Bheema Sena
This is an article series. Please read all previous articles before reading this article. The URLs for all previous articles are located in the SPECIAL THOUGHTS section.
Earlier, we pondered the Hanumaan Avataara of Shree Mukhya Praana Devata. I had also offered to you what I learnt from watching the movie Hanumaan Ansh. Now let’s ponder over the next Avataara of Shree Mukhya Praana Devata, namely Bheema Sena.
As mentioned earlier, Praana Vaayu takes Avataara-s only in Tretaa, Dwaapara and Kali Yuga-s. The Avataara of Hanumaan happened during Tretaa Yuga, and the Bheema Sena Avataara happened during Dwaapara Yuga. But the attitude that common Hindu-s have taken towards Bheema Sena over the past millennia has literally reduced this great Avataara of none less than the very Praana Vaayu – the one who connects every Jeevaatma in this entire universe with Paramaatma – to a mere “Overeating Goonda”. The worst part is that even scholars took to this line of thought about Bheema Sena the Great and went to the extent of distorting the Mahaabhaarata, the very scripture which documents his valour. For example, right after the Paandava-s lose the game of dice and become forest-bound, Draupadi invokes the very famous statement from Manu Smruti, namely “dharmo rakshati rakshita:”, sarcastically questioning Yudhishtira. The exact verse from the Mahabhaarata is as follows:
raajaanam dharmagoptaaram dharmo rakshati rakshita: |
iti me shrutam aaryaanaam tvaaṃ tu manye na rakshati ||
Meaning: I had heard among the wise that Dharma, which is protected [by a king], [in return] protects the king who protected it. But it (Dharma) doesn’t protect you.
Following the above sarcasm, Mahaabhaarata records an elaborate discourse by Bheema Sena to Yudhishtira about Dharma. But perhaps the scholars thought “How come? How can Bheema Sena, who’s nothing more than an overeating ruffian, be advising Yudhishtira who is popularly referred to as Dharmaraaja? So what if Bheema Sena is an Avataara of Vaayu? Did he know more about Dharma than Dharmaraaja himself?”. And with that line of thought they seem to have concluded that this can’t be write. On the other hand, Draupadi had every right to be angry at her husband because of what she was subjected and what she had to endure. So, her lamentations are valid. Plus, Draupadi is considered a Divya Janmaa who was born out of the Havan Kund. And therefore, the so-called scholars may’ve decided that their knowledge is superior to even Shree Veda Vyaasa, the author of Mahaabhaarata and conveniently eliminated the line which read “Bheema Uvaacha” (meaning “Thus spoke Bheema”). And therefore, the entire discourse by Bheema Sena the Great ended up coming under “Draupadi Uvaacha” (meaning “Thus spoke Draupadi”) because her words were immediately preceding.
Most likely, this distortion may’ve been caused by the so-called scholars who were completely ignorant about the hierarchy of Devata-s… because had they been aware of the validity of hierarchy of Devata-s and evidences in support of it in all our scriptures, they would’ve realized that Bheema Sena was an Avataara of Praana Vaayu who is superior in hierarchy to Bhaarati Devi who took Avataara as Draupadi. This is just one example of how the scriptures have got distorted, some of them so badly that, at present, it is beyond correction. This is highly unfortunate. But… fortunately, a scholar has given a lengthy discourse elaborating on the greatness and accomplishments of Bheema Sena. Plus, a great pontiff popularly known as Shree Shreepaada Raaja (1389–1487 CE) has composed a great poem in praise of Shree Mukhya Praana Devata and his three Avataara-s. Let’s ponder over his portrayal of Bheema Sena’s valour:
- Suppose a 10-day-old infant were to drop down a rocky valley, what would be the chances of its survival? Pretty much zero… wouldn’t you agree? On the other hand, I’m sure you know about meteorites which strike the earth once in a while. By the time the meteorites strike the earth anywhere from 15-70 KM/Second and usually leave a crater upon impact. But, as documented in Mahaabhaarata, a 10-day old Bheema Sena was on his mother Kunti’s lap when she was frightened by a tiger’s roar. Out of panic, she jumped up completely forgetting that 10-day old infant Bheema Sena was on her lap. As a result, Bheema Sena fell down a rocky valley. But… let alone the baby getting hurt… the very rocky valley shattered into a hundred rocky peaks, as if it were struck by a meteorite, and came to be known as Shata-Shrunga. An infant… falling down a rocky valley… the valley cracking and shattering… but the baby unscathed? Ever heard anything like that with any other Devata?
