Sushmajee
Biographies | Daitya

Biographies-Daitya

Home | Biographies

Barabareek

Previous | A-J | K-M | N-S | T-Z | Others

 
Barabareek (Ghatotkach's Son)
This version is taken from Khaatu Shyaam from Internet,
See also   Mahabharat Katha  Serial made with Barabareek character;   Read  Skand Puraan version

I read this story on Internet (khatushyamdhamsirsa.org/shyamjikatha.aspx). It does not appear in MBH but it appears in Skand Puraan's Maaheshwar Khand. Both versions, the internet version and the Skand Puraan version, vary considerably. BR Chopra's serial  Mahabharat Katha gives his mother's name as "Maurvee" and his Guru's name as "Vijayasaha".

Ghatotkach Has a Son
When Paandav were given the kingdom of Indraprasth, Bheem's son from Hidimbaa Ghatotkach arrived in Indraprasth. Seeing him Yudhishthir told Krishn that Ghatotkach had grown up a lot so he should be married. Krishn agreed to it and suggested to Ghatotkach - "Go to Mur named Daitya living in Manipur. He has a daughter named Kaamkantakataa who is very wise. She subjects anyone who comes with a marriage proposal to her with very difficult questions. You go there with the blessings of all your elders and with the blessings of God, you will be able to answer all her questions; but don't perform the wedding rituals there. You bring her here for them." Krishn's words could not be false.

When Ghatotkach came to Manipur, Kaamkantakataa asked him indeed difficult questions, but, as Krishn had said, he was able to answer her all questions. After satisfying her, according to Krishn's orders, he brought her to Indra Prasth with the permission of Mur Daitya and got married to her there only. Time waits for none, it flew fast and in due course of time Kaamkantakataa gave birth to an illustrious, strong, wise, kind-hearted son named Barabareek.

A mention is made of Anjanparv named Raakshas who is supposed to be Ghatotkach's son in MBH, G-6-War/23. He was killed by Ashwatthaamaa on the night of 14th day of MBH war.

Barabareek Gets Boons
Krishn said to Barabareek - "Since you are a Kshatriya, you should be very powerful. To obtain Shakti (power) you should worship Sureshwaree and get blessings from her." Barabaeek asked where he should go and seek for this Devee. Krishn told him to go to the meeting place of oceans and seek for Durgaa brought by Naarad. Barabareek proceeded and meditated upon Devee. Seeing his devotion, Devee got very pleased and gave him the Var which was not given to anybody else in all the three worlds. Devee said - "O Son, We grant you unparalleled strength. Nobody will be able to defeat you in the world. But you stay here here for a few more years because a Braahman named Vijaya will come here and you will get more blessings in his company."

At the command of Devee Barabareek stayed there for some more time. A Braahman named Vijayasaha did come there from Magadh Desh. He worshipped seven Shiv Ling and then got immersed in the meditation of the same Devee. Devee came in his dream and asked him to worship Siddh Mother and practice his skills before her. And in this regard that Barabareek would help him. Hearing this Vijayasaha asked Barabareek to take care of his meditation till he practiced his skills. During this period, Barabareek killed Replindu demon and Dhruv-Dhruvaa demoness. He also killed a demon named Palasee who was troubling Naag from Paataal Lok. Seeing this the King of Naag Lok Vaasuki got very pleased. He came there and asked him to ask for any Var. Barabareek was very humble and kind-hearted, so he just asked him that Vijayasaha's meditation should be completed successfully.

At that time many Naag maidens got ready to marry Barabareek seeing his look and bravery, but Barabareek told them that he would always be a bachelor, so those maidens gave him the Var of being even more victorious. After that Devee granted the wealth and fortune to Vijayasaha and Shiv gave Barabareek three infallible arrows and said that, "You will always be victorious while using these three arrows."

It is believed that the same three arrows are worshipped as Shyaam's weapons in Khaatu Shyaam Temple.

