Kaarthaveeryarjuna, as the name stands and sounds unique also has a wonderful and unique legend from our Puranas. Kaarthaveerya belonged to Haihaya dynasty of Treta Yuga and his father Kritaveerya was contemporary to one of the Ishwaaku Emperors, Emperor Harishchandra (ancestor of Lord Rama). King Kritaveerya was ruling Kegaya and possessed 1000 thousand wives but still he was not blessed with children. Hence, he aimed to perform penance in the name of Lord Vishnu and went to Gandhamana Mountain to proceed with his resolution. One of his queens, Padmini (daughter of Emperor Harishchandra) followed him to be his associate in his hermit life. On that mountain, Kritaveerya performed penance for 10,000 years but still could not receive the grace of Lord Vishnu. Worried about her husband, his wife Padmini approached Sati Anasuya to find a way out. Sati Anasuya being a pious lady and knowledgeable about various rituals, advised her to perform “Ekadasi Vrata” to please Lord Vishnu. As directed by her, Padmini worshipped Lord Vishnu and he appeared before her. When enquired about her will, she pleaded Lord Vishnu to fulfill her husband’s wish. Lord Vishnu then appeared to Kritaveerya and asked his will. Kritaveerya’s happiness knew no bounds and asked Lord Vishnu to bless him with a son. Lord Vishnu blessed him saying “So be it” (Thathasthu). With the ambition fulfilled, King Kritaveerya returned to his kingdom with his queen Padmini. After their return, very soon Queen Padmini became pregnant and begot a radiant son with the grace of Lord Vishnu but still it was a disappointing factor for the royal couple as the boy was beautiful and radiant but possessed crippled hands since he was born who was named as Karthaveeryarjuna. King Kritaveerya left no chance of complaint as a father in educating his son as a prince of superior knowledge and wisdom but the boy could not learn any of the royal or princely war craft. When he grew up as a boy of sixteen years he was sent to the hermitage of Sage Garga for further initiation in knowledge, then Sage Garga redirected Young Kaarthaveerya to the hermitage of Dattatreya (Incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Son of Sage Atri and Sati Anasuya) saying that the grace of Sri Datta will be more helpful for a future king like him. Sage Garga also cautioned Kaarthaveerya that he would undergo severe testing process to check his steady mind and non-deluded vision. Kaarthaveerya made his way to Sri Datta’s hermitage and wanted to see him. When he entered the ashram, the first sight he saw made him dumbstruck as there were some people who were abusing each other and manhandling among themselves, then he revived the caution of Sage Garga and proceeded further where he saw some other men consuming liquor and involved in Dice Game. The second sight further disturbed Kaarthaveerya but the caution of Sage Garga was showing light to proceed further. He then met a huge Giant with blood-shed eyes who was staring at him. Kaarthaveerya respectfully bowed before him and enquired about the owner of the ashram. The giant replied that it is himself. He then answered that he is here to see him to be initiated further in education. Sri Datta then appeared before Karthaveerya in his real form which was radiant and pleasing to eyes and when Karthaveerya turned towards the ashram, everything was normal as expected to be seen in a hermitage. Dattatreya Swami appreciated Karthaveerya for his unshakable faith in his Guru, Sage Garga, and blessed him with many boons and siddhis as a part of which he became a man of one thousand hands, developed lot of strength and expertise in war craft, possessed the ability to fly in air etc. As the grace of Sri Datta who was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu was bestowing on the vigor and vitality of Kaarthaveerya but it will be more interesting to know that Lord Vishnu is being responsible for Kaarthaveerya to be born with crippled hands. The story goes like this: Once Sudarshana Chakra being a divine weapon of Lord Vishnu, was made to fulfill tasks for the well-being of the creation, became very haughty about its sacred designation which made Lord Vishnu to have a thought at the back of his mind to vanish the vanity possessed by this Sacred Chakra. Hence, Lord Vishnu cursed the Sacred Disc to be born as a physically disabled human