Rakshasas and Rogue Battles

Check the theme here: Pandava Mahaprasthana

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Bhima looked around as they walked through yet another forest. At ninety-two, he might be well past his prime, but he was still his family’s protector. They resumed their Mahaprasthana journey after a second message from Vyasa urging them to pick up the pace and complete their circumambulation of the Bharatavarsha.

A sudden roar echoed from the western side of the forest.

“Do you think it is a rakshasa?” Draupadi whispered.

“I hope not!” Arjuna muttered, still out of mood after returning his cherished Gandiva to Agni when they crossed Lauhitya, the red river. He had to let go of his favorite possession. It was a conditional gift, and the time was up.

Bhima and Sahadeva tried their best to cheer up their brother and made him smile a few times.

“Let him mourn his loss. He’ll come out of it soon.” Draupadi said, earlier in the day.

However, the latest development made them wary. With all of them, except Draupadi, in their nineties, they were worried about the odds of defeating a hefty rakshasa. Bhima was sure he could still give it a tough fight, though he admitted he may need his brothers’ help to eliminate the threat. They moved closer and quickened their pace, wishing the rakshasa didn’t catch a sniff of their scent.

“Don’t worry,” Bhima assured them as he scooped the dog into his arms. “I’m not so weak that I can’t take on a rakshasa. You remember the ones I killed, don’t you?”

Nakula patted his shoulder with an answering grin. “We know your strength, Bhima. But we’ve so far had a peaceful journey. It would be nice to continue with the same. Let’s not stop for rest as per the plan. We can take an extra day to recover on the shore of Lavana Samudra.”

“Wise words, Nakula.” Yudhistira said. “Let us not get into any fights we can otherwise avoid.”

“Whatever you say, Elder brother,” Bhima replied. The dog settled against his chest. He would carry it until they were out of the forest. Bhima couldn’t stop thinking about the mighty rakshasas he had defeated over the years. He even faced yakshas, kinnaras, and pisachas in Kubera’s kingdom.

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The first time Bhima came face-to-face with a rakshasa was when he was exhausted. They escaped Lakshagriha, the house of lac Duryodhana had built in Varnavata, with a plan to burn Bhima and his family to death. A trusted worker appointed by Uncle Vidura dug a tunnel from inside the house, and when the opportunity arose, Bhima set fire to the house before Duryodhana could. They faked their death and escaped through the tunnel and reached the shores of Ganga, where a boat awaited them. Crossing to the other side, they walked into the unexplored part of a forest. By then, his mother had wilted. Bhima carried her in his arms so that they could maintain a brisk pace. The twins, too, were slowing down. He offered to carry them, but they refused.

When they reached what looked like a safe place, a large banyan tree with branches spread as wide as the eye could see, Yudhistira declared they would rest for the night and plan their next move. Despite his dwindling energy levels, Bhima knew he was the only one who could stay awake through the night.

“Sleep, brothers. I’ll keep watch.”

“Wake me up in two hours. We’ll take turns. You need to sleep too.” Arjuna said.

Bhima nodded, though he had no intention of waking any of them. He sat guarding his family when the beautiful Hidimbi approached them. It led to a bare-fisted fight with her rakshasa brother, who had the same name.

His next meeting with a rakshasa was in Ekachakra, where Baka and his family lived a carefree life by terrorizing the villagers. Bhima was itching for a fight and welcomed the chance to beat Baka to a pulp. He channelled his pent-up anger at Duryodhana and that blind Dhritarashtra into killing the rakshasa. However, Baka’s accusation had caught him off guard.

“You, Bhima! I will tear you apart and eat you alive for killing my rakshasa brother and raping his sister. How dare you touch Hidimbi!” Baka yelled.

For a second, Bhima had frozen in his spot. While he knew the rakshasas blamed Hidimbi for choosing a human partner, this claim by Baka was insane.

Bhima roared and punched Baka in the face, breaking his crooked nose. He didn’t know if he was angry about being wrongly accused or on behalf of his wife. Did that deformed rakshasa think Hidimbi was so gullible and weak to let a mere human touch her? She had killed quite many men earlier, something she confessed to Bhima during their short time together.

“It is who I am, Yuvaraja. I’m a rakshasi who eats human meat. I will change for you, but I can’t change my past.”

“You don’t have to change, Hidimbi. Be who you are, and make sure our son becomes a powerful rakshasa like you,” Bhima replied, knowing they had to part ways soon. If she changed her nature for him, it would affect her life in the forest and make her vulnerable to other rakshasas.

When Bhima and his brothers built Indraprastha, he hoped that was the end of his adventures. However, Yudhistira ignored all advice and lost the game of dice to Duryodhana. Less than a week into their lengthy exile, they faced Kirmira, another cousin of Hidimbi and her brother.

It was a full moon night, but the trees were so dense that they carried torches to see the path. The cowherds declined to accompany them to that part of the forest. Soon, Bhima found out why.

A massive rakshasa stood, his arms spread on the side, blocking their way. He roared and stomped his foot in anger.

