Character

Arjuna

अर्जुन

Also called Arjun

verses
9,274
books
22
chapters
1,074
Parent of
Abhimanyu
Slew
Karna
One of
Pandavas
Student of
Krishna, Drona
Child of
Indra, Kunti
Sibling of
Yudhishthira, Bhima

What the texts say

In the Mahabharata, Arjuna is Kunti's son by the god Indra, and his fame will surpass all great archers. Mahabharata 1.117.23 At the svayamvara, where Draupadi was won before assembled kings, Arjuna struck the target. Mahabharata (Gita Press) 1.1.150Mahabharata 1.185.24 Arjuna, bearer of the Gandiva bow, gave the Khandava forest to Agni, the fire god. Mahabharata (Gita Press) 5.22.13 In the Mahabharata, Arjuna pleased Shiva, in the form of a kirata, a hunter, and obtained the Pashupata weapon. Mahabharata (Gita Press) 1.1.162Mahabharata 3.163.49 In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna, overwhelmed with sorrow on the battlefield, sits down in his chariot and asks Krishna for instruction. Bhagavad Gita 1.47, 2.7

Where to read

Every verse that names Arjuna, book by book.

  1. Mahabharata

    8,098 verses · 820 chapters

    All 8,098 verses in the Mahabharata

    Also in the Gita Press edition: 9,651 verses

    • 8.66.60

      Karn ka rath ka pahiya phans gaya tha. Woh gusse mein aansoo bahane laga. Usne Arjun se kaha, 'Arjun, ek minute ruk jao.'

    • 16.8.7

      Arjun ne yeh sab kehkar Sudharma sabha mein daakhil hua. Woh Yadavon ki sabha thi. Woh bade chariot warriors ke liye dukhi tha.

    • 1.123.26

      Arjun, Kunti ka beta, Ekalavya ko yaad karne laga. Woh chupke se Drona ke paas gaya. Kisi ko bataya nahi. Apni baat kehni thi, isliye akele mein mila.

  2. Bhagavad Gita

    322 verses · 18 chapters

    All 322 verses in the Bhagavad Gita
    • 1.21

      Tab raja, Arjuna ne Krishna se kaha. Hey Achyuta, mera rath dono fauj ke beech mein khada kar do.

    • 2.4

      Arjun ne kaha ki Madhusudan, main kaise Bhishma aur Drona pe baan chalaun? Woh dono mujhse bade hain aur main unki puja karta hoon. Main unse lad hi nahi sakta.

    • 3.1

      Arjun ne kaha, Janardan, aap kehte hain ki gyaan karma se bada hai. Phir aap mujhe is khatarnaak kaam mein kyun phasa rahe hain, Keshav? Bataiye karna kya chahte hain.

  3. Skanda Purana

    302 verses · 98 chapters

    All 302 verses in the Skanda Purana
    • 5.1.32.4

      Dono duniya mein aise hi rehte rahe aur bade ho gaye. Phir alag-alag wajah se ek Krishna bane aur ek Arjun bane.

    • 1.2.1.18

      Arjun bola, tum log bahut daya rakhte ho. Ab seedha batao, main kya karoon? Jo banda dharam dhundhta hai, use bade log roken nahi chahiye.

    • 1.2.54.1

      Narad ne kaha, Arjun, wahan bhi meri murti hai. Brahmin log use bahut chahte hain. Main use kabhi chhodta nahi, woh chhatra aur dandi se sajti hai.

  4. Bhagavatam

    148 verses · 32 chapters

    All 148 verses in the Bhagavatam
    • 1.7.17

      Arjun ne Draupadi ko samjha diya. Krishna uske saarthi the. Arjun ne apna armour pehna aur apne hathiyar liye. Phir apna rath liya aur Ashwatthama ke peeche bhaaga. Ashwatthama uska guru ka beta tha.

