Bhima

Family: Pandavs · Role: second son of Pandu · First appears: Book I (The Tournament) · Introduction

Dhrita-rashtra brought up Bhima and his brothers, the sons of Pandu and Pritha. Bhima was Pandu’s second son, born of Vayu, and a stalwart fighter; his brothers were Yudhishthir, Arjun, and the twins Nakula and Sahadeva. In Book I (The Tournament) · III. Bhima and Duryodhan, he battled Duryodhan with maces until Drona signaled them to stop. In Book I (The Tournament) · VIII. The Chariot-driver, he insulted Karna, questioning his right to rule.

In Book II (The Bride's Choice) · VII. The Tumult, Bhima rose with Arjun to face angry monarchs, tearing up a tree to use as a weapon. He and his brothers escaped Duryodhan’s plot to kill them by fire with their mother, Pritha. In Book III (The Imperial Sacrifice) · Introduction, Draupadi became the common wife of the five brothers; Bhima also had a son, Ghatotkacha, with a woman in a forest. When Dhrita-rashtra freed the brothers from slavery in Book IV (The Fatal Dice) · IV. Dhrita-rastra's Kindness, Bhima was included among those granted their freedom.

During the exile, Bhima urged Yudhishthir to recover the kingdom, but Yudhishthir remained bound by his pledge. In Book VI (Cattle-Lifting) · Introduction, the brothers entered Virata’s service in disguise; Bhima worked as a cook. In the war, he fought Duryodhan and other Kuru warriors. In Book VIII (Fall of Bhishma) · VI. Bhima's Danger and Rescue, Drupad helped him onto his chariot when he was wounded, and Arjun's son and twelve chieftains rescued them. Bhima killed the young prince of Kalinga and Kalinga’s monarch, and slew many of Duryodhan’s brothers.

In Book IX (Fall of Drona) · V. Fall of Drona, Bhima killed an elephant named Aswa-thaman; Drona’s son lived on. In Book X (Fall of Karna) · IV. Night of Slaughter, Bhima fought Duryodhan and broke his thigh with a fatal blow. After the war, Bhima carried out Yudhishthir’s order to prepare the sacrificial site in Book XII (Sacrifice of the Horse) · I. The Gathering. After the death of Krishna, Bhima and his brothers placed Parikshit on the throne and retired to the Himalayas.