Jatāsura (जटासुर) was a

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 when ...

who disguised himself as a

brahmin Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests ( purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers ( ...

and carried

Yudhishthira ''Yudhishthira'' ( Sanskrit: युधिष्ठिर, IAST: ''Yudhiṣṭhira'') is the eldest among the five Pandava brothers. He is mentioned in the ancient epic Mahabharata. He was sired by King Pandu of the Kuru Dynasty and his fir ...

Sahadeva Sahadeva ( Sanskrit: सहदेव) was the youngest of the Pandava brothers, the five principal protagonists of the epic '' Mahabharata''. He and his twin brother, Nakula, were blessed to King Pandu and Queen Madri by invoking the twin god ...

Nakula In the Hindu epic Mahabharata, ''Nakula'' (Sanskrit: नकुल) was fourth of the five Pandava brothers. Nakula and Sahadeva were twins blessed to Madri, by Ashwini Kumaras, the divine physicians. Their parents Pandu and Madri - died e ...

, and

Draupadi Draupadi ( sa, द्रौपदी, draupadī, Daughter of Drupada), also referred to as Krishnaa, Panchali, and Yagyaseni, is the main female protagonist of the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata,'' and the common consort of the five Pandava brothe ...

. He was overtaken and killed by

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. ...

. According to the

Mahabharata 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 K ...

(Book III: Varna Parva, Section 156), Jatasura used his powers of illusion to appear in the guise of a Brahmana to the Pandavas. His objective was to gain their confidence in order to seize their weapons, ravish their wife

, and take some captives. He lay in wait "like unto a fire covered with ashes." One day when

was gone, Jatasura took on a monstrous form, seized the weapons and Draupadi, and fled with three of the Pandavas, including

, and the twins, as his captives. Yudhishthira, however, confused him by showering him with moral accusations, and Jatasura slowed down enough for Bhima to catch up. Bhima saw his brothers along with wife rebuking that demon. Bhima of mighty strength was fired with wrath, and challenged Rakshasa for a fight saying, ' I had found out your identity already; but i had not slain you at that time. Thou wert in the disguise of a Brahmana - nor didst thou say anything harsh unto us. And, furthermore, thou wert our guest, therefore i slew you not. Now today your time had cometh.' Saying this Bhima bursting with wrath, rushed towards the Rakshasa for a wrestling. Both

and Sahadev rushed to help him, but was stopped by Bhima saying he is more than a match for that Rakshasa. They fought with gigantic trees, large rocks, along with their arms. At last, Bhima with force dealt a death blow on his neck. Struck by that fist, Rakshasa became faint. Bhima catching hold of that exhausted one, lifted him up and dashed him with force to the ground, smashing all his limbs. And striking him with his elbow, he severed from his body the head and rolling eyes, he fell besmeared with gore, like unto a fruit from its stem. Having slain Jatasura, Bhima presented himself before Yudhishthira, getting praise from him.

References

*Dowson's Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology Rakshasa in the Mahabharata {{Hindu-myth-stub

See also

References