[1-154] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Very near to the place where Paandav were sleeping, there lived a terrible Raakshas on a Shaal tree. He was a cruel cannibal and had a sharp and long teeth. He was longing for human flesh for a long time. As he saw Paandav and their mother sleeping in the forest, he was very happy. His desire to eat human flesh increased more. He said to his sister Hidimbaa - "Seeing these people, I have wanted to eat human flesh, I will eat them with my eight teeth. You go and see who these people are? Kill them and bring them to me. Since they are in my territory, you need not to worry about. Go soon and then we will eat them together. After eating them we shall them dance together too." She went where Paandav were sleeping. She found four brothers sleeping and Bheem awake. She got attracted to the beauty of Bheem and thought that he was worthy to be her husband and he should not be killed. A woman's love towards her husband is much stronger than her affection towards her brother. I I will kill him then the pleasure we will get will be only momentary, but if I do not kill him, I can enjoy with him for ever.

So she assumed of a beautiful human form and approached him and asked him - "Who are you and where have you coming from? Who are these who are sleeping here? Don't you know that here lives a Raakshas and he has sent me to kill you so that he can eat you, but seeing you I have attracted to you and now I wish to choose you as my husband. You know all Dharm, so do with me what you think proper. Since I want you, will you be my husband? I will save you from that Raakshas and then we will live on mountains as we will wish. I can go anywhere I like, so we both will enjoy." Hearing this Bheem said - "Who can abandon his sleeping his mother and brothers to satisfy his lust for his pleasure leaving his brothers and mother for a Raakshas?" Hidimbaa said - "You awake them, I will do whatever you will say, I will save you from my brother also." Bheem replied - "I am not afraid of your wicked brother, neither men, nor Gandharv, nor Yaksh can bear the power of my arms. Whether you stay or go, I don't care."

[1-155] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "When Raakshas Hidimb did not see his sister coming back, he himself went to the place where Paandav were. Seeing her brother coming there, Hidimbaa said to Bheem - "That wicked animal is coming here, do as I said to you. As I am Raakshas I also have many powers. Come and sit on my back, I will take you through the skies. You may awake your mother and brothers also, I can carry all of you on my back through the skies." Bheem said to her - "O Raakshas woman, Do not fear for anybody. Nobody can harm my mother and brothers as long as I am here. See my body, no Raakshas can stand against me. Do not hate me because I am a human being, you see my power today." Hidimbaa said - "I do not doubt you, O powerful man, but I know the power of my brother."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "As they were talking like this, Hidimb saw his sister standing in human form adorned with various jewelry. He knew that his sister had intended to marry that man, he shouted at her - "What are you doing? Why are you creating obstacles in my way of eating these people? Do you not fear of my wrath? You are defaming the name of Raakshas race?" Saying this he came forward to kill her. Seeing him coming Bheem shouted - "Stop, Stop."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Seeing running that Raakshas towards his sister, he smiled and said to him - "Why do you want to wake these innocent sleeping people? Face me first, do not kill a woman especially when she is opposing a sinner. If she wants to marry me, it is not her fault, it is by the all pervasive God. She came here at your command, but when she saw me, she started loving me. Now you cannot injure this innocent girl till I am standing here. Come to me and I will kill all the Raakshas living in this forest today." Hidimb said - "Boast yourself later, first do it. You think that you are very mighty. Your might will be seen today when you will fight with me. I give you opportunity to show your strength, till then I will not kill your brothers. After I have killed you, then I will kill them, and then in the last I will kill my sister."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Saying this he came towards Bheem. Bheem caught hold of him and dragged him far so that the noise could not wake his brothers. Then they started fighting with each other."

[1-156] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "But hearing the sound of fighting his brothers and Kuntee woke up and saw Hidimbaa sitting in front of them. Seeing that unsurpassed beauty, Kuntee asked her - "Who are you? Any Apsaraa or any deity of this woods? And why are you here?" Hidimbaa said - "Here lives a Raakshas named Hidimb. I am his sister Hidimbaa. He sent me to kill all your children, but when I saw your son, I got love-stricken and I chose him as my husband mentally. I asked your son to go from here, but he did not listen to me. When my brother did not see me return, he himself came here and then your son, my husband, has dragged him far. Now they are fighting shouting and making loud sounds."

