Kartavirya Arjuna

Kārtavīrya Arjuna; also known as Sahastrabahu Arjuna) was a legendary king of an ancient Haihayas kingdom with capital at Mahishamati which is on the banks of Narmada River in the current state of Madhya Pradesh. Kartavirya was son of Kritavirya, king of the Haihayas. This is his patronymic, by which he is best known; his real name was Kartaviryarjuna. He is described as having a thousand hands and a great devotee of god Dattatreya.

Kartavirya was son of Kritavirya, king of the Haihayas. This is his patronymic, by which he is best known; his real name was Kartaviryarjuna. He is described as having a thousand hands and a great devotee of god Dattatreya. Vayu Purana mentions that he ruled for 88,000 years with unbroken health, prosperity, strength, and valour.

The Puranas recount that Kartavirya Arjuna and his army visited a rishi named Jamadagni, who fed his guest and the whole army with offerings from his divine cow Kamadhenu. The king demanded the cow for the betterment of his subjects. Jamadagni refused because he needed the cow for his religious ceremonies.

King Kartavirya Arjuna sent his soldiers to take the cow. As the conflict developed among the Jamadagni and the King, Kartavirya Arjuna lost his cool and chopped off the head of Jamadagni .

When Parashurama (Jamadagni's son and one of the Daśāvatāras of Vishnu) returned to the hermitage, he was informed of the context by his mother. In revenge, Parashurama chopped off his 1000 arms and killed him and the entire clan of Kartavirya Arjuna with a battleaxe given to him by Shiva, thus conquering the entire earth, which he gave to Brahmanas. Also he gets back the divine cow with him.

Kartavirya's most famous feat was to defeat Ravana in a duel. Ravana was hopelessly outmatched by Kartavirya in physical strength or skill. Ravana was captured by Kartavirya and chained in Mahishmati, until he was freed by his grandfather, Sage Pulastya. Kartavirya once burnt huge tracts of forests to satisfy the hunger of Agni. Out of ignorance, he burnt the hermitage of the sage, Apava Vasistha. The latter cursed the king that he would be dismembered and slain by a Brahmana

Shahastra Bahu Kartivirya Arjuna had ruled 88,000 years and it's longest in Sanatan Dharma.

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