Originally posted by: .Lonewalker.
About Duryodhana vs Arjun, let's just agree to disagree. It was my opinion that Arjun was a better man than Duryodhana & I still believe so. Doesn't matter if Duryodhana could win whole world and become the King of it with the help of Shakuni's planning plotting. I will still place Arjun, for that matter, any Pandav, above him. It's my opinion. It's okay if you feel differently š
As for Subhadra Arjun lovestory, I need to clarify at first that by love, I don't mean love as we know it today. Back in those days, amidst all the polygamous relations, the definition of love used to be different. Today we believe in monogamy & if someone's husband love another woman, that' cheating. But back when people used to marry several women, that wasn't cheating. Men were free to marry, even love more than one wife. I don't know if it can be called love, but it's my understanding & analysis that Arjun favoured Subhadra more than his other wives. In the original Mahabharata there isn't much said, but then, the original one was just 8000 slokas & then with time & all the addition, it reached around the 1 Lakh slokas we know of today. I doubt the original one delved that deep in any character. But the characters & their actions can still be analysed & drawn conclusions from their actions. I believe that Arjun favoured Subhadra more than his other wives because
a) He freaking kidnapped her to marry her. This is not a very clever move if political alliance was his aim. By abducting Subhadra, he kind of invited Balaram's wrath. That wouldn't do much for political alliance as there's chance that Balaram wouldn't forgive him ever & maybe even wage a war against him. So there's this probability that Arjun was interested in something beyond just political alliance. And that can be Subhadra herself.
b) Arjun, or any of the older 3 Pandavas, didn't really need to marry Subhadra to acquire Yadavas' alliance. They were already related. Balaram & Krishna were Yudhishthir, Bheem & Arjuna's cousis through Kunti. On top of that Krishna was both Arjun & Draupadi's dear friend. Is there still the need of a marriage? If yes, then read my above point again.
c) Arjun actually took good care of Subhadra post marriage which was not the case with his other 2 wives. He took her to Indraprastha with him, thus breaking the vow he had made to Panchali. And then even advised Subhadra on how to win her over, which she eventually did. Arjun didn't leave her to simply fend for herself against Draupadi. He wished for Draupadi's acceptance so that life could be easier for Subhadra.
These things that he did for Subhadra, was absent in his previous marriages. It may not be love as we know, but he definitely felt a deeper affection towards Subhadra which he did not towards his other wives.