By: - Pradyumndev Singh Jodha

THE ASPECT OF BHIMA IN MAHABHARATHA


INTRODUCTION

In Indian magnum opus The Mahabharata, taste of innocence, fun and of highest brute are mentioned with the name of The Bhima, second eldest of mighty Pandvas, born to Kunti by the grace of Air God the Pawan Dev. Bhima is the testimony to physical strength in the epic. Vedavayasa, the writer of the great epic has beautifully described impulse, aggression, and strength, in the character of Bhima. “The strength of his arms, equal to ten thousand elephants” says the writer. His legendary prowess has been mentioned in glowing terms throughout the epic. Eg: "Of all the wielders of the mace, there is none equal to Bhima; and there is none also who is so skilful a rider of elephants. On car, they say, he yields not to even Arjuna; and as to might of arms, he is equal to ten thousand elephants. Well-trained and active, he who hath again been rendered bitterly hostile would in anger consume the Dhartarashtras in no time. Always wrathful, and strong of arms, he is not capable of being subdued in battle by even Indra himself."

BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD
Kunti was the Empress of The Mighty Kuru Kingdom and wife of King Pandu. Pandu was living a austere life with family in forest amidst the hermits.
In Pandu’s absence the kingdom was govern upon by his blind elder brother The Dhritrashtra who was very selfish and ambitious for his own sons.
After the death of Pandu when his family returned to their Kingdom to reclaim the throne and home, then it was not taken humbly by Duryodhana the spoiled and eldest son of Dhritrashtra, Dhritrashtra who wanted the throne for his own son differ the coronation of Prince Yudhistra the eldest of Pandavas with malicious advise of his courtiers like Shakuni, Kanik.
Duryodhana who was never able to come in term with Pandavas and accept them as Brothers and future kings always nurtured a deep hatred for Bhim, as Bhim was only one believed to pay in same coin. Bhima is also infamous for having sown the seeds of hatred between the two collateral branches of the Kuru family by mercilessly beating up his cousins, almost unto the point of death, during his childhood. In vengeance of all these Duryodhana once tried to kill Bhim by poisoning and drowning in the River Ganga but there he was saved and blessed with mighty power of seventy elephants by his maternal uncle who was a serpent King and ruled underwater.

