Word

Kartaviryarjuna

Sanskrit

कार्तवीर्यार्जून

IAST

kārtavīryārjūna

In General

A mighty and cruel King of the Haihayas dynasty.

Purana

Genealogy. From Mahavisnu were descended in the following order : Brahma - Atri – Candra -Budha - Pururavas - Ayus – Nahusha - Yayati - Yadu - Sahasrajit - Satajit - Ekavira (Haihayas) - Dharma - Kani - Bhadrasena - Dhanaka – Krtavirya - Kartaviryarjuna.

The Haihayas were Ksatriyas and the Bhargavas were Brahmanas. The Bhargava sages were the family preceptors of the Haihaya Kings. The Haihayas who were generous and charitable, used to give plenty of wealth to the Bhargavas. When Bhargavas become very rich the Haihayas and other Ksatriyas become jealous of Bhargavas

Haihayas were very powerful but declined later and again become rich or powerful with the leadership of Kartaviryarjuna. Once, sage Narada happened to come to Mahishmati taught Kartaviryarjuna the rite known as "Bhadradipa Pratistha"; by observing this rite he pleased Lord Dattatreya and acquired many boons like wealth, weapon and thousand arms. With the boon Kartavirya become very powerful and ruled from MahismatI for 86,000 years. All the kings on earth acknowledged his supremacy. Once, Ravana fought with Kartaviryarjuna for disturbing his sandhyavandana. Kartaviryarjuna defeated Ravana and put him in jail for one year. At the request of Ravana’s father sage Pulastya’s request he released Ravana and became friends thereafter.

By defeating Devas, Yaksas, and insulting even Indra and Rishis, Kartaviryarjuna became unbearable to the three world. He challenged even Visnu. Intoxicated by his successes, Kartavirya went to the sea-shore and challenged the ocean and began to destroy the animals in the sea by shooting them with his arrows. God Varuna appeared before him and asked him what he wanted. Kartavirya asked the god to name a man who had the capacity to fight with him. Varuna answered that Jamadagni's son Parasurama was the person who have that ability. Kartavirya accepted the challenge and went in search of Parasurama.

Once, Kartavirya happened to see Jamadagni ashram on the bank of river Narmada. Kartavirya and his army was received by Jamadagni and served them a sumptuous feast. Kartavirya wondered how the sage managed to do it, so asked his men to find the secret. Kartavirya's minister Candragupta found a divine cow in Jamadagni's Asrama that was able to get all the rare articles of food which he supplied to the guests. So the King sent Candragupta to the Asrama to beg the cow from the sage for him. Candragupta accordingly went with a few followers to the Asrama and begged for the cow. At that time Parasurama was not in the Asrama. Jamadagni told them that the cow was Kamadhenu's sister, Susila and that it was not possible to give her. Candragupta tried to seize the cow by force but she suddenly vanished into the sky. The King's men tried to capture her calf. Jamadagni who came forward to prevent them, was beaten to death.

Parasurama when returned to the Asrama with the disciple Akrtavrana found his father lying dead on the floor, cried aloud. Renuka beat her breast twenty one times. Seeing this, Parasurama took a solemn vow that he would go round the world twenty one times and put an end to the rule of Ksatriya Kings. Parasu Rama who had turned himself into the very embodiment of Revenge, accompanied by Akrtavrana, took his stand at the gates of the city of Mahismatl and challenged Kartavlryarjuna to a fight. Kartavirya came out with a huge army. In the terrible fight that followed, Parasurama himself with his axe (parasu) chopped off all the thousand arms of Kartaviryarjuna. All his sons were killed. Kartavirya himself fell down beheaded.

Reference

M.B. ; Bd.P. ; Uttara R.