Sahasrarjuna Maharaj - Kartavirya Arjuna

Sahasrarjuna, also known as Kartavirya Arjuna and Sahasrabahu, is the legendary Haihaya king of Mahishmati on the banks of the Narmada, and the revered ancestor of the Somavamsha Sahasrarjuna Kshatriya (SSK) Samaj. The Puranas and the Mahabharata describe him as a mighty emperor, a chakravartin who ruled with justice and strength, born in the Haihaya line of the Yadavas of the lunar (Soma) dynasty.

He was the son of King Kritavirya and Queen Padmini. According to tradition he worshipped Sage Dattatreya with great devotion and received blessings of strength and prosperity, which is why he is remembered with a thousand arms, Sahasrabahu. Accounts say he made Mahishmati his capital, ruled a prosperous kingdom and protected his subjects.

Many legends are told about him, from his encounter with Ravana at the Narmada to his conflict with Sage Jamadagni and Parashurama, with different Puranas telling the story in different ways. For the SSK Samaj he is a symbol of valour, devotion and righteous kingship, and the community celebrates Sahasrarjuna Jayanti every year with puja, processions, cultural programmes, blood donation and seva.

Key facts: Sahasrarjuna is also called Kartavirya Arjuna and Sahasrabahu; he was the son of King Kritavirya and Queen Padmini; his capital was Mahishmati on the Narmada river; and he is remembered as a devotee of Sage Dattatreya. The Haihaya clan to which he belonged is traced in the Puranas to Sahasrajit, a son of Yadu of the lunar dynasty, which gives our Samaj its name, Somavamsha Sahasrarjuna Kshatriya Samaj. Families can enrol in the SSK Community Census, join the Samaj chatroom and register for Sahasrarjuna Jayanti events through this website.

On this page we share his story, lineage, the legends associated with him and how the SSK Samaj remembers him today. The material is drawn from Puranic tradition, which is legendary in nature and varies between texts, so please treat the details as heritage and faith rather than recorded history.