Reasons for the names

July 08, 2018 10:07 pm | Updated 10:07 pm IST

Arjuna was known as Savyasachi, because he could shoot arrows with his left hand just as well as he did with his right hand, and with the same accuracy. The name Savyasachi is used by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, chapter eleven, said V.S. Karunakarachariar, in a discourse. Arjuna was Dhananjaya, because when he vanquished enemies, he took their gold from them. Agni is prayed to for wealth, and one who pleases Agni with his worship, is rewarded with wealth. Arjuna gave a plentiful supply of gold for his brother Yudhishthira’s yaga. Agni is called Dhananjaya, and by providing gold to Yudhishthira, Arjuna earned the name Dhananjaya. He was Partha, because he was Kunti’s son. While Kunti had other sons too, it was only when Arjuna was born, that a divine voice was heard saying that this son would bring fame to Kunti. Arjuna was called Krishna too. This name came to him because of Lord Siva. The latter, when He gave Arjuna the Pasupatastra, addressed him as “Krishna.” He said that since Arjuna was Krishna’s favourite, seeing him reminded one of Krishna. Lord Siva blessed Arjuna and said that none but Lord Krishna Himself could defeat Arjuna. Arjuna gives some of his names in the Virata Parva. But he has other names too. One of them is Gudakesa. This was a name he earned by conquering laziness and sleep. In other words, Arjuna reached the pinnacle of fame through hard work. Lord Krishna uses this name in the Bhagavad Gita in chapters ten and eleven. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna addresses Arjuna as anagha, the sinless one. In chapter eighteen, verse four of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna uses two more names for Arjuna, Purushavyaghra and Bharatasattama. He is also called Mahabhaho, for Arjuna is a broad-shouldered, mighty- armed man.

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