the great warriors of the Kauravas. However, the Kauravas, breaking the codes of war, attacked him simultaneously as a group, which led to his death. His demise, marked by treachery, is considered one of the darkest episodes of the war.
At last…
After the Kurukshetra war, Arjuna lived with all his wives—Draupadi, Ulupi, Chitrangada, and Subhadra—in Hastinapur. When the Pandavas decided to go on a pilgrimage, Draupadi accompanied him, while Ulupi and Chitrangada returned to their respective homes.