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It was the 13th day of the Kurukshetra war when Ghatotkacha, the son of Bhima, died, who was killed by Karna. At the request of his brother, Duryodhana, Karna killed Ghatotkcha with his divine weapon. But how did the war start, and what evoked Ghatotkacha to destroy the Kauravas armies? Scroll down to know the story of the death of Ghatotkacha.
Who was Ghatotkacha?
Ghatotkacha was the son of Pandava’s second brother, Bhima and his demoness wife, Himdimba. He was born half human and half demon. He was a significant part of the Kurukshetra war as he had incredible powers and strength to fight the battle. As Bhima’s son, he was loyal to the Pandavas and defeated the Kauravas.
Moreover, he had a pot-shaped head, which made him known as Ghatotkach. His rakshasa background gave him fiery red eyes and the power to grow into a giant demon. He could also disappear and become invisible, making him a mighty warrior in the Mahabharat. Now, let’s move ahead to learn about Ghatotkacha death.
Also Read: City Of Indraprastha In Mahabharat And Role Of Lord Krishna
The 13th Day of Kurukshetra War: The Death Of Ghatotkacha
Before we proceed to the ghatotkacha story, let’s first understand how the battle started and what caused the Kauravas to attack the Pandavas and their armies.
1. Arjun’s Attempt to take revenge
On the 13th day after Abhimanyu’s death, Arjun came to know that the main evildoer in killing his son was Jayadratha. He was responsible for Abhimanyu’s death and used a boon from Shiva to stop the Pandava brothers and their armies from entering the Chakravyuh. Due to Jayadratha’s actions, multiple Kaurava warriors overpowered Abhimanyu, who fought alone fearlessly.
Moreover, Arjuna was all set to take revenge for losing his son in such a painful manner. To this, Arjun, out of rage and anger, vowed to kill Jayadratha. He further added that he would kill himself by jumping into the fire if he wasn’t able to kill Jayadratha before sunset.
2. Conspiracy Of Krishna to Save Arjun and Kill Jayadratha
Shakuni, Jayadratha’s maternal uncle, hid him in the crowd of Kaurava army to protect him. As sunset approached, Arjun searched for Jayadratha but couldn’t find him. This frustrated and upset him about being unable to kill Jayadratha, and he was all set to jump into the fire.
To this, Lord Krishna interfered and created a false sunset by holding up his Sudarshana Chakra against the sun, creating the illusion of sunset. But Shakuni thought that the Sun had set and called out Jayadratha, who was hiding among the Kauravas armies.
As a result, Krishna told Arjun that the sun hadn’t fully set, and he still had time to fulfil his vow. Arjuna shot a divine arrow at Jayadratha that beheaded him, and his head landed in the lap of his father, Vridhakshatra.
How was Ghatotkacha killed by Karna?
This is the scenario where the death of Ghatotkacha takes place after Jayadratha is killed.
1. The havoc created by Ghatotkacha on the battlefield
After Jayadratha’s death, it was almost dark, but his death angered Duryodhana, and thus, he began to kill Pandava’s armies. This is how the battle extended throughout the night, which was to end by sunset. While the battle took place, Ghatotkacha appeared on the battlefield to fight against the Kauravas and help the Pandava brothers. Also, as he was a demon, his powers magnified at night, which became an advantage for the Pandavas.
Moreover, Ghatotkacha, with his extraordinary powers and abilities, created havoc on the Kaurava army. Using his immense strength and magical skills, he started destruction upon the Kaurava forces, causing great disruption and devastation.
Additionally, Ghatotkacha’s presence on the battlefield was a tough challenge to the Kauravas. His severe attack led to significant losses for their army. Ghatotkacha’s strategic tricks and supernatural powers proved to turn the battle in favour of the Pandavas.
2. Karna killed Ghatotkacha with his Shakti Astra
Kauravas tried to defeat and kill Ghatotkacha, but they failed each time they hit him with their arrow. Also, Ghatotkacha was so giant that he had already killed half of the Kaurava armies. Duryodhana feared he would be killed as he saw his powers and size grow. He appealed to Karna to kill Ghatotkach with his divine, powerful weapon (Vasavi Shakti), which Lord Indradev had given him as a boon.
Moreover, Karna hesitated to use his Vasavi Shakti Astra to kill Ghatotkacha because he could only use it once. Karna wanted to save the use of this powerful weapon for Arjun. However, due to Duryodhana’s request and fear of Ghatotkacha’s growing strength, Karna used the Shakti Astra to defeat and kill Ghatotkacha Mahabharata in the Kurukshetra war.
Moreover, even on the verge of death, Ghatotkacha used his magical powers to grow gigantic. As he fell, his massive form crushed a significant portion of the Kaurava army. This helped the Pandavas in the battle and turned the tide of the war in their favour.
Also Read: Love Story Of Arjun And Subhadra: Why Krishna Helped Them?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How did Ghatotkacha died?
2. Who was Ghatotkacha son?
3. Why did Ghatotkacha help Pandavas on the battlefield?
4. Why was Shree Krishna happy when Ghatotkacha died?
5. Why was Ghatotkacha so powerful?
6. On which day of the Kurukshetra war did Ghatotkacha died?
Also Read: The Story Of Barbarika: The Hero Who Didn’t Fight The War!
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