Hiḍimbī (
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
: ,
IAST
The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that emerged during ...
: ''Hiḍimbī''), or Hiḍimbā, is the
rakshasi
Rakshasas ( sa, राक्षस, IAST: : Pali: ''rakkhaso'') lit. 'preservers' are a race of usually malevolent demigods prominently featured in Hindu mythology. According to the Brahmanda Purana, the rakshasas were created by Brahma wh ...
wife of the
Pandava
The Pandavas (Sanskrit: पाण्डव, IAST: Pāṇḍava) refers to the five legendary brothers— Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva—who are the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. They are acknowledg ...
Bhima
In Hindu epic Mahabharata, Bhima ( sa, भीम, ) is the second among the five Pandavas. The ''Mahabharata'' relates many events that portray the might of Bhima. Bhima was born when Vayu, the wind god, granted a son to Kunti and Pandu. Af ...
and the mother of
Ghatotkacha in the ''
Mahābhārata
The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...
''. She meets Bhima in the 9th sub-parva (Hidimva-vadha Parva) of the
Adi Parva. She is also referred to as Bhuṭanadevī or Pallavī.
Hiḍimbi and Bhīma
The story begins in the
Lākṣāgṛha of the
Mahābhārata
The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...
after the
Pāṇḍavās reached a dense forest. Exhausted from their travels, they all fell asleep at night, except for Bhīma who kept watch.
In the same forest lived Hiḍimbi and her brother
Hiḍimbā, a very powerful
rakshasa
Rakshasas ( sa, राक्षस, IAST: : Pali: ''rakkhaso'') lit. 'preservers' are a race of usually malevolent demigods prominently featured in Hindu mythology. According to the Brahmanda Purana, the rakshasas were created by Brahma whe ...
. He smelled the
Pāṇḍavās at a distance and as usual asked the Hiḍimbī to lure the well-built Bhīma into a trap so he could eat him. Hiḍimbī confronted Bhīma and instead fell in love with him. She assumed the form of a very beautiful lady and approached Bhīma, expressing her desire to marry him by revealing her true identity, as well as her brother's intentions. Bhīma confronted Hiḍimbā, and soon overpowered the rakshasa and slew him. Kuntī and other Pāṇḍavās all watched the duel from a distance.
Marriage
After killing Hiḍimba, Bhīma married Hiḍimbī. Bhīma decided to live with her till a child was born. Hiḍimbī agreed, and they married. Within a year, Hiḍimbī gave birth to a son. They named him
Ghaṭotkacha, as his head resembled a pot. Ghaṭotkacha went on to become a great warrior and an important figure in the
Mahābhārata
The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...
war.
Temples
India
There is a temple in Manali in Himachal Pradesh dedicated to the worship of Hidimbi. According to the legend, Hidimbi stayed back in the forest to perform penance and attain the status of a Goddess.
Nepal
Bhutandevi Mandir
Bhutandevi Mandir ( ne, भूटनदेवी मन्दिर) is a Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Bhutandevi (Hidimbi), located in Hetauda city of Bagmati Province, Nepal. Hidimba is one of the wives of Bhima (one of the Pandavas) a ...
is a
Hindu temple
A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hind ...
dedicated to Goddess Bhutandevi, located in
Hetauda
Hetauda ( ne, हेटौडा, ) is a sub-metropolitan city in the Makwanpur District of Bagmati Province in central Nepal. It is the administrative headquarters of the Makwanpur District and the capital of Bagmati Province as declared by m ...
in
Bagmati Province
Bagmati Province ( ne, बाग्मती प्रदेश, ''Bagmati Pradesh'') is one of the seven provinces of Nepal established by the constitution of Nepal. The province is Nepal's second-most populous province and fifth largest provinc ...
. The name of the city—Hetauda itself is believed to be derived from the name of the goddess.
Gallery
File:Yudhistira telling to Hidimbi about rules of Marriage.jpg, Yudhishthira explaining the rules of marriage to Hiḍimbī
File:BhutanDevi Temple.jpg, Bhutandevi temple, in Hetuada (Nepal)
See also
*
Hidimba Devi Temple
Hidimba Devi Temple, locally known as Dhungari Temple, also known variously as the Hadimba Temple, is located in Manāli, a hill station in the State of Himāchal Pradesh in north India. It is an ancient cave temple dedicated to Hidimbi Devi ...
*
Hidimba
Hidimba ( sa, हिडिम्ब, ) was a powerful demon king who is mentioned in the epic Mahābhārata. He was killed by Bhima and this is recounted in the 9th sub-parva (Hidimba-vadha Parva) of the Adi Parva.
Death
The demon Hidimba ...
*
Kaleshwari Group of Monuments
The Kaleshwari Group of Monuments ( gu, કલેશ્વરી સ્મારક સમુહ), also known as Kaleshwari-Ni Nal ( gu, કલેશ્વરીની નાળ), is located near Lavana village, Khanpur Taluka of Mahisagar district ...
References
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Characters in the Mahabharata
Rakshasa in the Mahabharata
Hindu goddesses