Jīmūta
Jīmūta was a famous malla (wrestler). He was brought to Virāṭanagara to compete before the court of King Virāṭa. During the ajñātavāsa (the year of living unrecognised) of the Pāṇḍavas, Bhīmasena fought him in the wrestling arena, defeated him and killed him. The Virāṭa Parva calls this part of the Samayapālana Parva the Jīmūta-vadha, the killing of Jīmūta.
Who he was
Jīmūta was one of the most celebrated mallayoddhas (wrestlers) of his time. He was known across the region for his great strength and for his record in the arena. He is described as a champion known to the whole world (loke praśiddha-vīra). His huge body, raw strength and trained skill made him a hard opponent. This is told in the Mahābhārata, Virāṭa Parva, Chapter 13.
The fight with Bhīmasena
The Pāṇḍavas were living at Virāṭanagara in their year of hiding. King Virāṭa arranged a wrestling match for sport and show. Jīmūta was brought in as the champion to be matched against the royal cook Vallava, who was Bhīmasena in disguise. The two fighters were compared to two great sixty-year-old war elephants, equal in size and strength, each straining to win.
The fight was hard and long. The two wrestlers used the full range of malla methods. They seized and let go, struck with the fist, pressed the body, lifted and spun, threw to the ground, and used the knee and the head. The crowd roared its praise as two masters of the craft fought each other to their limits.
In the end Bhīmasena seized Jīmūta with both arms, as a tiger seizes an elephant. He lifted him and spun him a hundred times. Jīmūta lost his senses, and his body was like a corpse. Bhīma threw him to the ground and crushed him. Jīmūta died in the arena. This is told in the Mahābhārata, Virāṭa Parva, Chapter 13.
What followed
The death of Jīmūta was the start of the fame of Bhīma as Vallava in the court of the Matsyas. King Virāṭa rewarded him with great treasure. After that, when no man could match Vallava, Virāṭa had him fight lions, bears and even elephants in the antaḥpura (the inner palace) for entertainment. Even in the part of a cook, Bhīma’s great power could not be fully hidden, yet no one saw who was behind the disguise.
Sources
- Mahābhārata, Virāṭa Parva, Chapter 13