novelraw Arc 6 - Hidimba - Chapter 5 - Hidimbā’s proposal and Ghaṭotkaca
Arc 6 - Hidimba - Chapter 5 - Hidimbā’s proposal and Ghaṭotkaca
Vaiśampāyana said:
Seeing Hidimbā following them, Bhīma turned and spoke with caution:
“O Hidimbā!
The rakṣasa race is skilled in deception.
They practice subtle arts of revenge that no man can foresee.
Therefore, return the way thy brother has gone.
Leave us in peace.”
But Yudhiṣṭhira, seeing Bhīma’s anger, restrained him gently:
“O Bhīma, tiger among men, hold thy hand.
However enraged, do not slay a woman.
Virtue stands higher than even protection of life.
The rakṣasa who sought our destruction lies slain.
This woman, though sister to our enemy, has done us no harm.
What danger can she pose to us now?”
At Yudhiṣṭhira’s words, Hidimbā bowed low to Kuntī and to the elder Pāṇḍava, and spoke with folded palms:
“O noble lady, thou knowest well the pangs women suffer when struck by the arrows of Kāma, the god of love.
These pangs burn within me now—
And Bhīmasena is their cause.
I have borne this torment silently, waiting for my moment of hope—
And that moment has now arrived.
I have cast aside my kin, my friends, and the customs of my race,
For I have chosen this son of thine, O lady, this tiger among men, as my husband.
If he rejects me, or if thou deny me, I shall no longer endure this life.
O gentle lady, show me mercy—think of me as a foolish woman or as thy humble servant.
Grant me this union with Bhīma.
Endowed as he is with the beauty of the celestials,
Let me carry him with me where I please.
Trust me, O mother—
I shall bring him back whenever you desire.
Should you call me, I shall come swiftly,
And bear you all across wild and inaccessible places.
In every danger I will protect you;
I will carry you upon my back across mountains, rivers, and forests.
Only be gracious and unite me with Bhīma.
It is said that in times of distress, one may protect life by any means;
The duty of preserving life outweighs hesitation in method.
He who keeps virtue even in distress is the highest of virtuous men.
Distress is the greatest test of virtue.
Virtue is the protector of life—thus is virtue called the giver of life.
Therefore, the means that secure dharma can never be censurable.”
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Vaiśampāyana said:
Hearing Hidimbā’s earnest words, Yudhiṣṭhira spoke with kindness:
“O Hidimbā, what thou sayest is true.
I do not deny thy love, nor the pangs of desire.
Yet let it be as thou hast promised.
Each day, after Bhīma has performed his morning ablutions, prayers, and rites,
He shall go with thee and spend the day in thy company.
But each night, thou must bring him back to us unharmed.”
Bhīma, hearing his elder brother's words, consented with a smile:
“Listen, O Hidimbā, thou of slender waist—
I make this vow before all:
I shall stay with thee until thou bearest me a son.”
At his words, Hidimbā replied joyfully:
“So be it!”
Then, assuming a radiant form adorned with celestial ornaments,
She lifted Bhīma upon her swift body,
And together they soared through the skies like a thought racing through space.
Over towering mountain peaks glistening with snow,
Through sacred forests echoing with the songs of heavenly birds,
Across clear lakes decked with lotuses and lilies,
Upon islands glowing with pebbled shores,
Among mountain streams and golden beaches,
In hidden caves adorned with flowering vines,
In the secret groves of the Himālaya,
Upon the shores of holy lakes like Maṇasarovara,
Through the realms of ascetics, guhyakas, and gods—
In all these wondrous places,
She sported with Bhīma, delighting him in every way.
Such was her speed—fleet as the mind—that no distance wearied her.
Each day she returned Bhīma safely by nightfall, as promised.
In due time, Hidimbā conceived.
And on the very day of conception,
She gave birth to a mighty son—
For such is the nature of rakṣasa women.
The child was terrible to behold:
His eyes fierce, his mouth wide, his ears long and sharp as arrows,
His lips copper-red, his teeth pointed like daggers,
His roar like thunder shaking the skies,
His chest broad, his calves swelling like elephant trunks,
His motion swift as the wind.
Though born of man, he bore no human semblance.
In strength and prowess, he surpassed all piśācas, rakṣasas, and their kin.
And though but a child, he grew instantly to youth—
Mighty and skilled in the art of every weapon.
Upon his birth, bowing low,
He touched the feet of his mother and his father with reverence.
His parents, seeing his bald head shining like a water-pot,
Named him Ghaṭotkaca—“the Pot-Headed One.”
