Iravan, the son of Arjuna.

[Paramananda das]

Please accept my humble obaisences

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

 My former siksa  disciple Aditi asked me about Iravan the son of Arjuna;

 

He is mentioned by Sukadeva Goswami in Srimad Bhagavatam:

 

 

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 9.22.32

kareṇumatyāḿ nakulo

naramitraḿ tathārjunaḥ

irāvantam ulupyāḿ vai

sutāyāḿ babhruvāhanam

maṇipura-pateḥ so 'pi

tat-putraḥ putrikā-sutaḥ

SYNONYMS

kareṇumatyām — in the wife named Kareṇumatī; nakulaḥ — Nakula; naramitram — a son named Naramitra; tathā — also; arjunaḥ — Arjuna; irāvantam — Irāvān; ulupyām — in the womb of the Nāga-kanyā named Ulupī; vai — indeed; sutāyām — in the daughter; babhruvāhanam — a son named Babhruvāhana; maṇipura-pateḥ — of the king of Maṇipura; saḥ — he; api — although; tat-putraḥ — the son of Arjuna; putrikā-sutaḥ — the son of his maternal grandfather.

TRANSLATION

Nakula begot a son named Naramitra through his wife named Kareṇumatī. Similarly, Arjuna begot a son named Irāvān through his wife known as Ulupī, the daughter of the Nāgas, and a son named Babhruvāhana by the womb of the princess of Maṇipura. Babhruvāhana became the adopted son of the king of Maṇipura.

PURPORT

It is to be understood that Pārvatī is the daughter of the king of the very, very old mountainous country known as the Maṇipura state. Five thousand years ago, therefore, when the Pāṇḍavas ruled, Maṇipura existed, as did its king. Therefore this kingdom is a very old, aristocratic Vaiṣṇava kingdom. If this kingdom is organized as a Vaiṣṇava state, this revitalization will be a great success because for five thousand years this state has maintained its identity. If the Vaiṣṇava spirit is revived there, it will be a wonderful place, renowned throughout the entire world. Maṇipuri Vaiṣṇavas are very famous in Vaiṣṇava society. In Vṛndāvana and Navadvīpa there are many temples constructed by the king of Maṇipura. Some of our devotees belong to the Maṇipura state. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, therefore, can be well spread in the state of Maṇipura by the cooperative efforts of the Kṛṣṇa conscious devotees.

 

I found some youtube video of : a Iravan temple, the only one that seems to exist:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0-3uXDRtmw

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panangattiri   This is in Kerala.

 

There is many versions about Iravan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iravan#Three_boons

 

from this link:

 

While the marriage of Iravan's parents is mentioned in the first book of the Mahabharata, Adi Parva (the Book of Beginnings), both the birth and death of Iravan are mentioned later, in the sixth book, Bhisma Parva (the Book of Bhisma).[35][36] In this sixth book of the epic, Arjuna, the third Pandava brother, is exiled from Indraprastha (the capital city of the Pandava kingdom) to go on a one-year pilgrimage as a penance for violating the terms of his marriage to Draupadi, the Pandava brothers' common wife. Arjuna reaches the north-east region of present-day India and falls in love with Ulupi, a widowed Naga (serpent) princess. The two get married and have a son named Iravan; later, Arjuna proceeds with his pilgrimage, leaving Iravan and Ulupi behind in Nagaloka, the abode of the Nagas.[37] Iravan is described as being born parakshetre, literally "in a region belonging to another person", interpreted by Hiltebeitel as "upon the wife of another". Iravan grew up in Nagaloka, protected by his mother, but was rejected by his maternal uncle because of the latter's hatred of Arjuna. After reaching maturity, Iravan, hoping to be reunited with his father, departs for Indraloka, the abode of the god Indra, who is also Arjuna's father. Upon meeting his adult son, Arjuna requests his assistance in the Kurukshetra War.[35][38]   Thus Iravan finally reaches the battlefield of Kurukshetra to assist his father and Pandavas against their cousins and opponents, the Kauravas. On the first day of war, Iravan fights a duel with Srutayush, a Ksatriya king who had been a daitya (demon) called Krodhavasa in a prior incarnation. Srutayush is later killed by Arjuna.[39][40] On the seventh day of war, Iravan also defeats Vinda and Anuvinda, the princes of Avanti, who are later killed by Arjuna.[41][42]   On the eighth day of the war, Iravan combats the princes of Gandhara, sons of king Suvala, and the younger brothers of Shakuni, the treacherous maternal uncle of the Kauravas. The brothers Gaya, Gavaksha, Vrishava, Charmavat, Arjava, and Suka attack Iravan, supported by the whole Kaurava army, but Iravan's army of Nagas slays all but one of their opponents. Iravan, the "chastiser of foes"—versed in maya (illusion)—slays five of the Gandhara princes in a sword fight; Vrishava alone escapes death.[43][44]   Agitated by this reversal, the eldest Kaurava, Duryodhana, orders the rakshasa (giant) Alamvusha (or Alambusha), son of Rishyasringa, to kill Iravan. This time Alambusha, as well as Iravan, uses illusion in combat. Alambusha attacks Iravan with a bow, but Iravan counters, breaking Alambusha's bow and slicing the giant into several pieces. Alambusha's body, however, reconstitutes itself. Then Iravan assumes the form of the serpent Shesha (Ananta), and his serpent army surrounds him to protect him. Alambusha counters this by assuming the form of Garuda (the eagle-man), the eternal foe of the serpents, and devours the serpent army. Ultimately, Alambusha kills Iravan by cutting off his head, though Iravan is later avenged when Ghatotkacha, his cousin, finally kills Alambusha.[38][43][45]

 

According to the stories told in India folktraditions, Iravan had to sacrifice his body in a Kali worship, and Krsna Himself appeared as Mohini murti so Iravan would have a wife.

 

The worship and tranditions around Iravan are very complex and rich as can be seen from the article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iravan#Three_boons

 

Also his head is said to have seen the whole Mahabharat war just a Babarika of whom I wrote earlier:  http://nimaipandit.ning.com/profiles/blogs/the-amazing-pastimes-of-...

 

 

The Mahabharat is truly fascinating a good translation of it in english with the commentaries of the acaryas is much needed ,however none  among the acaryas  has commented on it, except for Srila MAdhavacarya

 

your servant

Paramananda das