Yogyakarta reread 'Arjuna Wiwaha'

Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

Arjuna, one of the five heroes of Pandawa in the Indian epic story of Mahabarata, is generally known as a handsome and courageous hero popular among women.

Writer Landung Simatupang and artist Petrus Agus Herjaka have made an attempt to re-interpret this figure in their respective areas and presented their creation at an event titled Arjuna Wiwaha: A Continuous Transformation at the Balai Roepa Tembi, Bantul, Yogyakarta, recently.

The story says that when he is meditating in a cave, Arjuna has to go through a tough test by the deities, including being seduced by beautiful fairies. Arjuna is known to be susceptible to seduction. However, as he is wholly determined to keep control over his own desires, he can finally perform his meditation.

It is also told in the story, the deities send Arjuna to fight a powerful enemy, Niwatakawaca, a giant. Arjuna, the third sibling of Pandawa, wins the fight and receives Goddess Supraba as his gift.

Kakawin Arjuna Wiwaha, written by Mpu Kanwa during the reign of King Erlangga (1019 to 1042) was made a subject to analyze in the dissertation of Dr. I Kuntara Wiryamartana SJ in 1987. It is this translation by Romo Kuntara, a Catholic priest, that was used as a reference by Landung Simatupang and Petrus Agus Herjaka in their respective works.

That night, Landung Simatupang read 11 verses of a total 37 verses in Kakawin Arjuna Wiwaha, while Agus Herjaka exhibited 31 paintings. Landung's poetry reading and Herjaka's art exhibition both transported the ancient story to the present-day world in their respective interpretation of the story of Arjuna.

In the first section of his reading, which included about five verses, Landung evocatively took the audience to explore the cave where Arjuna was being seduced by the fairies.

The scene came alive when we saw a painting titled Godha Rencana (Plan for Temptation) by Herjaka.

Using every method possible, the fairies attempted to interrupt Arjuna's meditation. Unfortunately, these fairies find themselves to be seduced by Arjuna.

The particular verse about this scene reads: Others are no less resourceful and hug him from behind. Pushing and going on top of him with great passion, touching, caressing and sighing.

Warm and fragrant breasts that are bathed in turmeric concoction are rubbed against his body. In great desire, they put Arjuna's arms around their necks. They take his hands and stroke them against their waists. Their clothes are translucent, showing clearly a thin piece of cloud on the roundness of the moon.

Although he is seduced with whispering and movements that will arouse his sexual desires, Arjuna is undisturbed. The passion that the fairies show make them even more desperate in winning the heart of the handsome hero in his medication in the White Stone Cave.

One is lithe and never gives up. She is very skilled at arousing desire. Flirting and wooing, she squeezes the hero's hands. Oh, madly in love, she strokes his hands against her breasts. Her heart, as if hearing the moaning sound of bamboo pieces rubbing against each other, melts and is carried away.

At this juncture, Arjuna shows an admirable attitude. He is not in the least tempted while the gods themselves are enticed by the fairies of their own creation when they witness them departing.

Even when they have just been carved, all the deities caress them. After they become perfect creations, they walk to the right, in worship to the deities, circling three times.

Right away Hyang Brahma assumes four faces. Betara Indra shows his many eyes. They are ashamed of being discovered to have turned their heads. In fact, they are greatly disappointed when the fairies are behind them.

Meanwhile, Agus's painting, Godha Rencana lends greater vividness to our imagination of this passionate seduction. In his oil painting made on a 75 cm by 145 cm canvas, Agus very carefully gives prominence to the figure of Arjuna with his eyes closed, deep in meditation.

He is fully undisturbed in the presence of the fairies all showing their breasts. The seven fairies seem to be offering their firm breasts to Arjuna.

Agus Herjaka denied, however, that he was simply exploiting the seduction of the fairies. In his other painting Girigoda, he said, he also depicts the beautiful body of a woman.

Arjuna, also known as Herjuna, Agus said, is made up from her (water) and ju (a large clay vessel).

Herjuna, therefore, means a vessel containing water that is needed to sustain life. Water symbolizes life and everyone should look for this source.

Therefore, in his opinion, everyone should take Herjuna as their model and go in search of a source of pure water, the water of life, Agus said. It is not easy to find this source.

We have to be ready to strengthen our souls by sublimating physical needs in deep meditation, defeat mundane desires and have the courage to wage war to neutralize the poison in ourselves.