Bhima - Birth and Early Years

Birth and Early Years

Once a Brahmin rishi, Kindama and his wife were making love in the forest when Yudhisthira's father Pandu accidentally shot at them, mistaking them for deer. Before dying, Kindama cursed the king to die when he engages in intercourse with any woman. Due to this curse, Pandu was unable to father children. As an additional penance for the murder, Pandu abdicated the throne of Hastinapura and his blind brother Dhritarashtra took over the reins of the kingdom.

After Pandu's disability, the Pandavas were conceived in an unusual way. His mother, Queen Kunti, had in her youth been granted the power to invoke the Devas by Rishi Durvasa. Each Deva, when invoked, would bless her with a child. Urged by Pandu to use her boons, Kunti gave birth to Bhima by invoking the God of wind, Vayu.

Along with other Pandava brothers, Bhima was trained in religion, science, administration and military arts by the Kuru preceptors, Kripa and Drona. Specifically, he became a master in using the mace. Bhima's strong point throughout the epic remains his towering strength. He was a skilful rider of elephants. The strength of his arms is equal to that of ten-thousand elephants. He was so wrathful and strong that it was impossible even for Indra to subdue him in a battle. Bhima's prowess in archery is evident during the Kurukshetra war especially when he fought Karna and Shalya.

Bhima was also renowned for his giant appetite - at times, half of the total food consumed by the Pandavas was eaten by him, which gave rise to his name of Vrikodara.