Editing Arjuna (section)

===Exile of the Pandavas===
While in this exile, Arjuna visited the [[Himalayas]] to get celestial weapons that he would be able to use against the Kauravas. Thereafter, he honed his battle skills with a visit to [[Swarga]], the heaven of Indra, where he emerged victorious in a battle with the [[Daityas]] and also fought for Indra, his spiritual father, with the Gandiva.<ref name="coulter"/>

After the [[Khandava Forest|battle at Khandava]], [[Indra]] had promised Arjuna to give him all his weapons as a boon for matching him in battle with the requirement that [[Shiva]] is pleased with him. During the exile, following the advice of [[Krishna]] to go on meditation or ''[[tapasya]]'' to attain this [[Astra (weapon)|divine weapon]], Arjuna left his brothers for a penance on Indrakeeladri Hill (Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh).<ref name="ABC-CLIO">{{Cite book|last1=Sharma|first1=Arvind|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2A0lg1xRehIC&q=Pashupati+Arjuna&pg=PA116|title=Asian Perspectives on the World's Religions after September 11|last2=Khanna|first2=Madhu|date=15 February 2013|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-0-313-37897-3|language=en|access-date=14 October 2020|archive-date=16 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416075910/https://books.google.com/books?id=2A0lg1xRehIC&q=Pashupati+Arjuna&pg=PA116|url-status=live}}</ref>

When Arjuna was in deep meditation, a wild boar ran towards him. He realized it and took out an arrow and shot it at the boar. But, another arrow had already pierced the boar. Arjuna was furious and he saw a hunter there. He confronted the hunter and they engaged in a fight. After hours of fighting, Arjuna was not able to defeat him and realized that the hunter was Shiva. Shiva was pleased and took his real form. He gave him [[Pashupatastra]] and told that the boar was Indra as he wanted to test Arjuna. After gaining the weapon, Indra took him to heaven and gave him many weapons.<ref name="ABC-CLIO"/><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Sharma|first1=Mahesh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uLFmds7elBAC&q=Pashupati+Arjuna&pg=PA115|title=Tales From the Mahabharat|last2=Chaturvedi|first2=B. K.|date=2006|publisher=Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd.|isbn=978-81-288-1228-6|language=en|access-date=14 October 2020|archive-date=16 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416075905/https://books.google.com/books?id=uLFmds7elBAC&q=Pashupati+Arjuna&pg=PA115|url-status=live}}</ref>

During his exile, Arjuna was invited to the palace of [[Indra]], his father. An [[apsara]] named [[Urvashi]] was impressed and attracted to Arjuna's look and talent so she expresses her love in front of him. But Arjuna did not have any intentions of making love to Urvashi. Instead, he called her "mother". Because once Urvashi was the wife of King [[Pururavas]] the ancestor of [[Kuru Dynasty|Kuru dynasty]]. Urvashi felt insulted and cursed Arjuna that he will be a eunuch for the rest of his life. Later on Indra's request, Urvashi curtailed the curse to a period of one year.<ref name="Chandramouli">{{Cite book|last=Chandramouli|first=Anuja|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-ucDRHzIx_AC&q=Arjuna+Pandava:+The+Double+Hero+in+Epic+Mahabharata|title=ARJUNA: Saga Of A Pandava Warrior-Prince|date=15 December 2012|publisher=Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd|isbn=978-93-81576-39-7|language=en|access-date=14 October 2020|archive-date=16 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416075938/https://books.google.com/books?id=-ucDRHzIx_AC&q=Arjuna+Pandava:+The+Double+Hero+in+Epic+Mahabharata|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Bhanot |first=T. R. |title=The Mahabharata |publisher=Dreamland Publications |year=1990 |isbn=9788173010453 |location=New Delhi |page=19}}</ref>