Thus was born Ghaṭotkaca, the powerful and devoted son of Bhīma,
Who became beloved by all the Pāṇḍavas,
And stood ever loyal to them—like one of their own.
Vaiśampāyana continued:
When the time of her stay had been fulfilled,
Hidimbā, the devoted rakṣasī, bowed reverently before the Pāṇḍavas.
With gentle words she took leave of Bhīma and his brothers,
And made a promise to return whenever summoned.
Then, like a wind-born spirit, she departed freely,
Vanishing into the distant wilds, wheresoever she pleased.
Ghaṭotkaca, mighty among rakṣasas, also came forth before his father.
Bowing low to Bhīma, he spoke with devotion:
“O father, whenever thou dost call me for any task,
I shall come without delay, ready to serve.”
Thus promising, the powerful Ghaṭotkaca turned northward,
Vanishing into the vast forests like a mountain swallowed by mist.
Indeed, O King, it was none other than the illustrious Indra himself
Who brought forth Ghaṭotkaca, lending a portion of his own divine might,
That he might one day stand as the destined slayer of Karṇa—
The mighty bowman empowered by the terrible dart given him.
For that celestial dart, bestowed upon Karṇa by Indra himself,
Could take but one life.
And so Ghaṭotkaca, born of Bhīma’s union with Hidimbā,
Was shaped by destiny as the sacrifice that would protect Arjuna
At the appointed hour of fate.
Vaiśampāyana said:
Thus the mighty Pāṇḍavas, heroes of immeasurable strength,
Wandered from forest to forest,
Slaying deer and wild beasts for their sustenance.
In their journey they passed through the lands of the Matsyas,
The Trigartas, the Panchālas, and the Kīcakas,
Beholding many sacred groves, cool lakes, and flowering woods.
With matted locks upon their heads,
Dressed in bark and the skins of black antelope,
The sons of Pāṇḍu, accompanied by Kuntī,
Lived as ascetics wandering across the land.
At times they moved swiftly,
Bhīma and Arjuna taking turns to carry their mother upon their backs;
At times they moved in disguise,
At times they sped with great haste through secret paths.
And even amidst hardship, they studied the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas,
Mastered the Vedāṅgas, and engaged in deep learning of dharma, artha, and polity.
In the course of their wanderings,
They came upon their grandsire — the great sage Kṛṣṇa-Dvaipāyana Vyāsa.
Beholding him, those lions among men, with Kuntī, bowed low,
Standing before him with palms joined in reverence.
Vyāsa, the knower of all, said:
“O tigers among men, sons of Bharata,
I knew beforehand the deceitful affliction wrought upon you
By the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra.
It is for this reason that I have come now, desiring to do you good.
Do not grieve, O sons of Pāṇḍu.
This trial is ordained for your ultimate happiness.
Though I see both you and the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra equally,
Compassion draws my heart to those who suffer and are yet tender in years.
My affection for you now exceeds all bounds.
Therefore, hear me well:
Not far from here lies a peaceful town, safe from all danger.
Go there and dwell in disguise, awaiting my return.”
Vaiśampāyana continued:
Thus consoling the Pāṇḍavas with words of wisdom and foresight,
Vyāsa, son of Satyavatī, led them gently into the town of Ekacakra.
Turning to Kuntī, the master sage spoke:
“O daughter, be at peace.
This noble son of thine, Yudhiṣṭhira, steadfast in dharma and devoted to truth,
Shall one day rule the entire earth, his sovereignty unchallenged.
Through the prowess of Bhīma and Arjuna,
The whole world, girdled by oceans, will bow before his righteous rule.
Thy sons and the sons of Mādrī—mighty car-warriors all—
Shall enjoy their kingdom in prosperity,
Sporting freely in happiness amidst their domains.
They will perform great sacrifices:
The Rājasūya, the Aśvamedha—
Lavish with gifts to the Brāhmaṇas, vast in grandeur.
Surrounded by friends, kin, and loyal subjects,
Thy children shall rule the ancestral throne
In joy, abundance, and glory.”
Then the island-born sage, having thus spoken,
Brought them into the house of a humble brāhmaṇa.
Turning to Yudhiṣṭhira, he said:
“Remain here, O prince.
I shall return to you in time.
By adapting yourselves to this place and its people,
You shall prosper and find safety.”
The Pāṇḍavas, with hands folded in reverence, replied:
“So be it.”
Thus, having blessed them,
The illustrious Vyāsa departed,
Vanishing once more into the unseen realms whence he had come.