Vaishampaayan Jee continued - "Hearing these words of Hidimabaa Yudhishthir, Arjun and Nakul and Sahadev all rose and saw Bheem fighting with the Raakshas. Seeing Bheem oppressed Arjun smilingly said - "Do not fear Bheem. Since we were asleep, so we did not know that you were fighting with him. Now I am coming to help you. Let me slay this Raakshas, and let Nakul and Sahadev protect our mother." Bheem said - "You don't worry, I can handle him, you just look like a stranger. When I have caught him, he cannot escape." Arjun said - "Bheem, What is the use of keeping him alive for so long? We have to go from here. Morning is breaking. Raakshas become stronger during the two twilight times. So kill him soon."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Hearing this Bheem hurled him 100 times in the air and hit him on the ground, still he did not die. Arjun saw this, so he asked Bheem - "if you think it is hard to kill him, let me come and help you, otherwise kill him as soon as possible, or let me alone kill him." soon killed him. Arjun congratulated him and said - "The morning is breaking, it seems there is a town nearby, so let us go to that town lest Duryodhan's people find us." So all started walking towards the town and Hidimbaa followed them."

Bheem Marries Hidimbaa

[1-157] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "When Bheem saw that Hidimbaa was following them, he said to her - "Raakshas revenge in many ways so you go to the same way by which your brother has gone." Yudhishthir stopped him from slaying Hidimbaa saying - "However angry you are, but do not kill a woman. The observance of duty is a higher virtue than the protection of life. In fact who wanted to kill us, you have already killed him, this woman is the sister of that Raakshas, what can she do to us?"

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Hearing this Hidimbaa saluted Kuntee and Yudhishthir and said - "I have chosen Bheem as my husband. I am love-stricken by Bheem, only Bheem can relieve me. leaving my kinsmen I have chosen your son as my husband. If you leave me I will no longer live. So please, show me your mercy and consider me your slave, marry me to him, permit me to go wherever I like with him. Then I will bring him back to you. Whenever you will think of me, I will come to you immediately and will do as you will order me. I will rescue you from all dangers and take you to many inaccessible regions. I will carry you wherever you would like to go. Please ask your son to accept me." Yudhishthir said - "So be it, as you say. I approve your engagement with Bheem, but you should do as you have said. You may enjoy with him the whole day but you must bring him back every night."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Bheem also said - "I make this arrangement with you until you have a son." Hidimbaa said - "As you say." She took him on her back and fled away. Hidimbaa took him all around sporting with him in all the regions until she conceived and brought forth a son. The child was terrible in looks, but had great strength and excessive powers among many Pishaach and Raakshas. He became a mighty bowman. Although born of a human, he had nothing of human in his body. The Raakshas women brings forth the very day they conceive and soon after his birth, the son became grown-up. They can always change their forms at their will. Then the bald-headed child bowed down to his parents and touched their feet. They named him Ghatotkach (the pot-headed) as his head was bald like a Ghat (pitcher). He was devoted to all Paandav and became one of them.

Hidimbaa knew that her time was over with Bheem, so she left Paandav making a new appointment with them and went away her way. Ghatotkach also promised them that he would come to them whenever they would remember him, and went away northward. It was Indra who created him from his portion as a fit opponent of Karn, in consequence of the Shakti he would give to Karn."

Note
It means that Indra knew everything long before, that he would ask for Karn's Kavach and Kundal before the war, Soorya Dev would warn Karn about Indra, and then Karn would ask Indra his Shakti on Soorya Dev's advice and since that Shakti was Amogh, it has to be used on someone else other than Arjun. Thus it was all predestined, prewritten.

[1-158] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Paandav started going from forest to forest killing many animals for their food. On their way they saw several countries - Matsya, the Trigart, the Paanchaal, and the Keechak's; and lakes and woods. They all were in disguise of a Braahman - with matted locks and bark clothes. They were carrying their mother Kuntee. Once they met Vyaas Jee. Vyaas Jee said - "I had known this before that you would be suffering like this, that is why I have come to you. Do not grieve for this situation. This is all for your happiness. Both, you and Kaurav are alike for me, but people are always partial to those who are in misfortune or are of tender years. That is why my affection to you is greater now. Listen to me, there is a town very near to this place, go there and live there, there is no danger there. Live in disguise there and wait for my return."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Saying this he led them to Ekchakraa Nagaree. He said to Kuntee - "Daughter, this your son Yudhishthir, the follower of Dharm and Truth will conquer the whole world and will rule over all the kings of the world. He will also perform various sacrifices - Raajsooya and Ashwamedh Yagya." Then he took them to a Braahman's house and told them to stay with him and wait for him there only. Then he went away from there.

1-Aadi Parv - Hidimb Vadh Parv Ends Here