Arjuna investigates the cursed pilgrimage sites
Arjuna finds five sacred pilgrimage sites abandoned by terrified ascetics. The reason: five crocodiles live there, dragging away anyone who enters the water. Ignoring all restraint, Arjuna goes to one of the tirthas and immerses himself, waiting for the monster to take hold.
After his travels, Arjuna went to the sacred places of pilgrimage near the southern ocean. These sites were adorned with ascetics, but he noticed something strange. Five specific tirthas (pilgrimage sites) that had been frequented in earlier times were now completely abandoned: Agastyatirtha, Soubhadra, Poulama, Karandhama, and Bharadvaja. Intelligent sages devoted to dharma shunned them.
Arjuna joined his hands in salutation and asked the ascetics why these holy places had been deserted.
The ascetics replied: five crocodiles lived in those waters. They dragged away and killed those who were blessed with the power of austerities. That was the reason.
On hearing this, the mighty-armed Arjuna, supreme among men, decided to go and see these tirthas for himself. The ascetics tried to restrain him, warning him of the danger. He went anyway.
He went to Soubhadra, a tirtha named after a great sage. It was supreme among tirthas. The brave scorcher of enemies swiftly immersed himself to bathe.
The water stirred. A giant crocodile that lived there came and grasped Dhananjaya, Kunti’s son and tiger among men, in its powerful jaws.
But Arjuna was ready. The mighty-armed Kounteya, supreme among the strong, seized the aquatic creature. It began to struggle violently as he wrestled with it, but his strength was greater. He dragged it out of the water.
As soon as the famous Arjuna pulled the crocodile onto the bank, its form dissolved. It turned into a beautiful woman, adorned in every ornament, radiant, charming, divine of form and alluring.
Witnessing this great and extraordinary event, Arjuna was extremely pleased. He looked at the lady and asked, “O fortunate one! Who are you and how did you come to live in the water? Why have you been committing such great sins earlier?”