Originally posted by: HearMeRoar
Who is saying Subhadra was not part of Arjuna's life?
What you're claiming is very different, though. Your post actually said Arjuna loved Panchali only as part of the 5 brothers while he loved Subhadra as himself.
Let's take your citations one by one.
Arjuna was struck by same Kaama on meeting Panchali AND Chitrangada. Nowhere is LOVE mentioned. Either he fell equally in love with all 3 ladies, or he fell in lust.
And no, Vyasa doesn't remove any doubt by mentioning Subhadra's smile. It only means Subhadra was a generally pleasant girl.
Krishna's dialogue that he doesn't know what she would choose is clearly mentioned. As well as the fact Arjuna FORCIBLY took her away.
I am able to decipher Sanskrit๐, so the fact that it was an abduction is pretty evident.
Secondly, I hate to get into shipping wars, but when dubious claims are made, I feel the need to respond. While there is NOTHING in the canon text which suggests a love story later for Arjuna Subhadra, there is plenty from him for Panchali. Actually, there is some evidence of it for Chitrangada, also. In fact, Panchali taunts Arjuna about not caring or some such, and he responds by saying she doesn't know what's in his heart. The jewelry gifting is another, and the fact that he carried her in his arms to Matsya desh. Then, his mentioning of Yudhishtira sitting on Panchali's bed while asking Arjuna to go do the killing.
Now, all this might be because Subhadra doesn't have much role in the plot as such while Panchali of course does. But again, your post actually said Arjuna loved her only as part of the 5 brothers while he loved Subhadra as himself. Available evidence says he loved Panchali plenty while Subhadra was the sister of a very important ally.
Most important piece of evidence is what I left for last. ARJUNA WAS THE ONLY ONE TO BREAK RANKS IN THE DICE HALL AGAINST HIS BROTHERS. When Suyodhana asked for any of the brothers to state they would support Panchali's claim Yudhishtira had no right to stake her, Arjuna was the ONLY one who stood up. What more proof do you need when Arjuna himself showed his affection for her was separate from his being part of the Pandava family?
Once again, I don't believe any of these marriages started out as love stories. They were political. Period. That he was struck by "God of Desire'" each time he met a potential ally with a good looking woman in his household was convenient for his hormones. Affection CAN develop after. Unfortunately, Vyasa didn't choose to give us glimpses of it in the Arjuna Subhadra story while he did for Arjuna Panchali.
Now, coming to southern recension, yes, the love story between Arjuna and Subhadra is there, but again nothing to support your claim that he loved her as himself while only loving Panchali as part of the Pandavas. And southern recension does have evidence of Arjuna's love for Panchali.
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I can't believe I said all this while also not believing in polyandry ๐คฃ. As I said I felt compelled to point out incongruities between text and the post.
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Let me conclude by saying there is really no need to tear one woman down to prop up the other. Arjun Without A Doubt did it to Subhadra. Many books do it to Panchali. Some posts on this thread, including mine, did it.
The 2 women in question supported each other very much. Actually, some southern versions say women rescued Panchali in the dice hall, and I love to imagine it was Subhadra. She WAS with them on the trip even in northern recension, after all.
I didn't mean to say Arjuna didn't love Subhadra. I hope to God he did. I was only trying to refute some claims which simply aren't supported by text. No, not the part about him loving Subhadra as himself. The part about him loving Panchali ONLY as part of the Pandavas.
May Subhadra's soul, if there are such things, forgive me for it.๐
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