being. As the blessing to King Kritaveerya, the same Sacred Disc took birth as his son Kaarthaveerya. This legend stands as a logical reason behind Karthaveerya possessing 1000 arms with lot of strength. Hence, Kaarthaveerya went back to his kingdom and was crowned as the King by his father. He was ruling the country without any problems as he was blessed with happiness, grace and prosperity all over. He was not feared of anybody as he was transformed into a great warrior because of his boons. He married many women and was blessed with good progeny. He was enjoying every pleasure of the materialistic world on Earth. Once he went for a sporting to River Narmada along with his queens. As a part of the sport, he was beholding the regular flow of the river with his uncountable hands and hence the river flow was very minute. At a far off distance, Ravana (contemporary to Kaarthaveerya) was glad to see the river flow is silent and willed to perform worship to Lord Shiva. As a part of the process, he built a tent and was arranging all the equipment for worshipping his favorite form of God. Meanwhile, Karthaveerya had a heart fill of gaming in the waters of Narmada took off his arms and the River Narmada started flowing with its usual vigor, because of which Ravana’s tent and other equipment were washed off and he was flowing in the river. This event made The Mighty Ravana very angry and he could not contain himself. Hence he flew in the air to know the root cause of sudden increase in the vibrant flow of water. He was able to understand the doing of Kaarthaveerya and compelled him (Karthaveerya) to engage in a fight with him. Being blessed with Sri Datta, Kaarthaveerya was able to defeat Ravana very easily and imprisoned him. This happened many hundreds of years before the war of Rama and Ravana. After some time, he took pity and released Ravana. The above legend and many such experiences made Karthaveerya haughty and he never feared any sage or Deity. Once so happened that Lord Indra was going in a divine plane while enjoying the dance of the celestial dancers (Ramba, Urvashi etc.,). Kaarthaveerya at that time was flying in air and had a glimpse of Lord Indra. Kaarthaveerya abused Indra of being done many misdeeds to be raised to the status of Lord of Demi Gods. Indra was enraged at the abuse of a mere emperor of Earth and sent Lord Agni in the form of a poor Brahmin to teach a lesson to Karthaveerya. The poor Brahmin approached Kaarthaveerya and pleaded him to provide him with enough food to fulfill his ages-old hunger. Karthaveerya taking him as a mere poor Brahmin granted the boon and then Lord Agni shown him his real form. Being a king, Karthaveerya was compelled to not to go against his word and allowed Lord Agni to burn the forests which were part of his kingdom. As Lord Agni proceeded to fulfill his hunger, Sage Vashista’s hermitage was also burnt and turned into ashes. The Holy Sage got enraged and cursed the provider of boon to Lord Agni to be killed by a sage. Hence we know the reason and the episode of how Sage Vashista’s words came true when Karthaveerya was killed by Sage Parashurama, one more incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Even though, Karthaveerya assumes a place of villain in the episode of Sage Jamadagni’s death, he has been blessed by Lord Vishnu at every point of time. Karthaveerya ruled Earth for 85000 years with vibrant vigor and vitality, he enjoyed every pleasure, prosperity, blessed by good progeny and in the end it was Lord Vishnu’s incarnation which gave end to his life. Lord Vishnu was his survivor and also destroyer. There is one more legend according to which Lord Dattatreya was said to be re-born as Sage Parashurama on the innumerable pleadings of Brahamanaic race to make Mother Earth free from the atrocities of Kshatriya race which was made a beginning with the death of Kaarthaveerya. The grace of Lord Vishnu continued on him after his death as Karthaveerya is given a status of Deity where he will bestow his blessings on human beings by bringing back the stolen, snatched or plundered wealth if worshipped with a plain heart. The life of Kaarthaveeryarjuna provides a strong proof that God never ditches people those who firmly believe in him. The grace of Lord would be bestowed on every being in whatever form they believe in. Sources: Wiki and other Reliable sources
