The Sacrificial Horse and Babruvahana

In the Ashvamedha sacrifice a horse is set free to roam. The kings whose lands it crosses either accept the overlordship of its owner or fight. Arjuna was given the task of guarding the horse. For a whole year he followed it from land to land.

Arjuna defeated many kings, but, as Yudhishthira had asked, took no one's life. In Sindhu, Jayadratha's widow Duhshala, Duryodhana's sister, came with her little grandson and pleaded with him. Out of respect for his sister, Arjuna stopped the fighting.

The horse reached Manipur. Its king was Babruvahana, son of Arjuna and Chitrangada. He came out humbly to welcome his father. But Arjuna said, 'A kshatriya accepting the sacrificial horse without a fight? That is cowardice.' Arjuna's Naga wife Ulupi also told Babruvahana, 'Fight your father; that is his wish.'

Father and son fought fiercely. At last one of Babruvahana's arrows struck Arjuna down, and Babruvahana himself fainted from grief. Chitrangada wept. Then Ulupi brought the life-giving jewel of the Naga world and placed it on Arjuna's chest. Arjuna rose as if waking from sleep.

Ulupi revealed the secret: 'The Vasus had cursed you for bringing down Bhishma from behind Shikhandi. Today, by falling at your own son's hands, you are freed from that wrong.' Arjuna embraced Babruvahana and invited him to the sacrifice. The horse went on its way and at last returned to Hastinapur.