Kartavirya Sahasrarjuna was a very popular emperor. Maharaja Mandalik, king of the whole world, Mandaleshwar etc. used to be present in the court of Emperor Sahasrarjun like all his attendants. Due to his immense popularity, people considered him like a god. Regarding the importance of his birth story, it is said in the 52nd verse of the 43rd chapter of Matsya Purana – The person who wakes up early in the morning and remembers Shri Kartavirya Sahastrabahu Arjun, his wealth never gets destroyed.
8 November- Sahastrabahu Jayanti
According to mythology, in ancient times, a Chandra dynasty king Yayati had two queens: the first was Devayani, daughter of the Bhargava sage Shuka Ushama, and the second was Sharmistha, daughter of the demon king Vrishaparva. Devayani gave birth to the Yadu and Turvasa dynasties and Sharmistha gave birth to five sons named Duh, Anu and Puru. Yayati divided his kingdom among five sons. Thus five dynasties arose from Yayati. From Yadu came the Yadava dynasty, from Turvasu came the Turvas dynasty, from Duh came the Duh, from Anu came the Anava and from Puru came the Paurava dynasty. Yayati gave his eldest son Yadu the intermediate kingdom of the Chambal-Vetwa and Ken rivers. Maharaja Yadu had five sons, among whom Sahastrajit and Kront were the chief. Under the contemporary Turvas dynasty of the Yadu dynasty, King Turvas had three sons, namely Haihaya, Haya and Venuhaya, in which the Haihaya dynasty expanded under the name of Haihaya.
In the expansion of the branch of Haihayavansh, in the expansion of the dynasty of King Sahajj, King Kanak had four famous sons Kritavirya, Kritauja, Kritavarma and Kritagni, who were famous all over the world. King Kanak’s eldest son Kritavirya succeeded him to the kingdom. He was a virtuous and glorious king and was considered the best king among his contemporary kings. His queen’s name was Kaushika. Kartavirya Arjun was born from Maharaj Kritavirya in the morning auspicious time in Shravan Nakshatra on the seventh day of Shukla Paksha in the month of Kartik. His birth name was Ek Veer. Due to being the son of Kritavirya, he is also known by the name of Kartavirya and Arjun and due to the strength of Sahastra Bahu i.e. the strength of a thousand arms obtained from the penance of Lord Dattatreya, he is also known as Sahastrabahu or Sahasrarjun. He had attained all the siddhis.
Considering Sahasrarjun as the twenty-fourth incarnation of Vishnu, his followers worship him as a deity in the name of Sahasrarjun. Sahasrarjun Jayanti is celebrated on this day due to the belief that he was born on the seventh day of Shukla Paksha of Kartik month. Like the Haihayavanshi Deepotsav, on Kartik Shukla Saptami, Maharaj Kartavirya Arjuna’s birth anniversary is celebrated with great pomp and sing the glorious history of Kartavirya and his virtues and glory.
Stories related to Sahasrarjuna are mentioned in mythological texts like Mahabharata and Harivansh Purana Chapter 38, Vayu Purana Chapter 2 and 32 and Matsya Purana Chapter 42, Kalika Purana, Padma Purana etc. There is a Purana in his name – Sahasrarjuna Purana, which has three parts. In these texts, detailed description is given regarding Haihayavansh, Haihay king Kartavirya, Sahasrarjuna or Sahasrabahu and Mahishmati region. In these mythological texts, there is mention of Haihaya king Kartavirya, Sahasrarjuna or Sahasrabahu along with descendants named Kankotak after winning the war and establishing their supremacy. Many names of Kartavirya Arjuna like Sahasrarjun, Kritaviryanandan, Rajeshwar, Haihyadhipati, Dashgrivijayi, Sudshen, Chakravtar, Saptadvipadhi etc. are mentioned in the mythological texts. In the mythological texts, at the time of the incarnation of Lord Shri Krishna in the Dwapar era, the emergence of the Haihay dynasty in the Yayati dynasty (Chandravanshi), the contemporary branch of the Yadu dynasty, is seen. According to Matsya Purana Chapter 42, at the beginning of the twenty-fifth Krita Yuga, there will be a glorious king Kartavirya Raja in the Haihaya clan, who will rule the seven islands and the entire earth. According to Mahishmati epic, he is considered to be related to Kartavirya Arjun, son of Maharaja Kritavirya of Chandravansh, one of the 36 royal clans of Haihayavansh branch.