Barabareek Meets His Family
After gaining fortune, that Vijaya became Sindhsen. When Paandav came to Sindh Desh after losing everything in the Dice Game, they worshipped Devee and sat at a distance to take rest. Then Bheem, as God willed, entered the sacred pond without washing his hands and feet and began washing his mouth. Barabareek got very angry seeing this, he said to Bheem - "Do you know that this pond water is used to worship Devee and you have entered this pond without washing your mouth and feet; and you are also washing mouth from this water?" Hearing this Bheem, proud of his might, started fighting with him, but he could not defeat Barabareek.

At this Bheem got very sad as he was very proud of his might and he could not defeat this child. The then Shiv appeared there with Devee and told him that Barabareek was nobody else but was his grandson so he should not be sad. On the other side Barabareek also became sad that what he had done by fighting with his grandfather and thought to end his life. Then the Devee who blessed him with the might told him not to do so and asked him to join his family. Even after joining his family, Barabareek still thought of meditation.

After Paandav's A-Gyaatvaas had ended, they still did not get their kingdom back, so the MBH war broke. By then Barabareek had finished his meditation at the meeting place of the oceans. He came to his mother and came to know abut the MBH war. He wished her to see the war. She asked him - "But if you would feel the impulse to participate in the war, what will you do?" He said - "First I will watch the battle, then if I would like to fight, I will join the party which is losing." Then taking the permission of his mother, that strong and mighty, courageous and friend of the losers, Barabareek rode a blue horse with the speed of wind and came to the battlefield - Kurukshetra.

Barabareek Meets Krishn
Krishn had seen that a brave man was coming towards the battlefield, so He thought, "let me examine his bravery." So the playful Krishn sat under a Peepal tree in disguise of a Braahman. As Barabareek passed from there, he saw a Braahman sitting under a Peepal tree. He alighted from his horse and greeted him. Krishn asked him where he was going to. Barabareek replied that he was going towards Kuru Kshetra. Krishn asked him - "You are going towards a battlefield and you have only three arrows with you?" Barabareek said smilingly, "O Braahman, Out of these three arrows, even one arrow is enough to kill the entire army taking part in this war in one second and then it will come back to my quiver. If I use all the three arrows, they will create a havoc in the three worlds. Everything will be destroyed and the arrows will sill be in my quiver." Krishn said - "You are very arrogant about your arrows?" Barabareek said politely - "This is not arrogance, but it is the result of my meditation and worship." Krishn said - "All right, If this is so then show me tying all the Peepal tree leaves with your one arrow."

Barabareek took out his one arrow and within a second he tied all the leaves of the Peepal tree under which Krishn was sitting. But Krishn had hidden one leaf under His foot, so after tying all the leaves of the tree, that arrow started revolving around Krishn's foot. Krishn asked him - "O Brave man, Why this arrow is revolving around my foot?" Barabareek sad politely - "Braahman Devtaa, There must be a leaf under your foot that is why it is revolving around your foot." Krishn asked him - "Then why is it not tying it?" Barabareek again replied politely - "Because this arrow was aimed at tying the leaves only of the tree, not under your foot." Hearing this Krishn got very happy. He removed the leaf from under His foot and the arrow returned to Barbareek's quiver after tying it.

Krishn said to him - "You are really brave. Then tell me, for which side you are going to fight in this battlefield?" He said - "In fact I have come only to see the battle, but then whichever side will lose, I will fight for that side." Krishn thought, "If his man will fight from the loser's side, then he will fight for Kaurav; and if he will fight for Kaurav, then the whole scene of battle will change. All Dharm will go away from the Earth. So Krishn said - "You are really brave, but being brave is not enough for a Kshatriya, he should be a philanthropist also." Barabareek said - "Anything you want, everything is under my control." Krishn said - "First you promise me, then only I will ask you." Barabareek promised Him and Krishn asked him his head in charity.

