or by their expression shifts when they look at their phone.

The moment Arjuna reaches Prabhasa, after twelve long years of travel, Krishna appears, and practically drags him back to Raivataka. Here, I kind of have to mention, Krishna and Arjuna, when together, have no sense of personal space. This is, however, the first time we see the level of their intimacy, at least in Mahabharata. For that one day they pretty much sit, eat, talk and sleep on the same asana. Even when Krishna then takes him back to Dwarika, their closeness only increases, much to, I imagine, the discomfort of the more traditional parliamentarians.

Then comes a festival on Raivataka, where Arjuna sees Subhadra, and immediately goes mad, much to the abject delight of Krishna. He in fact takes great pleasure, to tease the heck out of Arjuna at this point.

Arjuna however, doesn’t like Krishna’s initial idea to ask Vasudeva for permission. He does understand that no matter how liberal their upper-class society is at this moment, Arjuna and Subhadra are still first cousins, and we in fact see the Yadavas later object to the kidnapping based on this fact alone.

Krishna, in response, does say something a little controversial, “There’s no point in betting on a swayamvara, as she’s a young girl, and her mind may be fickle. Hence, kidnapping is the best option.” This was probably (and I’m reaching here) less about Krishna’s misogyny and more about the Yadavas’ (frankly, kind of valid) issue with Arjuna and Subhadra’s blood-family situation.

Now, interestingly, after two marriages, for his fourth one, Arjuna decides that he must take permission from Yudhishthira (was he afraid that Yudhishthira might hand him back to Balarama later, if he didn’t sort this beforehand?)

And hence, shubhasya sheeghram, the next morning Arjuna is tip-top dresses and armed, and picks up Subhadra when she’s on her way back from Raivataka.

Obviously Dwarika’s parliament is in uproar. Balarama, however is the only person to defer to common sense, as he hands over the ‘mic’ to Krishna, albeit after cussing Arjuna out pretty thoroughly. Krishna gives a few reasons (a bit flawed, but okay) for his support and recommendation for peace:

He doesn’t like an arranged marriage, as he feels it is as though the bride is treated like an animal who is ‘sold’ from one family to another (don't like how you got there, but congrats, I agree).

In a swayamvara, there’s no telling what Subhadra might to (or be made to do).

Arjuna is a kshatriya, and he doesn’t look good getting married in a ‘tame’, arranged ceremony, and the kidnapping raises the ‘value’ of Subhadra herself (like I said, flawed)

If the Yadavas now try to stop him, and an entire army (known for being tide-turning mercenaries btw), go after and get defeated by a single man, how does that look, before the international community?

Kunti’s gotra changed once she was adopted by Kuntibhoja, so legally, Arjuna and Subhadra are no longer first cousins (but still second or third, though!)

Arjuna is still, biologically their first cousin, so fighting a battle against family would be counterproductive, and make other kingdoms look down upon them (ironic, and you just said he wasn't! xD).

Arjuna is a great warrior, and any kingdom would be lucky to make him a permanent ally.

In Kashiram Das’s version, we see Subhadra in a more active role. Here, Daruka, who was driving the chariot, refuses to let Arjuna fight when Krishna’s sons challenge him. So, Arjuna ties him up, and hands over the reins to Subhadra, as he goes ahead and defeats everybody.

Well, after one year of marriage, Arjun remembers his vanavasa again, and goes to Pushkar, to spend the remaining time.

Then finally, he returns to Indraprastha, and straight to Draupadi, who promptly directed him to return to his ‘newer-model’ and stay there, among other things. So, Arjun did exactly that.

Interestingly, it is his idea to dress up Subhadra as a gopa woman, and send her in to mollify Draupadi instead. It works, only somewhat. Draupadi is impressed with the gesture, but she is still angry. She says to Subhadra, “Nihsapatno-stu te pati.” This on-the-face translates to ‘may your husband not have any enemies’. However, sapatn[o/i] also means co-wife (‘sautan/shotin’).

Dr. Bhaduri interprets this as: ‘may you have no co-wives’, by which Draupadi still keeps Arjuna on the rack, as an extension of her previous comment.

I also like the other reading which is: ‘may your husband have no co-husbands’: a covert expression of how tired she was starting to get of her husbands’ antics and marriages.

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