Once in Dvārakā a brāhmaṇa’s wife gave birth to a son who immediately died. The brāhmaṇa took his dead son to the court of King Ugrasena and berated the King: “This duplicitous, greedy enemy of brāhmaṇas has caused my son’s death by failing to execute his duties properly!” The same misfortune continued to befall the brāhmaṇa, and each time he would bring his dead infant’s body to the royal court and berate the King. When the ninth son died at birth, Arjuna happened to hear the brāhmaṇa’s complaint, and he said, “My lord, I will protect your progeny. And if I fail, I will enter fire to atone for my sin.”