Bhima and Hanuman: Mahabharata Story

Bhima and Hanuman: The Pandavas and the Kauravas lived in peace for some time. But the Kauravas were still jealous of the Pandavas and wanted to grab the whole kingdom. They invited the Pandavas to a game of dice and the Pandavas accepted the invitation. Sakuni cheated the Pandavas by using a loaded dice. The Kauravas won the game. The Pandavas lost their kingdom and everything else they had. Also, they had to leave their country and live in the forest for twelve years.

Bhima and Hanuman: Story from Mahabharata

Life in the jungle was hard, but Draupadi looked after their comforts and the Pandavas lived happily.

One day a gentle breeze blew over the forest bringing the scent of an uncommon flower. Draupadi liked the scent very much. She then wanted to have some of those flowers. But who would get them for her?

She knew that only Bhima could get the flowers. She asked him to go and get them for her. But Bhima did not want to waste his time hunting for flowers. He said he did not know where the flowers were growing. Draupadi was in tears and said, “If you cannot get the flowers for me, who else will get them? You do not love me. Forget that I asked you for them. Bhima could not bear to see Draupadi in tears. So he promised he would go and get the flowers.

The next day, Bhima was on his way searching for the flowers. Nobody could tell him where they grew, but Bhima knew he should go in the direction from which the wind blew

It was the wind that had carried the sweet scent of the flowers to Draupadi.

Bhima had to pass through a thick forest. There was no path .and he had to make his way forward by cutting down trees and breaking up rocks with his heavy club. His journey through the forest made such a lot of noise that even the wild animals were frightened and ran away.

On his way Bhima had to pass through a beautiful garden. In it were flowers of all colours and many fruit trees. There was a path through the garden and Bhima followed it. Suddenly he saw an old monkey lying on the ground right across the footpath. He was angry that a monkey should block his path. He felt insulted.

He stopped and said: “You old monkey, how dare you block my path ? Get up and move to one side so that I can go on.”

The monkey lay still as if he had not heard Bhima. “Didn’t you hear me ?” cried Bhima. “Get out of my way before I smash your silly head.”

The monkey slowly opened his eyes. He looked at Bhima and said: “I am too old and I have no strength left in me to move. Why don’t you walk round me and leave me alone?” “You old monkey,” said Bhima, “do you know to whom you are speaking? Haven’t you heard of Bhima’, the mighty, the great Pandava? I am he. I always walk a straight path. I don’t allow anyone to get in my way. I never admit defeat.”

The monkey said: “I am very old and sick. But your big talk makes me laugh. You say you never admit defeat. What happened to you when the Kauravas drove you out of your home? And now you are living in the jungle like wild animals.”

“Stop talking nonsense!” shouted Bhima. “You are a silly monkey that jumps from tree to tree. How can you understand the strong Bhima ? Perhaps you have not heard how Bhima fought and won so many battles, and killed ogres and giants.”

“A strong man!” sneered the monkey. “Where was your strength when Dustman insulted your wife ? You stood there like a lump of stone when he touched her. Was your courage away on a pilgrimage then?”

Bhima said, “I wish a strong man were talking to me instead of you. Then I could show him my strength. People would only laugh at me if they heard that Bhima had killed an old monkey.”

Then the monkey said: “A big man like you should not quarrel with a sick, old monkey. You can easily jump over me and go on your way. Or if you don’t like that, you can move my tail to one side and then go. If you don’t like to touch my dirty tail, why don’t you push it aside with your club ?”

“Suppose your tail snaps in two?” asked Bhima.

“Suppose your club breaks?” replied the monkey.

Bhima was very annoyed with the monkey. But he was getting late. He decided to push the monkey’s tail aside with his club.

He put his big club below the tail and tried to raise it. The tail did not move. He tried again but still it would not move. Bhima used more strength but the tail was still where it was. Then he used all his strength. He pulled with all his might, but still he could not move it even one inch. He tried again and again and failed every time. Bhima thought he would take the club away from that part of the tail and use it at another part. But the club would not come out. It was stuck under the tail. Bhima pulled it once, he pulled it twice, he pulled it a hundred times. But he could not pull it out. He grew tired, but he could not leave his club there. He looked at the old monkey. The monkey lay there, calmly smiling.

Bhima wondered how such a small, old monkey could be equal to his own great strength. What would people say if they heard that Bhima had been defeated by a monkey? Perhaps, Bhima thought, the monkey possessed some magic powers, or perhaps it was a devil who was taking this form to get the better of him. But he was not the man to be afraid of magic or the devil.

He cried: “You silly monkey, who are you? You are not a monkey. No monkey ever had such strength as you have. You have got magic powers or else you are a devil. I shall show you how I can deal with you. I challenge you to a duel.”

“I am not a devil, nor have I any magic powers,” replied the monkey. “I am Hanuman, the servant of the great Sri Rama who killed Ravana.” As he spoke the old monkey grew and grew into the huge form of Hanuman.

Bhima was astonished but happy to meet Hanuman. He touched Hanuman’s feet and asked to be forgiven. Hanuman embraced him lovingly and said, “I have been wanting to meet you for a long time. I saw you coming. I blocked your path just so that I could talk to you. The rest was all fun. I am sure you must be on your way to do some-thing very important. You are late. Go quickly, I must not delay you further. By the way, what is it you are out to do?”

Bhima told him the reason for his journey. Then Hanuman said, “So you are not going to kill another giant or fight a battle. You are only going to pick flowers for your wife: A big adventure for the great Bhima! Go, I will not keep you back any more. But do you know where those flowers grow?”

Bhima then asked Hanuman to help him find the flowers, and Hanuman told him where they grew and how he could reach the place.

Bhima took leave of Hanuman and continued on his journey. The flowers were growing in a large lake in a beautiful garden. Many flowers were growing there. The garden belonged to Kubera, the richest man in the world. He had an army there to guard the flowers. And in the lake he kept hundreds of fierce crocodiles. The crocodiles killed anyone who entered the water.

Bhima reached Kubera’s garden. The guards would not allow him to enter. They at once attacked him. Bhima fought them. He chased them with his club. They were afraid of him and they all ran away.

Then Bhima went to the lake. The crocodiles rushed to attack him. But Bhima raised his club and hit out at the crocodiles. They all ran away. Then Bhima was able to enter the water and take the flowers that Draupadi wanted. He picked as many flowers as he could carry. He then turned to go back. As he reached the shore he found that the guards had come back again with many more men. They were all eager to fight him. Bhima held the flowers carefully in one hand. With the other hand he fought the guards with his club. And he again drove them all away.

Bhima returned home. He gave Draupadi the flowers that she had longed for. Draupadi was very happy to have those rare flowers.