Conversation between the Bhilla and Arjuna

Nandishvara said

Sanatkumara, hear of the supreme self's plays: he is full of affection for his devotees but tests their steadfastness. Shiva quickly sent his servants to fetch the arrow, and Arjuna came there too. The attendants and Arjuna reached it at the same moment. Arjuna scolded the others and pulled out his own arrow. The gana said: supreme rishi, why do you take out this arrow? It belongs to us, leave it. Addressed so by the bhilla's attendant, Arjuna remembered Shankara and answered: without knowing the facts, why do you say this? Forest-roamer, you are foolish. I released the arrow, so why do you now say it is yours? The shaft and the feathers have my name marked in lines. How can it be yours? Give up this nature of yours. Hearing this, the bhilla, lord of those attendants, laughed and told Arjuna in his rishi's form: ascetic, listen. You have done no austerities. You may look like an ascetic but you are a deceiver. How can a man who is an ascetic lie like this? Do not take me for one alone. I am the leader of an army, my lord is there with many forest bhillas, and he is able in every way to favour you or punish you. You are now trying to take his arrow, and it will never stay at your side. Ascetic, why do you want to lose the fruits of your austerities? I have truly heard that austerities are destroyed by theft, by using deceit to cause suffering and by breaking true pledges. So where will the fruits of your austerities be now? If you do not let go of the arrow you will be ungrateful. My master surely released this arrow for your sake, killing the enemy with it and protecting you. You are very ungrateful and harming your own austerities. If you do not speak the truth, what kind of success do you aim for? If you need this arrow, go and ask my master for it, who can himself give you many such arrows. My king is here now, so why not ask him? Forgetting the good he did you, you want to harm him. This is not worthy of you; give up this fickleness.

Hearing this, Partha Arjuna grew angry, remembered Shiva and said a few words. He said: bhilla, there is no truth in what you say. Forest-roamer, I know you by the status you were born in. I am a king and you are a thief. How can there be a battle between us? I should fight the strong, never the inferior. Your master is certainly like you. We are the ones who give, and you are those who roam the forest and steal. So how can I now ask the king of bhillas? Forest-roamer, why do you not ask me for this arrow? I will give you many like it. A king must never give or receive in this way. If I do not wish to give you this arrow, how can I give it? What need of talk? Go. Let your master come and speak to me. Let your master, the army leader, come here and defeat me in battle and then take the arrow, and then let him go happily to his own residence. Why delay? Arjuna drew his strength from Maheshvara. Hearing him the bhilla said: you are ignorant and not a rishi, why do you want your own death? Give me the arrow and stay happy, or you will suffer hardship. The bhilla, a gana who got his wonderful strength from Shiva, spoke thus. Pandava remembered Shankara and replied: bhilla, forest-roamer, listen carefully; if your master comes here I will show him the consequences. It is not fitting that I fight you, but I will fight your master. A clash between a lion and a jackal is something to laugh at. Hear my words and witness my great strength. Go to your master and do what you like. So addressed again by Partha, the bhilla went to where Shiva's avatara as Kirata, the army leader, was.

The bhilla reported Arjuna's words in detail and told everything to the supreme self in bhilla form. Hearing it Kirateshvara was delighted. In the bhilla's form Shankara came with all his soldiers. Pandava Arjuna saw the kirata's soldiers and, bow and arrows in hand, advanced in front of them. Kirata again sent a spy and through his mouth spoke to great-souled Arjuna: ascetic, look at my soldiers; let go of the arrow now and leave. Wanting something trivial, why do you want to give up your life? Your brothers are afflicted by grief and so is your wife. In my view the earth will not slip out of your hands. To test Partha's firmness Paramesha spoke so, having taken that form to protect Arjuna in every way. Through the gana who came, Shankara explained all this at length to Arjuna. Hearing it, Arjuna again asked the messenger to tell the lord of the army that the opposite would happen: if he gave up the arrow that was his, he would certainly stain his lineage, his brothers would certainly be afflicted by grief and all his learning would be futile; so he should certainly advance against him. He had never heard of a lion terrified of a jackal, and a king is never afraid of one who roams the forest. So addressed by Pandava, the messenger went back to his master and especially reported what he had been told. Hearing it, Mahadeva Kirata called his soldiers and advanced against Arjuna with them.