“Who dares enter my kingdom to become my meal?”

Yudhistira, being the epitome of politeness, replied to the rakshasa. “I am Yudhistira, the elder son of Pandu, with my brothers Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula…”

“Bhima!!” the rakshasa shrieked, uprooting a tree and flinging it in their direction. “You rapist! How dare you touch Hidimbi?”

It was Bhima’s quick reflex that saved his family from getting crushed. Knowing what was to come, Bhima didn’t hesitate. He fought Kirmira with all his strength, ignoring the damage it caused to the forest. His priority was to get rid of the threat forever. The forest would heal faster without a tainted presence devouring her animals at random.

“Look out!” Sahadeva yelled.

Bhima ducked just in time to avoid being swiped by the rakshasa’s pointed claws. “That’s enough!” He roared and jumped on the rakshasa to drag him to the floor. He broke Kirmira’s bones and smashed his head until the skull broke.

“He is dead, brother. You can stop now.” Nakula said in a soothing tone.

Bhima looked at the dead rakshasa in disgust and jumped to his feet. After he cleaned himself of the blood, they resumed their journey inside the Kamyaka forest.

During their five-year pilgrimage, Bhima had to eliminate a few smaller rakshasas. The local villagers thanked him each time, offering gifts to express their gratitude. Such events were a balm to his tortured soul. Bhima couldn’t wait to fulfill his vow by killing Dushasana and Duryodhana for their actions in the Kuru sabha. Since he had to wait, he took out his frustrations by fighting whoever caused trouble to helpless folk.

When staying at Gandhamadana, in Kubera’s kingdom, Bhima got into tussles more than once. The first time was when Draupadi liked the divine Saugandhika flower. Bhima declared he would bring some for her. He fought the yaksha and rakshasa guards surrounding the lake and took the flowers. Kubera was graceful enough to let it go and even gave a few extra flowers.

Later, after they reunited with Arjuna, Draupadi flinched when the rakshasas roared on the mountaintop. She had wished to see the place when the rishis said no one went up as they wanted to avoid the rakshasas and pisachas.

Once again, Bhima took them on. He climbed to the mountaintop without informing his family and fought hundreds of yakshas and daityas who rushed at him from all sides.

“Bhima, did you forget we are living in Kubera’s protection? How could you attack his army?” Yudhistira demanded. Bhima’s brothers and the rishis climbed up while he was fighting.

Fortunately, Kubera was delighted with the developments. “O Pandava! You have freed my friends of their curse. Now I can bring them back to life.”

Yudhistira was relieved, though he apologized to Kubera for abusing his hospitality. The yaksha raja waved it off.

“Bhima did us a favor. However, don’t make this a habit. Rushing into fights could backfire.” He warned.

Bhima thanked Kubera and went down the mountain with his brothers. Of course, he had to fight another rakshasa, a part-bird, part-demon named Jatasura.

Jatasura stayed with them in disguise and kidnapped Draupadi when Bhima wasn’t at the ashram. He heard the cries and rushed to see Sahadeva wave his sword at a mighty rakshasa bird. Bhima leaped into the air and grabbed Jatasura’s neck, twisting and choking it to death. Turned out, Jatasura had the same complaint as the others and blamed Bhima.

“Idiots, all of them! They can’t accept that a woman chose her partner just like how Duryodhana and Karna hate me for choosing five of you and how Sishupala spewed venom against Krishna because Rukmini wanted to marry the man she loved.” Draupadi huffed in anger. “They think we women need to be told who we should want.”

Arjuna and the twins agreed.

Sahadeva said. “It’s not about sister Hidimbi. It is about themselves—that she fell in love with you after declining to marry them. They want to hurt her by killing you.”

“Little do they know; no rakshasa can defeat our Bhima,” Arjuna smirked.

Bhima let out a small laugh. There was no point in feeling bad about what the rakshasas thought.

Later, in the Kurukshetra war, Alambusa and Alayudha joined the Kaurava side, hoping to kill Bhima and his son, Ghatotkacha. They hated Ghatotkacha for being Bhima’s son, ignoring that he was Hidimbi’s son too, the son she loved with all her heart.

Then Bhima truly understood what Draupadi meant. It wasn’t about their misplaced sense of justice for Hidimbi. It was about their ego.

At least, post-war, Bhima hadn’t had to fight any more rakshasas or humans.

***

“I think we are safe,” Yudhistira said.

“Yes, Elder brother. The rakshasa hasn’t roared again. Nor do we see any change in the animals and birds. They are relaxed and happy.” Sahadeva replied, looking up at the branches where the birds chirped.

The dog woofed in agreement.

Bhima breathed a sigh of relief. He realized he didn’t feel inclined to fight, though he would do it to protect his family.

“That’s good. Let’s keep going.” He turned to Draupadi, who was wiping her sweat with her pallu. “I could carry you as well, Maharani.”

She shook her head with a sweet smile. “Not yet, Bhima. I can walk a little more. You keep the poor darling safe for now.”

They continued in silence, whispering only when necessary.

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