- As explained earlier, Bheema Sena is an Avataara of a Para Shukla Traya Devata who does not lose clarity of his original form or the purpose of his Avataara. Bheema Sena was clearly aware of his cousin Duryodhana’s evil designs to eliminate his (Bheema Sena’s) brother Yudhishtira (the eldest among all the cousins) so that he (Duryodhana) can become the heir apparent. The soul, main and only obstacle in Duryodhana’s path to eliminate Yudhishtira was Bheema Sena. Therefore, Duryodhana thought it necessary to eliminate Bheema Sena So, he lured Bheema Sena for a feast. Most scholarly commentaries and depictions seem to portray as if Bheema Sena was like any other ordinary human and not free of flaws and cravings. But again… Bheema Sena an Avataara of a Para Shukla Traya Devata. He is beyond such flaws and cravings commonly seen among mere mortals. Nor is it possible to hide deceit from him. So, how was Duryodhana able to lure Bheema Sena for a feast? This is called “Pretention”. Bheema Sena pretended as if he was lurable. Duryodhana had mixed poison in the food, which Bheema Sena pretended as if he didn’t know.
Another important topic deserves some elaboration at this point. Most Hindus have heard of the story of Samudra Mathana (churning of the ocean). The first thing to emanate from this churning effort was Haalaahala Visha (There’s no equivalent English word, so consider it as something extremely, extremely poisonous). It is popularly known that, on Brahma’s advice, Shiva drank the Haalaahala poison, that his consort Paarvati choked his throat to prevent it from reaching his stomach, and that the poison got stuck in Shiva’s throat and as a result, his throat turned blue, and thus Shiva came to be known as Neela Kantha. So, what’s evident from this popular account is that even Paarvati (Devata in Level 7) knew that Shiva can’t handle the intensity of Haalaahala poison, and that’s why she prevented it from reaching Shiva’s stomach. What is not popularly known is this Vedic verse, which gives us a clearer picture:
vaayu: asmai upaamanthat pinashtisma kunanama |
keshi vishasya paatrena yad-rudrena apibat saha ||
The summary meaning of the above verse is that Vaayu (referring to Mukhya Praana Vaayu) is the one who actually drank the Haalaahala poison and withstood its intensity.
By nature, Asura-s love anything that is poisonous and destructive. Thus, they may’ve secretly preserved Haalaahala so as to be able to use it in the future whenever necessary and Duryodhana may’ve procured it. How else can you explain the procurement of a poison so intense, because Duryodhana knew that anything less would simply not work on Bheema Sena. But none of this can stay unbeknownst to Bheema Sena, a Para Shukla Traya Devata. So, did he eat the food poisoned by Duryodhana? Yes. He did. But was he affected by the poison? Nope, just like how it was back during Samudra Mathana. So, why did he fall unconscious? Again… Pretension. He pretended as if he didn’t know anything… and he pretended to fall unconscious after consuming the poisoned food.
And then… Duryodhana binds Bheema Sena… not with ropes, not even chains… but with metal rods wound around him to make him completely immobile, because Duryodhana knew that nothing less would work against Bheema Sena’s immense strength.
And then… Duryodhana drops him in Pramaana Koti. What is Pramaana Koti? Well, please allow me to digress a little bit here. Remember that botched trip by some affluent adventure seekers who wanted to go down to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean in a submersible capsule to see the sunken ship The Titanic? The capsule imploded, and they all perished. Why? Because of the intense pressure at such depths in the sea. It is said that there have been extremely few trips to explore the depths of the ocean. The deepest point in the ocean is called the “Challenger Deep,” which lies within the Marina Trench in the western Pacific Ocean near the island of Guam. The Challenger Deep is only about 7 miles deep. Most submersibles, built with metals and latest technology, can never withstand such intense pressure. Arguably, Pramaana Koti may be deeper than the Challenger Deep. And that is where and why Duryodhana decides to drop Bheema Sena. So, what did Bheema Sena do? Again… Pretend as if he knows nothing. Why? Arguably, this is perhaps the way Paramaatma wanted to demonstrate to the entire universe about the immense strength of Bheema Sena. Just imagine… a boy about 10 years old… fed with immense poison that Shiva couldn’t withstand… wound up with metal rods to prevent any chance of escape, resistance and/or to stay afloat… dumped into a depth greater than the Challenger Deep… That is the extent to which Duryodhana went to kill Bheema Sena. But what was the outcome? Bheema Sena sinks to a depth unknown to any human, enters the Naaga Loka at that depth and is blessed to be 100 times stronger than he already is.
With all due respect… One Neem Karori Baba earns his yogic strength with constant and intense Bhakti and Dhyaana… stops one train on its track and a railway station is granted to that village and his biopic becomes a blockbuster. Ever wonder what Bheema Sena did to earn such immense yogic strength to withstand such intense pressure found only at depths miles below the surface of the ocean? How much did Dhyaana did he do? What is the measure of his Bhakti? What is the measure of his Jnyaana which forms the basis of Bhakti? I’m yet to see or hear someone even remotely thinking of a biopic honouring the greatness of Bheema Sena, his Jnyaana, Bhakti and his immense yogic strength.