THE ELIMINATOR OF DEMONS
Lord Krishna deployed the great might of Bhima in the execution of the evil demons who were a threat for the civilians.After escaping the conspiracy of “Lakshagriha”, the inflammable palace built at city of Varnawata where Pandava family was lured to stay by Duryodhana, they went to forest fearing more attacks from Duryodhan and his cronies. There he came across Hidimba and Hidimbi a rakshasha brother and sister. Because of the enmity of the rakshasha to the people of the Kuru kingdom, Hidimba asked Hidimbi to lure Bhima to a trap. However, Bhima and Hidimbi were attracted to each other. Bhima fought and killed Hidimba, and lived for a year in the forest with Hidimbi, by whom he had a son, Ghatotkacha , Hidimbi retired to the life of pilgrimage and spiritualism with her son, here after Gatotkacha was married to a Demon princess resulting in entire two sects of demons accepting the civil life
After this The Pandavas with their mother went to the village of Ekachakra in the disguise of brahmanas , begging their food in the streets and bringing what they got to their mother, who would wait anxiously till their return. If they did not come back in time, she would be worried, fearing that some evil might have befallen them, and then Kunti would divide the food they brought in two equal portions. One half would go to Bhima. The other half would be shared by the other brothers and the mother. Bhima, being born of the Air god had great strength and a mighty appetite.
Vrikodara, one of the names of Bhima, means wolf-bellied, and a wolf, you know, looks always famished. And however much it might eat, its hunger is never quite satisfied.
There he killed the Demon Bakasura a cannibal who used to eat a human, two bulls and hoard of stores every week according to his deal with villagers.
After the partition of the Kuru empire in Hastinapur ruled by Dhritrashtra and Indraprastha ruled by Yudhishthira , here Krishna adviced Yudhishthira to perform Rajasuya yagya, but at that time most of the Kings were either imprisoned by Jarasandha The King of Magadh or were ruling under his duress. Jarasandha was a half demon half human he was having evil boon of a convoluted way of death so Krishna decided take Bhima and Arjuna with himself to execute upon the Jarasandha.
They entered the kingdom of Magadha and arrived at the capital of Jarasandha. Jarasandha was disturbed by portents of ill omen. To ward off the oncoming danger, he had propitiatory rites performed by the priests and himself took to fasts and penance. Krishna, Bhima, and Arjuna entered the palace unarmed. Jarasandha received them with respect as their noble bearing seemed to indicate an illustrious origin. Bhima and Arjuna made no reply to his words of welcome because they wished to avoid having to tell lies.
Krishna spoke on their behalf: "These two are observing a vow of silence for the present as at part of their austerities. They can speak only after midnight." Jarasandha entertained them in the hall of sacrifice and returned to the palace.
It was the practice of Jarasandha to meet noble guests who had taken vows and talk to them at their leisure and convenience, and so he called at midnight to see them.
Their conduct made Jarasandha suspicious, and he also observed that they had on their hands the scars made by the bowstring and had besides the proud bearing of kshatriyas.
When Jarasandha demanded the truth of them they said frankly: "We are your foes and seek instant combat. You can choose one of us at will to fight with you."
After acquainting himself as to who they were, Jarasandha said: "Krishna, you are a cowherd and Arjuna is a mere boy. Bhima is famous for his physical strength. So, I wish to fight with him." Since Bhima was unarmed, Jarasandha chivalrously agreed to fight him without weapons.
Bhima and Jarasandha were so equally matched in strength that they fought with each other continuously for thirteen days without taking rest or refreshments, while Krishna and Arjuna looked on in alternating hope and anxiety.
On the fourteenth day, Jarasandha showed signs of exhaustion, and Krishna prompted Bhima that the time had come to make an end of him.
At once Bhima lifted him and whirling him round and round a hundred times, dashed him to the earth and seizing his legs tore his body asunder into two halves.
And Bhima roared in exultation. The two halves at once joined and Jarasandha, thus made whole, leapt up into vigorous life and again attacked Bhima.
Bhima aghast at the sight, was at a loss what to do, when he saw Krishna pick up a straw, tear it into two, and cast the bits in opposite directions.
Bhima took the hint, and when once again he tore Jarasandha asunder he threw the two portions in opposite directions, so that they could not come together and join. Thus did Jarasandha meet his end.
The captive princes were released and Jarasandha's son Sahadev was crowned King of Magadha. And Krishna, Bhima and Arjuna returned to Indraprastha.With Jarasandha gone, the way was now clear for the Rajasuya which the Pandavas performed with great pomp and splendor. Yudhishthira assumed the title of emperor.
He killed Baka (head of a cannibalistic race which used to eat humans). Krimmer, Bakasura’s brother challenged Bhima in hope of taking revenge
Of his brother’s death challenged Bhima during their exile to kamyaka forest. The great Bhima killed him, relieving the sadhus of the forest who were terrorized by the Rakashasha.
Apart from these he killed and dueled with many Demons like MaNiman (leader of the anger-demons in Kubera's garden).
His son Gatotkacha who was living a pious life fought in favour of Pandavas in the Battle of Kurukshetra.

