5

Ulupi was the daughter of a Naga King. She had a son named Iraban. His father was Arjuna. What was the marital status of Ulupi during her marriage with Arjuna? Was she a virgin? or a widow?

Amritendu Mukhopadhyay
  • 6,787
  • 3
  • 13
  • 58
  • How does this logic come about? Arjuna married Ulupi and had a son called Iravan - where does widow come into the picture? – Surya Jul 09 '21 at 14:51
  • 1
    Arjuna and Ulupi never married. He spent one night with her and had a son named Iravan. Ulupi was a widow when Arjuna met her. – Kiran Jul 09 '21 at 14:55
  • @kiran according to different hindu marriage system, if you had sex, then actually you are marrying her. There are 7 types of marriages. By the way, where it is mentioned that Ulupi was a widow??? That's what I want to know. – Amritendu Mukhopadhyay Jul 09 '21 at 16:29
  • 2
    @AmritenduMukhopadhyay This handsome and valiant son of Arjuna, named Iravat, was begotten upon the daughter of the king of the Nagas by the intelligent Partha. Her husband having been slain by Garuda, she became helpless, and of cheerless soul. https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m06/m06091.htm – Kiran Jul 10 '21 at 03:45
  • @Kiran Thank you so much. The next lines also clearly say Partha accepted her as a wife. Can you please post it as an answer with the paragraph no. etc. so that I can accept it? – Amritendu Mukhopadhyay Jul 10 '21 at 07:38
  • 2
    @Kiran So, I think widow marriage was acceptable in ancient India. It is not something new! That is intesresting. – Amritendu Mukhopadhyay Jul 10 '21 at 07:40
  • 1
    @Kiran interesting find! – Surya Jul 10 '21 at 16:54
  • @AmritenduMukhopadhyay Posted – Kiran Jul 10 '21 at 17:41

2 Answers2

9

Arjuna spent one night with Ulupi and begot a son named Iravat. Ulupi's husband was killed by Garuda a long time ago and she was living in her father's palace. Arjuna gave Ulupi the status of a wife even though there was no official marriage between them. Here is the citation from Bhishma Parva:

This handsome and valiant son of Arjuna, named Iravat, was begotten upon the daughter of the king of the Nagas by the intelligent Partha. Her husband having been slain by Garuda, she became helpless, and of cheerless soul. Childless as she was, she was bestowed (upon Arjuna) by the high-souled Airavat. Partha accepted her for wife, coming to him as she did under the influence of desire. It was thus that that son of Arjuna was begotten upon the wife of another.

After the kurukshetra war, Ulupi lived in Hastinapura palace until Pandavas left for heaven.

Kiran
  • 893
  • 3
  • 12
5

Ulupi was not a widow as she says

enter image description here

This verse is in Adiparva, chapter 213, verse number 20

Here is the English translation from The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguly (Book I: Adi Parva, Arjuna Vanavasa Parva Section CCXVI)

"Hearing these words of Arjuna, Ulupi answered, 'There is a Naga of the name of Kauravya, born in the line of Airavata. I am, O prince, the daughter of that Kauravya, and my name is Ulupi. O tiger among men, beholding thee descend into the stream to perform thy ablutions, I was deprived of reason by the god of desire. O sinless one, I am still unmarried. Afflicted as I am by the god of desire on account of thee, O thou of Kuru's race, gratify me today by giving thyself up to me.'

Amritendu Mukhopadhyay
  • 6,787
  • 3
  • 13
  • 58
YOu will not know
  • 415
  • 2
  • 14