Supraba - (Wayang Kulit)

Supraba - daughter of Sanghyang Taya

Title	Supraba - (Dewi) - Mahabharata
Other names
Size	45 cm
Personal data	Supraba is an angel from the Jonggringsaloka heaven and is considered the queen of the other angels. She is a descendant of Dewi Kanika, daughter of Sanghyang Taya, younger brother of Sanghyang Wenang. Dewi Supraba is often referred to as the youngest daughter of Batara Indra, but in fact she comes from light which then breaks into seven forms, namely Supraba, Tilottama, Warsiki, Surendra, Gagarmayang, Tunjungbiru and Lenglengmulat. Supraba has 2 sisters named: Dewi Tara and Dewi Tari. Bathari (word for goddess in Javanese) Supraba is one of Arjuna’s goddess wives. Arjuna also had many others wives who were human. Together they got a son named Bambang Prabakusuma.
Appearance	Supraba has broad insight and is wise at all times. Therefore, her marriage to Arjuna could have been arranged by Bathara Guru so that she would have a knightly husband.
Collection	Private collection

Supraba – (Dewi) – Mahabharata

Dewi Supraba is described as the most beautiful angel, so she becomes the target of the asuras and giants who then invade and destroy the heaven if their proposals are rejected. The giants who intend to edit her include Prabu Naga Pracona, Prabu Nilarudraka, and Prabu Niwatakawaca.

One of the famous plays involving Dewi Supraba in it is Arjunawiwaha. It is said that Supraba and six other nymphs were given the task of tempting Arjuna who was meditating at the peak of Mount Indrakila. However, Arjuna's determination was unwavering, and the efforts of the seven nymphs were in vain. With his determination, Arjuna received the gift of a sacred heirloom, the Pasupati arrow from Batara Guru. In the story of Ciptaning (Arjuna meditating), Niwata Kawaca (from the giant kingdom of Iman-Imantaka) wished to marry Supraba. He ordered his special servants, Mamang Murka and Mamang Dana to ask Bathara Guru for Supraba’s hand in marriage. They also said that if Guru would not give them Supraba, then they would take her by force and destroy the heaven. All the gods lost the battle to the giants, but Bathara Narada tricked the giants. He said that if the sun rose in the west, then he would give them Supraba. This gave the gods time to think about how to kill Niwata Kawaca. Finally, the gods asked Ciptaning (name of Arjuna when he is meditating) to kill Niwata Kawaca.

Arjuna accepted the task entrusted to him. He was accompanied by Dewi Supraba down to the Manimantaka kingdom to find out the weaknesses of King Niwatakawaca. Upon arriving at the giant's palace, it turned out that preparations were being made for war against the gods. Supraba was given the task of seducing King Niwatakawaca so that the giant would tell her what his weak point was. Supraba actually felt doubtful and afraid, but with Arjuna's support, she finally agreed to carry out her task.

Supraba entered the mestika studio, in the middle of the palace courtyard, and Arjuna followed her with an aji so that he would not be seen by anyone. Several court ladies who were chatting in the garden noticed Supraba's arrival and greeted her happily. Two ladies-in-waiting then went to King Niwatakawaca and informed him of Dewi Supraba's arrival.
Niwatakawaca, full of happiness, immediately went to Taman Sari and took Supraba on his lap. Supraba tried to gently reject all Niwatakawaca's lustful urges and asked the king to wait for dawn.

Supraba then tried to seduce him by praising Niwatakawaca's supernatural powers. She then asked what gift he had received so that he had extraordinary supernatural powers. The king was persuaded by Supraba's seduction, he finally revealed his secret that the tip of his tongue was the place of his supernatural powers.
After hearing Niwatakawaca's confession, Arjuna then left his hiding place and destroyed the palace gate to distract the king. Niwatakawaca was shocked to hear the commotion, and Supraba used the opportunity to escape with Arjuna.

Knowing that he had been deceived, the king's anger overflowed, he then ordered his troops to immediately set off to attack the heaven. Meanwhile, the heaven was rejoicing because they already knew Niwatakawaca's weakness. Arjuna and Bathara Indra also knew what weapon could defeat the giant.
A fierce battle took place between the giant's army and the heaven's army. But finally Arjuna managed to kill Niwatakawaca with the pasopati arrow given by Bathara Guru. He shot his arrow straight at the mole on Niwata Kawaca’s tongue, where he had sacred power.

For his services, Arjuna received an award from the heaven. For seven days (days according to the heaven), Arjuna sat on the throne of Bathara Indra, and he was given seven nymphs whom he married in turn. On the first day he married Supraba. Supraba got the first turn because she had taken a journey full of danger. From her marriage to Arjuna, Supraba had a son named Prabakusuma.
However, in another version, it is said that from this marriage they were blessed with two twin daughters named Pergiwa and Pergiwati.

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Blog: Hadisukirno – Yogyakarta - 2012