Barbarika (''Barbarīka'') in

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

is the son of

Ghatotkacha Ghatotkacha (, ; ) is a character in the ancient Indian epic ''Mahabharata''. His name comes from the fact that he was bald (''utkacha'') and shaped like a ghatam, or a pot. He is the son of the Pandava Bhima and the demoness Hidimbi. As th ...

(son of Bhima) and Princess Maurvi, daughter of Daitya Moora, though other references state that he was a warrior from the south. He is a folk character and is not attested in the Mahabharata. In

Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...

, Kirati king

Yalambar Yalamber or Yalung, Yalambar, Yalamwar, Yalamver ( Nepali: यलम्बर) was a Kirati warrior and first king of the Kirata kingdom in Nepal, which he established in 800 B.C.Kirat Yoyakhha His capital was Yalakhom, present day Kathmand ...

is believed to be the Barbarik of Mahabharata, son of Ghatotkach and grandson of Bheem. Legend credits him with meeting Indra, the lord of heaven, who ventured into the Valley in human guise, while natives of the

Kathmandu Valley The Kathmandu Valley (), also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley (, Newar language, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः), National Capital Area, is a bowl-shaped valley located in the Himalayas, Hima ...

portray him as

Akash Bhairav Akash Bhairav () or Aaju () is one of the different forms of Bhairava. The temple of Akash Bhairav is supposed to have been a palace of the king of Nepal, Kirati King Yalambar around 3100–3500 years back. The surrounding of Akash Bhairav is ...

. In

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; Literal translation, lit. 'Land of Kings') is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the List of states and union territories of ...

, Barbarika is worshipped as Khatu Shyam in

Khatu Shyam Temple Khatu Shyam Temple (Rajasthani languages, Rajasthani/Hindi: खाटू श्याम मंदिर) is a Hindu temple situated in Khatoo, Rajasthan, Khatoo town in the Sikar district of the Indian State of Rajasthan. It is a site for worsh ...

, and in

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

, he is worshipped as Baliyadev.

His legendary arrows

Barbarika/ Belarsen was a grandson of

Bhima Bhima (, ), also known as Bhimasena (, ), is a hero and one of the most prominent characters in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. As the second of the five Pandava brothers, Bhima was born to Kunti—the wife of King Pandu—fathered by Vayu, the ...

(second of the

Pandava The Pandavas (Sanskrit: पाण्डव, aɳɖɐʋᵊ IAST: Pāṇḍava) is a group name referring to the five legendary brothers, Yudhishtira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva, who are central figures of the Hindu epic ''Mahabhara ...

brothers), and the son of Ghatotkacha.

was the son of

and

Hidimbi Hiḍimbī, also known as Hiḍimbā (Sanskrit: ), is a character in the ''Mahabharata'', one of the two great Sanskrit epics of ancient India. She is introduced as a man-eating Rakshasi (demoness) and the sister of Hidimba, a powerful demon w ...

. He learnt the art of warfare from his mother Ahilāvati, who was also known as Mauravi (daughter of Mura). The gods (''ashtadeva'') gave him the three infallible arrows.

References

{{Reflist Regional Hindu gods Hindu folk deities

His legendary arrows

See also

References