Why did Arjuna become a eunuch?

Arjuna is the most powerful warrior in the Mahabharata universe. He is the third of the Pandavas in order of seniority, born after Yudhishthir and Bhimasena.

He is the last of Kunti’s children. After his birth, Kunti decides that she will summon no more gods and bear no more sons. Nakula and Sahadeva, the fourth and fifth of the Pandavas respectively, are born to Madri, Pandu’s second wife.

In this post, we will answer the question: Why did Arjuna become a eunuch?

Arjuna becomes a eunuch as a result of a curse placed on him by Urvasi, a dancer in Indra’s court. During his visit to Amaravati, Arjuna rejects Urvasi’s advances when she propositions him. Urvasi then curses Arjuna that for a year of his life, he will have to live as a eunuch to atone for the hurt he caused her.

Read on to discover more about why Arjuna became a eunuch in the Mahabharata.

(For answers to all Arjuna-related questions, see Arjuna: 51 Questions about the Mahabharata Hero Answered.)

Table of Contents

The Pashupatastra

Soon after the Pandavas go on their exile following the disastrous dice game, Arjuna and Yudhishthir come to a conclusion that the Pandavas are – at that stage – not powerful enough to challenge Drona and Bhishma successfully in battle.

The brothers agree that Arjuna should journey northward in the hope of earning some favour from the gods. Vyasa tells Arjuna to seek out Indra and ask his advice.

Arjuna finds Indra in a place called Indrakila. Father and son have a warm reunion. Indra then advises Arjuna to pray to Shiva, and to procure the Pashupatastra from him.

After a few months of intense austerities, Arjuna succeeds in getting the Pashupatastra from Shiva. This marks the beginning of Arjuna’s transformation from merely a highly skilled archer to the most powerful warrior in the world.

(Suggested: How did Arjuna get the Pashupatastra?)

Other Gifts

Four other gods descend from heaven after the departure of Shiva: Indra, the king of the gods; Yama, the son of Surya and the lord of the dead; Varuna, the keeper of the water and the chief of Daityas and Nagas; and Kubera, the treasurer among the celestials.

Yama first speaks to Arjuna and gives him his mace, along with the required knowledge and technical mastery required to use it in battle. Varuna comes next, and presents an array of nooses.

‘During the rescue of Taraka, the wife of Brihaspati,’ he says, ‘thousands of mighty Daityas were seized and tied with these weapons.’

Kubera blesses Arjuna in his turn, too. ‘It gives me as much pleasure to see you as it does to behold Vishnu himself,’ he declares. ‘Accept from me this weapon called the Antarddhana. It is capable of sending its victim to sleep.’

Indra grants Arjuna the gift of divine sight, by which he can see the gods in all of their splendour. ‘You are destined for great deeds, my son,’ he says. ‘Let me invite you onto my chariot, and my charioteer, Matali, will drive us into heaven.’

Dancing with Chitrasena

Arjuna then worships all the gods with all the required rites, and ascends to heaven along with Indra, amid the rattle of clouds and the sun’s brilliant rays. He proceeds to live with Indra for a period of five years.

After Arjuna goes to Amaravati with his father Indra, and after he has had a look around the place and taken the celestial weapons that had been promised, he begins to learn dancing and music under Chitrasena, the Gandharva.

He does this on the exhortation of Indra, who tells him that a Kshatriya ought to pay attention to the softer modes of art as well.

During this time, Chitrasena notices Arjuna staring at Urvasi, one of the apsaras at court, and interprets that gaze as one of desire. He goes to the dancer, therefore, and requests her to entertain the Pandava.

Urvasi gives her consent, and on watching Arjuna from a distance, becomes consumed by love herself, and begins fantasizing of union with him.

Unfortunately, however, Chitrasena neglects to inform Arjuna of this matter. This sets up an awkward moment between the apsara and the Pandava.

Urvasi’s Proposition

One night, Urvasi arrives in Arjuna’s quarters with the intention of spending it with him in bed. But Arjuna surprises her by treating her with utmost respect.

‘Welcome to my humble chamber, my lady,’ he says, getting up as she enters. ‘I am but your servant. Please command me as to what to do.’

Urvasi is first puzzled by Arjuna’s behaviour, and then frustrated. ‘I have come here not to be waited upon by you, Prince,’ she tells him. ‘I wish you to take me as your lover.

‘Chitrasena has said that you gazed at me in the lord’s court a few days back. And the first time I laid my eyes on you, I lost my heart to you too. Let us not waste time in idle talk, O Pandava. Do not thwart the advances of a woman whose flesh burns for you.’

Arjuna’s Rejection

Arjuna covers his ears as if he has heard something blasphemous. ‘My lady,’ he says. ‘Chitrasena is mistaken. I did look at you at court the other day, but I was doing so out of curiosity, and I was thinking to myself: this is the woman who has given birth to the entire Kaurava clan.

(Urvasi is the wife of Pururava, the ancestor of the Kauravas.)

‘You are my ancestress, many generations my senior. I cannot think of you as an object of lust. As Mother Kunti and Mother Madri is, so are you to my mind. Please do not taint our relationship. I am sorry I cannot fulfil your desire.’

Urvasi tries in vain to convince Arjuna to view her as a timeless fulfiller of desire, not as a woman with an ageing heart and limbs. In the end, exasperated, she places a curse on him.

Urvasi’s Curse

‘Because you stymied the advances of a worthy woman,’ she says, ‘you shall be required to spend a whole year of your life on Earth among women, unidentified as a man among them, and spurned as a eunuch.’

Arjuna is first alarmed at this turn of events, but Indra consoles him and says, ‘You will serve this year of Urvasi’s curse during the required time of incognito, hidden deep within the ladies’ chambers of a king. Do not worry. It is as it should be.’

It so happens therefore that later, when the time comes for the Pandavas to live in hiding, they seek out the court of Virata, and Arjuna transforms into a dance-teaching eunuch by name Brihannala.

Not only does he use Urvasi’s curse to his advantage at this time, he also draws on all the dance that he learns under Chitrasena in order to teach Uttara, the daughter of King Virata.