3. All of the above didn’t make Duryodhana stop conniving about eliminating Bheema Sena and the Paandava-s. Duryodhana kept conceiving and implementing some or the other evil plan and his next plan was the Laakshya Gruha (a bungalow made of highly flammable lacquer) in a place called Vaarnavrata. Faking utmost concern for the wellbeing of the people of Vaarnavrata, Duryodhana arranged to send the Paandava-s for festival being held there annually. He took personal interest in getting a bungalow constructed there for Paandava-s’ stay… and this house was made of such flammable material that a spark should cause very intense fire, very quickly. Duryodhana would’ve been successful… except for one person… Bheema Sena. As you may already know, the Paandava plan was to ignite the Laakshya Gruha and escape as it is still starting to burn. So, Yudhishtira lit the fire as per their plan. But the fire caught on so quick that it became a raging inferno. Walls of fire blocked all exits. Smoke and fumes started suffocating his mother & siblings to near unconsciousness and escape became a race against time. With the responsibility of saving the life of the Future King Yudhishtira dumped on his shoulders, and with no help… Bheema Sena hoisted his mother on his shoulders, tucked Yudhishtira & Arjuna each under his two arms and grabbed Nakula & Sahadeva each in his hands, smashed through the walls, carried them safely to a secret tunnel (which had already been dug with help from Vidura, their uncle) and ran through the tunnel in total darkness for miles together. You know… when there is light walk/jog/run is pleasant. But in total darkness, every inch seems like a mile. Thus, Duryodhana’s every evil design became an opportunity for the world to see Bheema Sena’s incredible Mega-Divine personality.
This place exists to this day as a heritage site under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India. The name of the place has got distorted from Vaarnavrata to Barnawa, located in Baghpat district of the state of Uttar Pradesh.
Philosophically, my take is that… our Shareera too is like a Laakshya Gruha. It can catch fire any time. The fire may be our lack of control over anger or the final fire that burns this body past death. Kunti represents the Jeevaatma, a dependent reality. The 4 Paandava siblings being Avataara-s of Devata-s, represent our Indriya Abhimaani Devata-s. When this Laakshya Gruha, like Shareera, suddenly catches fire and starts burning, blocking all escape routes, the only one who can rescue a Jeevaatma, along with the respective Abhimaani Devata-s, through dark tunnels of exit is Mukhya Praana Vaayu. There is no survival without him.
4. Now forest-bound… with no food, no easily accessible water and no shelter… with wild animals hunting for food at water holes… most mere mortals will experience a mental breakdown. But there was a danger far worse, and that was… Cannibalism!
Cannibalism is very much a trait of the Asura-s (a demonic trait). While there may’ve been many Asura-s at that time, three were specifically most notorious. They were Bakaasura, his brother Kirmeera and their friend Hidimba. I’ve read one scholar state that Bakaasura and his brother Kirmeera were both brothers of Kaikasi (Raavana’s mother) from Tretaa Yuga. This shouldn’t come as a surprise because there were others from Tretaa Yuga who lived till the time of Paandava-s… Jaambavanta being one of them. What I’ve also heard is that the very size of human body from Tretaa Yuga is staggering. There is evidence of this too in Shreemad Bhaagavata, where Revati (daughter of Raivata Manu) is said to have been like a 100 times taller than Balaraama and therefore, Balaraama had to use his Halaayudha to shorten Revati to match his height before marrying her. Though internet isn’t fetching any data about Bakaasura, Kirmeera and Hidimba being from Tretaa Yuga, all internet searches are in agreement that these 3 Asura-s were gigantic with staggering height… and therefore, arguably, they were from Tretaa Yuga. And for this reason, there were no known mere mortals tall and strong enough to be able to eliminate them and their cannibalistic ways. Therefore, they had no choice but to make a compromise with the gigantic Asura-s where by, they had agreed to send one human a week along with a cart load of food.
Obviously, this couldn’t and shouldn’t go on. As explained earlier, Mukhya Praana Devata takes Avataara for Bhagavat Kaarya Saadhanaa (to execute the Divine Will & Decree) so as to establish his eligibility to ascend to the position of Brahma in future. And thus, Bheema Sena’s entry into the forest became a pretext and segue for eliminating the gigantic Asura-s and end their cannibalistic ways… and pave the way for a bright future of the great nation of Bhaarat, the land of Veda-s and Upanishat-s, the seat of divine knowledge.
Bheema Sena eliminated all three of them… the worst of them being his battle with Kirmeera. It has been documented in the Mahaabhaarata that Vidura decided to visit the Paandava-s in their forest dwelling. On his way through the forest, Vidura hears from many locals about Bheema Sena’s epic battle and ultimate slaying of the gigantic Kirmeera. The Asura’s body was so huge that the villagers had to cut it into several pieces and burn them separately. It should suffice to say that the great land of Bhaarata would’ve been completely ruined with cannibalistic infestations… except for…
…THE TRUE HERO OF BHAARAT…
…THE ONE AND ONLY…
Bheema Sena
There are many more aspects of Mukhya Praana Devata’s Bheema Sena Avataara that are worth pondering over. We shall continue to ponder over them.
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