THE LOVE AND MATRIMONIAL LIFE
Besides Hindimbi Bhima had three more wives.With his brothers, he was married to Draupadi,Who was the daughter of Drupad the king pf Panchal kingdom, Arjuna the Archer won her in the Swayambara but due to the accidentally ordered words of Kunti they all had to marry the Draupadi, hence all pandavs wedded with Draupadi.
The portrayal of Bhima's commitment to Draupadi is unblemished in the original Mahabharata,
He was furious when the game of dice between his brother, King Yudhisthira, and Duryodhana reached its final stages. But when Dushasana attempted to strip Draupadi in the court, he swore that he would kill him one day and drink his blood, later in the war of Kurukshetra he kept his words by murdering Dushasana and drinking his blood, eventually he also killed Duryodhana by attacking his thigh unlawfully in their duel only to keep his vow in their at last battle at the pond.
Bhima’s possessiveness for the Draupadi also surfaced during the time of the exile when all Pandavas were busy in preparation of war and she was staying with Bhim, he saved her from the evil hands of Jayadarth and punished him severely, he just spared his life as he was husband of her cousin Duhshala, but highly humiliated Jayadarth vowed to take vengeance against Pandavas, later this incident turned the main cause of the death of the young Abhimanyu.
Bhima taken it as his sole duty to fulfill every desire of Draupadi, to abide by this he brought her the exotic and mysterious Saugandhika plant passing many hurdles rendered by Demons and Yaksha
And at the time of their secrete exile in the court of Virat, it was only Bhima who rescued her from the clutches of her tormenter the Kitchak, The army general and brother in law of king Virat, Bhima killed him at midnight by luring him with the help of Draupadi after this no one dared to trouble Draupadi as the rumour evoked that she has some mysterious Gandharva paramours.
Later she gave birth to a son by Bhim by the name Sutasoma. The child that Draupadi bore to Bhimasena was born after Bhima had performed a thousand Soma sacrifices; he came to be called Sutasoma. Bhima also married Valandhara, the daughter of the king of Kasi, he offered his own prowess as dower and begat upon her a son named Sarvaga. Chedi king Dhristaketu's sister was also wedded to Bhima

THE LAST BATTLE
Bhima was one of most important character in battle of kurukshetra. He alone himself killed six out of eleven akshaukinis which further dignifies his physical strength. He also defeated mighty Dronacharya by breaking his chariot eight times while Arjuna was trying to find and kill Jayadratha, defeated and forced the powerful Karna to withdraw from battle in four pitched battles while Karna was trying to save the remaining brothers of Duryodhan. During the battle, he killed the elephant called Ashvatthama, which enabled the Pandavas to spread the falsehood that Ashvatthama son of Drona, had been killed. At the end of the battle, he also fatally wounded Duryodhana in a duel, after striking him a foul blow below the waist. At this time, Balarama criticised Bhima for the foul blow, but was calmed down by Krishna. Bhima refrained from killing any respectable elders in the Kaurava's side out of respect for their virtue. The only elderly person he killed was the king of Bahlika (Bhishma's maternal uncle) - and he does this because the king of Bahlika asks Bhima to kill him to release him from the sin of fighting for the kauravas (Bahlika had to fight with the kauravas on account of Bhishma, his nephew).
At the end of the Great War when Duryodhana found no one to fight for him, the coward escaped from the battleground and lurked inside an enchanted water pool
But the Pandavas were there with the motive of keeping no issue alive found out him and challenged him for the duel after much provocation from the Pandavas, Duryodhana came out of the enchanted pool n all rage and accepted the challenge of Pandavas and opted to fight with Bhima and hence, the strife began between Bhima and Duryodhana. Sparks of fire flew when their maces clashed. Duryodhana and Bhima were equal in strength and skill, and the battle raged long, and the issue hung doubtful. Those, who stood watching, were debating as to whom would win. Krishna said to Arjuna that Bhima would keep the oath he swore in the Hall of Assembly and smash Duryodhana's thighs. Bhima heard this and, at that moment, the memory of the great outrage came readily to his mind.
He leaped like a pard and came down with his mace on Duryodhana's thighs and broke them and Duryodhana fell heavily on the ground, succumbing to death.
Bhima jumped on the flat body of his enemy, stamped on his head with his heavy foot and danced a terrible dance. He was looking like a fierce beast when he danced like that. Vedvyasa has beautifully and very cleverly described the explosion of emotions by Bhima on his triumph. This is a testimony to the Vedvyasa’s deep knowledge of human character behavior.

He finished his days with his brothers and Draupadi, on their great and final journey toward Vaikuntha. He was the last to die on the journey, leaving Yudhisthira alone to complete the journey by himself.







With valuable support from
Sudhanshu Pandey
IISER Kolkata (W.B.)

REFERENCES:
Books
1. Indian myth and legend; by Donald A.Mackenzie (1913)
2. Introduction to Mahabharatha; by Dr. P. lal
3. Maha Samar; by Narendra Kohli. (Patrika Prakashan)

Websites
Ø www.sanatansociety.org/indian_epics_and_stories.htm
Ø www.mahabharata-resources.org/