Hearing this Barabareek got astonished and speechless. When he came to himself, he said - "O Braahman, According to my promise I will give what I have promised for, but just tell me why do you want my head? Please disclose your identity." Then Krishn showed him His Chatur-bhuj Roop and said - "Look Barabareek, Before the battle it is necessary to sacrifice a full brave Kshatriya's head in order to worship the battlefield. That is why I asked your head in charity." Barabareek said - "Oh Lord, I have been your devotee since my childhood. It is my good fortune that you have asked my head. But I too have a wish. I wish to see the battle till its end. If you fulfill my wish then my life will be a success." Krishn said - "Your wish will be fulfilled." That day was Shukla Paksh Ekaadashee. Barabareek prayed Him whole night and on the 12th he gave his head to Krishn.

At that time all Paandav came there and asked Krishn as why did He ask that brave innocent man's head? At the same time all Devee - Siddhaa, Ambikaa, Taaraa, Kapaalee, Suvarnaa, Trilokaa, Chandikaa etc - appeared there and told the Paandav the reason of asking this sacrifice - "Once upon a time Devtaa asked Vishnu to help them to lighten the burden of Prithvi. Vishnu promised them so. Then a Yaksh named Sooryavarchaa who was present there said that he alone could take the incarnation and lighten the burden of Prithvi. Hearing this Brahmaa got very angry and gave him Shaap - "Whenever the time will come to lighten the burden of Prithvi, he would be killed by Krishn." Then Sooryavarchaa asked what he could do to escape Brahmaa's curse. Vishnu said - "Whenever such time will come Krishn will release you from this Shaap." That is why Krishn has taken his head as sacrifice."

Barabareek Sees the MBH War
After this they took the head of Barabareek and kept it on a high hill near the battlefield and with the help of nectar vines they kept it alive so that he could watch the whole battle. After the battle every Paandav was proud of their bravery and skills. Krishn said - "Don't be so proud of your skills. Only Barabareek's head can tell what is what because he was the only witness who had seen the whole battle from the top of the hill. So all Paandav went to Barabareek's head and were still proud of their skills. Then Barbareek's head said - "You won only because Krishn's skillful policies and techniques. He is the real winner. I could see His Sudarshan Chakra revolving here and there all the time killing all the people; and Draupadee as Durgaa drinking the blood of all the soldiers and not allowing to drop even a drop of blood." After saying this the head of Barabareek got silent.

Krishn gave him a boon that he will always be worshipped in the form of Shyaam, in His own form only, in Kali Yug. And after worshipping him the devotees' all the wishes will be fulfilled. Then they buried his head in Khaatu. Later, by Krishn's boon, the time came for the head to appear.

Barbareek's Head Appears
A shepherd used to graze his cows around Khaatu area. So one day when he was returning home a cow just stopped and milk started flowing from her udders into the Earth. The cow owner was worried about that cow because that cow was not giving any milk regularly. The cow owner asked the shepherd if he milked her, but the shepherd denied. So the cow owner decided to find out for himself. After following that cow for the whole day, he saw that that cow stopped at one place and the milk flowed from her udders and went into the Earth. The cow owner got dumbstruck seeing this that who was that who drank the milk inside the Earth. So he started digging the field. When he had dug the field, a voice was heard from beneath the Earth. Then he asked the diggers to dig slowly and found the head of Shyaam Jee. The cow's owner gave that head to a Braahman and that Braahman worshipped it for many days in his house.

According to Bhaagvat Puraan this place was called Khaatu Khatank. Once the king of this place saw Shyaam Jee's head who instructed him to take the head from the Braahman and build a temple for it. So a temple was built for the head and it was installed on Kaarttik Shukla Ekaadashee. There is a pond there in which the head appeared.

 

 

Home | Biographies

 

Previous |  A-J | K-M | N-S | T-Z | Others

Created by Sushma Gupta On 5/27/04
Contact:  sushmajee@yahoo.com
Modified on 10/04/13