The Kirat and Arjuna

The Pandavs were in exile. Ved Vyas told Arjuna: for the war to come you need divine weapons; do tapasya to Shiv for them. Arjuna went to Mount Indrakeel and began severe tapasya, standing on one foot. Even the sages of the forest were amazed by it.

One day a demon named Muk took the form of a huge boar and came to kill Arjuna. Arjuna raised his bow and shot. At the same instant another arrow struck the boar, and it fell. Arjuna looked up: before him stood a Kirat, a forest hunter, with his wife and fellow hunters.

The Kirat was Shiv himself, and Parvati was with him dressed as a hunter woman. The two argued: the kill is mine! The quarrel turned into a fight. Arjuna shot all his arrows, but nothing touched the Kirat. His bow broke, his sword was useless. Then they wrestled, and Arjuna fell exhausted.

Then Arjuna remembered Shiv in his heart. Suddenly he understood that this could be no ordinary hunter. As he looked closely, in place of the Kirat stood Shiv with trident and matted hair. Arjuna fell at his feet and asked forgiveness for his mistake.

Shiv smiled: I was testing your courage and devotion. He gave Arjuna his great weapon, the Pashupatastra, and taught him how to handle it. He also explained that such a weapon must be used only to protect dharma.