Mahabharata/Jaya - Humbling of Arjuna and Bhima

"Now you will know never to disrespect anyone who looks weak superficially, also you should think twice before acting". Thus spoke Hanuman to Bhima during their brief encounter in the forest.

In some retellings, Draupadi requested Bhima to get more of the golden flowered lotus with a thousand petals which had blown towards her by the wind. Bhima set out on the direction the wind carrying the flower, walking straight and not taking any deviations. In some retellings, he often used to loose his temper and have petty quarrels with Yuddhistira. At times, the situation would get to him. He often used to just go out for long walks in the forests. While out on such a walk is when he encounters a strange old monkey's tail crossing his path.

Bhima shouts at the monkey to move the tail out of the way. The monkey says that he is too old and weak to do so and Bhima can move it himself. Bhima tries to move the tail, but in vain. He finds it too heavy and almost immovable. He attempts at it several times using his full body strength and could not move it at all. He then realizes that this is no ordinary monkey and realizes that this would be Hanuman (who is also son of Vayu and Bhima's half brother). In some retellings there is a very brief conversation between Bhima and Hanuman. Bhima checks with Hanuman about the war in Lanka and Hanuman says that the war was fought by many like him but the victory belonged to only Ram. Bhima also invites Hanuman to join them in the war which is bound to happen once the exile is over. Hanuman declines this stating that this period does not belong to him and the war is not his. But yet, his presence will be felt there. This is symbolised at the Monkey flag on Arjuna's chariot in the Great war. There is not much to comment on the humility lesson here as it is quite evident. But the brief conversation can be seen as a passing on the baton. Also, Arjuna-Krishna relationship might not be as strong but was still similar to Hanuman-Ram relationship. 


Arjuna was very human in nature. He would pride a lot on his skills and yet will in the future show great reverence to his charioteer (in the future). In his life, he keeps learning many lessons but also has a tendency to forget them. In the same period, Arjuna too had left the hut and was doing penance to Lord Shiva to achieve divine weapons. One day, he sees a wild boar and strikes it down with his arrow. He sees 2 arrows on the boar when he goes to pick it up. At the same time, a hunter comes there claiming that it  was his arrow which killed the boar. Arjuna, as was his proud nature, does not agree to it and challenges the hunter to a bow and arrow contest. Arjuna is defeated in a short time and he embraces the Shiva Linga he had constructed for his penance. At that time, the hunter reveals himself as Lord Shiva. Arjuna is thus humbled and given a lesson not to judge anyone by their superficial appearance. Lord Shiva, appeased with Arjuna's reverence rewards him with the divine weapons. Rationally, this can also signify that Arjuna might have received such secret knowledge from the wandering nomads in the forest. Such secrets were not well known and hence, not many were not aware of this. But again, I am not speaking about the viability of Mahabharata actually happen or how it would have happened. I am trying to show the different intricacies in the story and complicated interwoven lives. In this epic, law of Karma is shown with the help of boons and curses. So here to Arjuna has performed severe penance and hence, he gets the boon of divine weapons. Was it self-taught or self-illumined, who knows?