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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 10: Chapter 89: Verses 31-46
The Brahmana said : (Arjuna!) when Sri Balarãma, Bhagavan Sri Krsna, Pradyumna, the foremost of archers, and the matchless warrior Aniruddha have failed to protect my children, how dare you undertake to do so ? Even those lords of the world find it an impossible task. It is simply childish on your part to brag like this. We cannot put any faith in your words. Arjuna replied : I am neither Balarama, nor Sri Krsna, nor again Pradyumna. Surely I am Arjuna, the wielder of the famous Gandiva bow, 0 worshipful one! Please do not make light of my prowess, with which I pleased the three-eyed Sankara (Himself). I shall conquer even the god of death in battle and bring back your child, my master. Pariksit, thus (comforted and) assured by Arjuna, the Brahmana returned to his place full of delight and eager to witness Arjuna's prowess. As the period of confinement of his wife drew near, the exalted Brahmana approached Arjuna in great anxiety and entreated him saying, "Pray, protect my child from death." (Hearing this), Arjuna sipped a little pure water and bowed to Bhagavan Sankara. Thereafter he invoked all his weapons of super-natural efficacy and took up his Gandiva bow having strung it properly. He fenced on all sides, as well as above and below, the house of confinement with arrows charmed with the power of Mantras, thus encasing it in a cage of arrows as it were, The wife of the Brahmana in due course gave birth to a child, which gave repeated cries; but presently it bodily disappeared through the sky.
Now the Brahmana began to censure Arjuna in the presence of Sri Krsna. He said, " Look at my folly. I put my faith in the futile boast of a eunuch. Who else is powerful enough to save one whom neither Pradyumna nor Aniruddha, nor even Balarama and Sri Krsna could protect ? Fie upon Arjuna, who made empty boasts. Five upon the bow of Arjuna, who indulges in self-praise. Look at his dull- wittedness! The fool intends to bring back what has been snatched away from me by Providence. When the Brahmana sage began to reproach him thus, Arjuna, with the help of charms, at once went to the capital of Yama, where rules the god of retribution Not finding the child of the Brahmana there, he thence proceeded, bow in hand, to the cities of Indra (the lord of immortals,), Agni (the god of fire), Nirti (the god of death), Soma (the moon-god), Varuna (the god of water), Vayu (the wind-god), to the nether world known as Rasatala, to regions higher than Indra's paradise and other regions, but did not find the Brahmana child anywhere. Having thus failed to redeem his promise, he now decided to jump into blazing fire. But Bhagavan Sri Krsna deterred him, saying, "Brother Arjuna, do not make light of yourself in this way. I shall show you (all) the children of the Brahmana. The very men who reproach you now will then resuscitate our spotless glory."
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