The Tale of Barbarika- Part 1

From the Skanda Purana- Kaumarikakhanda (chapter 59)

A/N: Worshipped as Khatu Shyam ji, the son of Ghatotkacha named Barbarika is not mentioned anywhere in Vyasa Bharatha. However, the Skanda Purana tells his story elaborately. This is how it goes:

Once, the Pandavas were conversing together at Indraprastha with Krishna when Ghatotkacha, Bheema’s son from the rakshasi Hidimba, arrived. They welcomed him with great affection. They enquired after Hidimba and the forest and rakshasa clan that he now ruled.

Ghatotkacha bowed to Yudishtira and asked him to give him a worthy task to do for them. A pleased Yudisthira turned to Krishna praising the young rakshasa and musing about finding the perfect wife for him. Krishna told him about the daughter of Muru/ Mura, a friend of Naraka’s. The girl lived in Pragjyotisha and was a formidable warrior.

When Krishna went to war against Narakasura and destroyed Mura’s nooses and killed him, this daughter of his, Kaamakatankataa, came to the battlefield. The battle raged for three days. So powerful was her attack that Krishna’s divine vahana Garuda fainted.

But just as Krishna aimed the Sudarshana at her, the Goddess Kamaakhya stopped him and told him that Kaamakatankataa had her blessing of invincibility. She asked Krishna to spare her life and he immeditelty stopped. The Goddess spoke to the girl too and told her that Krishna could never be defeated. She asked the girl to withdraw and to wait for the day when she would be the daughter-in-law of Krishna’s cousin brother, Bheema. Krishna told her to stay on at Pragyotishapura under the protection of Bhagadatta, the son of Narakasura.

Kaamakatankataa had a peculiar condition for her marriage. She wanted to be married to the man who could win over her with questions/ in debate and also be skillful enough to fight by her side. Many had tried to win her hand but failed. Ghatotkacha left Indraprastha to try his luck with Krishna’s words in his mind to remember him during the debate. As he flew through the skies, he wondered what this warrior woman would be like.

As soon as Kaamakatankataa saw Ghatotkacha, she fell in love and regretted her stipulation but there was no getting around it. So she asked him to narrate a story to her that would puzzle her and leave her unable to give an answer.

Ghatotkacha thought of Krishna in his mind and began his story: A lecherous man had a beautiful wife. They had a daughter but at childbirth, the wife died. The man brought up his daughter and when she grew up into a young woman of great beauty, he was physically attracted to her. He lied to the girl that she was his neighbour’s child and that he had merely raised her. The girl belived him and agreed to marry him. Soon, a daughter was born to them.

Now, Ghatotkacha posed his question to Kaamakatankataa- was the newborn the daughter or granddaughter of the lecherous man?

Kaamakatankataa mulled over the question for long but could not find the answer. The lady decided to test her suitor for her second condition- battle worthiness. She created thousands of rakshasas and animals to attack Ghatotkacha. But Ghatotkacha merely laughed and he created, in turn, scores more rakshasas and animals who consumed Kaamakatankataa’s hordes. Ghatotkacha had proven himself skilled in magic too.

Next, the lady wished to test her suitor’s personal strength. She suddenly rose and grabbed for her sword with which to slice at Ghatotkacha but the rakshasa was too fast for her and he subdued her quickly and got his sword ready to cut off her nose.

Kaamakatankataa surrendered and told Ghatotkacha that the Goddess had told her about him. He bade her to carry him to Indraprastha where they could get married with the permission of his father and uncles. At Indraprastha, she was welcomed happily and then the two were married.

To be continued…