Santhana Gopalam - Mandavapilli Ittiraricha Menon(1745 to 1809)                                              BACK

This is an immensely popular story in kathakali, and illustrates how a boon becomes a bane, the shattered ego of a self-centered do-gooder, Arjuna, limping in the darkness of his own making.

 This story occurs in Mahabharatha after the war and the Ashwamedha yaga conducted by Yudhishtira were over. Once Arjuna comes to visit his friend and guide, Krishna. Krishna asks Arjuna to stay with him for some time. One day a brahmin comes to the Yadava assembly carrying a corpse of a newborn baby. He says that this is the nineth dead baby his wife has delivered. All the previous eight babies were also born dead. Such a thing can happen only in a country which has raja dosha(sin of a ruler).

Nobody including Krishna spoke anything to the brahmin. Seeing this Arjuna comes to te brahmin's aid and says he can save his next son if it is born. Initially the brahmin is not interested but Arjuna persuades him to accept his offer, and says he will jump into fire and die if he does not fulfill his promise. The brahmin says he will come down if his wife is delivering again. The scene passes to the brahmin's house. Months roll by and his wife is going to deliver once more. The brahmin goes to Arjuna and brings him to his house. Arjuna builds a strong castle made of arrows in which he asks the delivery is to be done so that mother and child are safest. The wife delivers, but the child disappears never to be seen. The brahmin scolds Arjuna by the words - Moodha, Athi Proudamam Ninnude Padavam Kuthra Gatham? - and sends him off. Arjuna goes to all the worlds in search of the child but even Yama does not know a thing about the baby. Then Arjuna tries to kill himself by jumping into the fire but is stopped by Krishna.

Krishna takes Arjuna to Vishnu Loka, Sudarshana Chakra showing the way, where all the ten children are found to be living with Vishnu and Lakshmi devi. The children are taken and given to the brahmin. The brahmin is too happy and blesses Arjuna and Krishna with all his heart. All's well that ends well.

In this story Krishna and Arjuna are Pacha vesha, Sudarshana is Red Beard and all the others Minuku.