Among all the above mentioned royal families, the best king of the Haihayavansh dynasty, Sahastravahu Arjuna is considered to be the best among all the contemporary dynasties, brave, hard-working, fearless and protector of the people. This dynasty had ruled successfully for more than 12000 years. According to Mahishmati epic, Sahastrabahu Arjun was born from the womb of Mother Padmini in the tenth generation of Maharaja Haihaya. Dattatreya and Brahma themselves were present at the coronation of King Kartaviryarjuna. As soon as he sat on the throne, he announced that no one except him would wear weapons. He single-handedly looked after and protected his subjects in every way. There was no one equal to him in war charity, religion, kindness and bravery.
Sahasrabahu was not only the only national leader and leader of his era, but also a devout and brave man. He considered Dattatreya, the incarnation of God, as his Guru and received his entire education – initiation and archery from him. And by praying to him through his penance and worship, he received the boon of being invincible and having the strength of a thousand arms, due to which he is called Thousand-armed Arjun. He had established his dominance over the entire earth. He was a great devotee and host of Bhriguvanshi Brahmins. There was no other ruler as generous as him. He used to organize many yagyas and havans and donate money in abundance to the Brahmins. Always kept the people happy.
In mythological texts, there is a description of Haihayavansh, the contemporary Yayati branch of Yaduvansh, ruling and taking over Mahishmati. Mahishmati is also said to be the capital of the kings of Haihaya dynasty. Maheshwarpur and Mahishmati city or place are also mentioned in Mahabharata. According to Padya Purana, Tripurasur was killed in Mahishmati itself. The names of the main rulers of Tripuri and Tarkapur are also found in the Puranas. In Markandeya Purana, Kartavirya is said to have worshiped Dattatreya for one thousand years and in Harivansh Purana, he is said to have worshiped Dattatreya for twelve thousand years.
Rajarajeshwar Lord Kartavirya Sahasrarjuna was a very popular emperor. Kings from all over the world like Maharaja Mandalik, Mandaleshwar etc. used to be present in the court of Emperor Sahasrarjun as attendants. Due to his immense popularity, people considered him like a god. Regarding the importance of his birth story, it is said in the 52nd verse of the 43rd chapter of Matsya Purana – The person who wakes up early in the morning and remembers Shri Kartavirya Sahastrabahu Arjun, his wealth never gets destroyed and if it ever gets destroyed, Even if it goes, it is recovered. According to Harivansh Purana, the wealth of a person who recites and listens to the recitation of the birth of Sahasrarjun on a daily basis is never lost and the lost wealth comes back again. Similarly, those who tell and narrate the glory of the story of the birth of Lord Shri Sahasrarjun, their life and soul become truly pure and they are praised in heaven.
According to mythology, Sahastrabahu Lankesh faced Ravana, in which he defeated Ravana and took him captive. According to the story, Sahasrabahu was very proud of his strength and glory. Once he was taking bath in Narmada river wearing Vyjayanthimala around his neck. Out of curiosity he spread his arms and stopped the flow of the river. At that time, Lanka’s ruler Ravana, who was bathing in Narmada, found this action of Sahastrabahu very unfair and unjust. He was also very proud of his strength. He went to Sahastrabahu and started scolding him. Sahastrabahu became angry after hearing his harsh words. And he captured Ravana. And locked him in his prison.
But Sage Pulastya was merciful and freed him. Still the pride in Ravana’s mind did not go away. Due to his pride, he used to torture the sages and sages. Ravana’s pride was broken by Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram. The story of Sahastrabahu asking Parashurama’s father Jamdagni for his Kamadhenu cow is also very popular. When Jamadagni refused, his soldiers forcefully took Kamdhenu with them. Later, when Parashurama came to know about the whole incident, he single-handedly destroyed the entire army of Sahastrabahu. And also killed Sahastrabahu.