Who is Arjuna in Mahabharata?

The epic Mahabharata is one of the most revered texts in Hinduism, encompassing numerous protagonists and their roles in the legendary Kurukshetra War. Among these are the five Pandava brothers, who each played crucial roles in the great conflict. Arjuna, the third Pandava, stands out as a renowned warrior, possessing a divine weapon that played a significant role in the epic.

Arjuna's Divine Conch: Devadatta

In the world of Mahabharata, shankhas or conches were not just instruments of war but powerful tools in psychological warfare and religious symbolism. Arjuna's conch Devadatta, a gift from the ocean god Varuna, held several mystical powers, each contributing to his advantageous position both on and off the battlefield.

Devadatta was more than a mere musical instrument; it served as a powerfulweapon. Here are some of its key attributes and uses:

Symbolically roaring like a lion, it instilled fear in the enemy ranks while boosting the confidence of allied troops. It signified confidence in victory and invoked auspiciousness and fortune from the gods. Divine conches like Devadatta could even avert natural disasters, bend probabilities, and grant victory. The conch also had a unique ability to destroy negative emotions from the mind.

During the epic, Arjuna bore the name of his conch, as mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita:

"When Krishna blew his conch, named Pacajanya, Arjuna blew his named Devadatta, and Bhima, of terrible deeds, blew the great conch Paundra."
({Bhagavad Gita 1.15})

Arjuna in Mahabharata: A Champion of the Pandavas

Arjuna was a key warrior from the Pandava side during the Kurukshetra War. His skills as a marksman and his mastery of various weapons made him a formidable warrior. Arjuna was the son of Kunti and the god Indra, conceived as a result of a curse placed on Pandu. This divine parentage granted Arjuna extraordinary abilities and skills.

Arjuna received his early training from the renowned scholar and warrior, Guru Drona Acharya. Under his tutelage, Arjuna honed his archery skills to become the best archer in the world. Arjuna's prowess with the Gandiva, his famous bow, was so notable that upon his departure to the Himalayas after handing over the kingdom to Parikshit, he returned Gandiva to the Hindu god Agni Dev.

Iconic Depictions of Arjuna in Popular Culture

The character of Arjuna has been brought to life in various adaptations, each contributing to the rich tapestry of cultural depictions. One of the most notable was the Feroz Khan series, where the beloved Indian actor Feroz Khan portrayed the character in the television adaptation of the Hindu epic Mahabharata in the late 1980s. Khan's portrayal was widely acclaimed and is considered one of the most iconic depictions of the character in popular culture.

After Feroz Khan changed his name to Arjun to avoid confusion with the great actor, the industry continued to see other notable performances, including the role of Arjun in Sir B. R. Chopra's Mahabharata with actor Feroz Khan and Shaheer Sheikh in Star Plus's Mahabharata.