In ancient times, during the Pandavas’ exile, Yudhishthira, the eldest among them, instructed his brother Arjuna to undertake a journey of intense penance. Arjuna’s mission was to obtain celestial weapons and divine blessings that would aid him in the battles ahead. Obeying his brother’s command, Arjuna set off toward the sacred Himalayas.
There, in the abode of the gods, Arjuna sought the blessings of Devendra, Yama, Varuna, and above all, Lord Shiva. But to summon Shiva and earn the mighty Pashupatastra, Arjuna was required to undergo severe austerities. Moved by his devotion, Shiva decided to test Arjuna’s resolve and worthiness before granting him such a powerful weapon.
Taking on the guise of a fierce and wild hunter, Shiva appeared before Arjuna, wielding a formidable sword. As part of his divine play, Shiva conjured a wild boar and released it into the forest. Arjuna, deep in meditation, was startled by the sudden appearance of the beast. Instinctively, he rose and pursued it.
Unbeknownst to him, Shiva, now in the form of Kirata, the hunter, had taken a different path, trailing the boar in the guise of an eagle. In the end, both Arjuna’s and Kirata’s arrows struck the creature at once, and it fell, mortally wounded. A dispute followed. Arjuna claimed his arrow had struck first, while Kirata firmly disagreed.
The argument escalated, and it was decided that a duel would settle the matter. What had been a serene wilderness soon became a battleground. Arjuna and the hunter, evenly matched in strength and skill, engaged in fierce combat. Divine weapons, divyastras**,** were unleashed, each showcasing the warriors’ prowess.