Bhima: Epic Characters of Mahabharatha

By Dr. M.K. Bharathiramanachar

Bhima was the son of Vayudeva, born to Kunti when Pandu desired her to have a strong son who would help dharma thrive. As a baby, when he rolled on the ground once, the rocks broke into pieces but he remained unhurt. He was good at wrestling, riding and every game he played. Duryodhana who considered Bhima as one of his worst enemies, once pushed him into a deep pool but Bhima went into Nagaloka, where he received nectar from the king of snakes, and this made him even stronger. He saved the world from the clutches of a demon, Hidimba and married the demon's sister, Hidimbi. He got rid of Bakasura with ease. During Draupadi's swayamwara when all the disappointed kings and princes tried to attack Arjuna, it was Bhima who wrecked havoc on all. Bhima convinced the apprehensive Yudhistira to send him and Arjuna to kill Jarasandha so that a rajasuya yagna could be performed in order to send their father Pandu to heaven. He swore to break Duryodhana's thigh because the latter had invited Draupadi to sit on it and be his queen. When Dushasana tugged hard at Draupadi's sari, Bhima swore to rip open his heart and drink blood from it. Bhima was able to not only enter Saugandhikavana but was able to kill nearly one lakh demons and bring back the divine flowers to Draupadi. He killed Keechaka and 105 Upakeechakas in order to save Draupadi. During the Mahabharatha war, he killed all the Kaurava brothers. Even Drona's chariot was not spared. Bhima was truly unequalled in strength, forbearance and courage. He discharged his duty as a kshatriya with courage and won Lord SriHari's favour.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bharatha Samskruthi Prakashana
• Release date: May 22, 2019
• ISBN: 9788194018513

Book preview

EPIC CHARACTERS OF MAHABHARATHA

Bhima

Written by

Dr. M.K. Bharathiramanachar

Translated by

Prof. G. S. Mudambadithaya

© Bharatha Samskruthi Prakashana, Bengaluru. All rights reserved.

Published by:

Bharatha Samskruthi Prakashana

C/o. Bharatha Darshana,

163, Manjunatha Road, 2nd Block,

Thyagarajanagar, Bangalure 560 028,

Ph: [phone], [phone]

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Forward

Sri Srirangasadgurave Namah

Sri Vedavyasa’s immortal work, the Mahabharata, is our national epic reflecting like a golden mirror, the internal and external forms of the character and culture prevailing in the land of Bharata from times immemorial. It is hailed as the fifth Veda as it portrays the battle between the demoniac and the divine forces ending in the triumph of the latter, and announces to the whole world the universal truths of life. At places it orders with the tone and tenor of a paramount monarch. At some other places it teaches through stories and episodes and examples like a bosom friend and in some other places it brings home truths in the manner of a sweetheart. It is therefore a Sruti and Smriti and an Itihasa and a Purana and a Kavya, all embodied in one single work. It is an inexhaustible sourcebook for various literary works in Samskrit and local languages. On account of its extraordinary size of 18 parvas and the weightiness of its contents, it is appropriatly called the Mahabharata. Regarding the exhaustive teaching of the fourfold goals of life recommended by the founders of our culture, it has been rightly announced about this book as follows:

Whatever is found here is found elsewhere and what is not found here is found nowhere else.

We bless the efforts of Bharatha Samskrithi Prakashana to acquaint young minds with the prime characters of the above extraordinary work through these little vibrant volumes. It has derived inspiration from the 32 volumes of the Kannada version of the Mahabharata published by Bharatha Darshana, a premier publishing house, solely dedicated for the cause of the Bharathiya culture. The language of these booklets is very simple and lucid, so as to enter the hearts of the young minds and lead them on to the reading of the original. We hope that the younger generation will be able to analyse and judge these characters in the right perspective, elevate themselves and become good citizens of our nation.

We come across a large number of elderly people also who do not have a correct knowledge of the characters of the great epic. We hope that these little life-sketches based on the original Mahabharata, will serve very useful to them as well.

We fervantly hope that