    • 1.8.43

      Hey Krishna, Arjun ka dost, Vrishni vansh ka sabse bada aadmi. Jo raja log zameen pe gadbad karte the, unko tumne mita diya. Tumhari taakat kabhi kam nahi hoti. Hey Govind, tumne janam liya taaki gaayen, brahmin aur bhakton ka dukh door…

    • 1.9.3

      Bhagwan Krishna bhi Arjun ke saath rath mein baithe gaye. Rishi bhai, dekho kitna accha lag raha tha Yudhishthir. Jaise Kuber apne logon ke beech mein baithe ho, waise hi dikhta tha.

Also named in

Key chapters

The chapters where Arjuna matters most.

  1. Arjuna-Karna Astra-Engagement and Dharmic Appeal

    Mahabharata 8.66 · 54 verses

    Primary Pandava combatant whose prowess is tested by targeted…

  2. Arjuna’s evacuation of Dvārakā, Vasudeva’s rites, and the caravan’s crisis

    Mahabharata 16.8 · 52 verses

    Executor of last duties: civic leader, ritual agent, protector…

  3. Adhyāya 123 · Droṇa’s Pedagogy: Arjuna’s Preeminence, Ekalavya’s Self-Training, and the Bhāsa-Lakṣya Trial

    Mahabharata 1.123 · 37 verses

    Exemplar of regulated excellence: devotion, discipline…

  4. Arjuna’s Lament and Vyāsa’s Counsel on Kāla (Mausala-parva, Adhyāya 9)

    Mahabharata 16.9 · 32 verses

    Grieving witness and seeker

  5. Bhīṣma’s request for water; Arjuna’s Parjanya-astra; counsel to Duryodhana on reconciliation

    Mahabharata 6.116 · 24 verses

    अस्त्रविद्याप्रतापस्य सार्वजनिक-प्रदर्शनकर्ता

  6. Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 181 · Svayaṃvara Aftermath: Arjuna-Karna Exchange and Bhīma-Śalya Contest

    Mahabharata 1.181 · 18 verses

    Strategic protector and principal duelist

  7. Vasudeva-Arjuna Dialogue in the Aftermath of Dvārakā

    Mahabharata 16.7 · 17 verses

    Surviving executor of Kṛṣṇa’s last will: protector of…

  8. Entry into the Yakṣa-Lake Episode

    Mahabharata 3.296 · 17 verses

    Third emissary

  9. Arjuna’s renewed advance toward Jayadratha and Karṇa’s resistance

    Mahabharata 7.120 · 74 verses

    Vow-bound pursuer

  10. Dharma-rahasya Instruction: Vows, Truth, and Non-injury

    Mahabharata 8.49 · 73 verses

    Agent of vow-driven fury

Key episodes

  1. The Gita Begins: Arjuna's Despair on the Battlefield

    Bhagavad Gita 1-2

  2. Krishna Reveals the Cosmic Form (Vishvarupa)

    Bhagavad Gita 11

  3. Ekalavya and Drona

    Mahabharata 1.123

  4. Arjuna and the Bird on the Tree

    Mahabharata 1.123

  5. Draupadi's Svayamvara

    Mahabharata 1.176-1.182

  6. The Yaksha's Questions (Yaksha Prashna)

    Mahabharata 3.295-3.298

  7. Bhishma Falls to the Bed of Arrows

    Mahabharata 6.114-6.117

  8. "Ashvatthama Is Dead": The Fall of Drona

    Mahabharata 7.164-7.165

  9. The Death of Karna

    Mahabharata 8.66-8.67

  10. The Mace Duel: Bhima Breaks Duryodhana's Thigh

    Mahabharata 9.54-9.58

  11. The Destruction of the Yadavas and Krishna's Departure

    Mahabharata 16.1-16.9

  12. Yudhishthira and the Dog: The Great Departure

    Mahabharata 17.1-17.3

Also known to Wikipedia · Wikidata Q185790