Jaṭāsura Vadha

Jaṭāsura was a rākshasa who came to the Pāṇḍavas on Gandhamādana in the form of a brāhmaṇa. For a time he lived among them. Then he showed his true form, seized Yudhishṭhira, Draupadī, Nakula and Sahadeva, and tried to carry them away. Bhīma came back and killed him. The Vana Parva of the Mahābhārata tells this in Chapter 157.

Jaṭāsura’s disguise

Jaṭāsura had heard that the Pāṇḍavas were on Gandhamādana. They were in the forest without Arjuna, and they did not have all their usual protection. He made a cunning plan. He took the form of a brāhmaṇa, old and harmless to look at, with the marks and tools of an ascetic. He came to the Pāṇḍava camp and said he wished to share their company and serve them. The Pāṇḍavas were known for kind welcome and respect for brāhmaṇas. They received him and let him into their household.

Jaṭāsura lived among them for some time and watched everything. He saw their daily habits, the times when Bhīma, the strongest warrior, was away, how the weapons were kept and how the camp was laid out. He was patient.

The seizing

One day Bhīma went hunting and was far from the camp. Jaṭāsura dropped his disguise. He grew to his full size as a rākshasa, huge and terrible, his true form blazing with violence. Before anyone could act, he seized Yudhishṭhira, Draupadī, Nakula and Sahadeva. He also gathered up their bows and weapons. He carried captives and weapons together and meant to run off.

Yudhishṭhira makes himself heavy

Even in the rākshasa’s grip, Yudhishṭhira kept his calm. He used the one power he had at that moment. He made himself very heavy. The rākshasa was already carrying four captives and all the weapons, and he found the weight too much to carry quickly. Jaṭāsura struggled and slowed down.

Sahadeva escapes

Sahadeva, the youngest of the five, was quick and agile. He slipped out of Jaṭāsura’s grip. He ran through the forest at full speed, calling for Bhīma. He knew that the only hope was to reach his brother before Jaṭāsura took the others out of the forest.

Bhīma returns

Bhīma came rushing back. He found Jaṭāsura staggering under his load and fell on him at once. Bhīma attacked.

The first fight was with tree branches. Bhīma tore up great trees and used them as weapons against the rākshasa, who used whatever he could reach in return. Then the fight became wholly bodily, with fists, arms, feet and wrestling. Bhīma’s strength was greater than the rākshasa’s, even though Jaṭāsura was not an ordinary being. He seized Jaṭāsura, spun him round to dizzy him, then drove him into the ground and cut off his head, parting the head from the body in the final blow.

After the fight

The four captives were freed. Yudhishṭhira cautioned Bhīma against pride in his victory. The Pāṇḍavas had to stay watchful and not bring more danger on themselves in these years in the forest. This episode showed that the years of exile in the forest were never fully safe.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Vana Parva, Chapter 157