The Longing Heart: Arjun and Subhadra's Tale of Exile

Urvashi's Curse to Arjun

Arjuna then climbed the snow-clad mountains known as the Himalayas.
On the way, he saw the sky was overcast with dark clouds. Then he saw a flash of thunderbolts. It was his father, Indra, god of the sky, making his presence felt.

Arjuna saw a chariot descend from the skies. It was Indra’s chariot. The
charioteer, Matali, invited Arjuna to come to Swarga and join his father.
‘Why does my father call me?’

‘He needs your help. He is troubled by Asuras and feels you can defeat
them more easily than any Deva, with your knowledge of Pashupadasth’
Arjuna beamed at this recognition of his skills. ‘I shall surely help my
father. I shall raise my bow and defeat the Asuras who trouble him.’

Arjuna fought alongside the Devas and defeated many Asuras including
the ones known as Kalakeyas and Nivatakavachas. Indra hugged his son and welcomed him to Swarga. ‘Enjoy the pleasures of paradise, my son. All that you wish will be yours.’

Arjuna indulged in the joys of paradise, sorely missing his brothers and his wife. He took special interest in learning dancing from the Gandharvas. As his warrior body moved to the tunes of the flute, the Apsaras realized how beautiful his human body, covered with sweat, was.

One day, the Apsara known as Urvashi approached Arjuna dressed in her
finest garments, and said, ‘I want you to be my lover.’

‘How is that possible?’ said Arjuna, ‘You were wife of my ancestor,
Pururava. You are therefore like a mother to me.’

‘Rules of mortals do not apply to immortals.’

‘But they apply to me. I cannot touch you. Or even think of you in the way
you want me to.’

‘You reject me, you mortal! You reject me?’ said Urvashi furiously. ‘You
are nothing but a eunuch. May you lose your manhood instantly.’

‘But…’

Urvashi walked away in a huff.

Arjuna ran to his father hoping he could get rid of the curse but Indra could only modify it, ‘You will have to lose your manhood but only for a year. You choose which year it shall be.’

‘I am so unfortunate,’ moaned Arjuna.

‘Turn this curse into an opportunity,’ said the king of the Devas. ‘Use it in
the thirteenth year of your exile when you are expected to live in hiding.’ replied Indra, assuring Arjun.