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1. Bheem's Childhood, and Young Bheem Before Exile
2. Bheem Kills Jaraasandh, and Vows Towards Duryodhan and Dushaasan
3. Bheem, Hanumaan, Keechak, Dushaasan and Duryodhan
4. Bheem and Dhritraashtra

Bheem was the second son of Kuntee and Paandu from Pavan Dev or Vaayu Dev. Thus he was younger brother of Hanumaan. He has one brother more - Madhwaachaarya. The reason he is referred to as Madhwaa is that he is universally recognized, even by his opponents, as the third Avataar of Mukhya Praan, also known as Vaayu, as referred to in the Balittha Sookt of the Rig Ved. Bheem was very powerful and mighty. When he was born, he fell down from Kuntee's hands on a rock beneath her. Kuntee got scared as he might have got hurt, but she was surprised to see that the child was playing and the rock was cracked under him. His another name was Vrikodar.

Bheem's Childhood
He loved food. He had a massive diet. It is said that Kuntee used to feed Bheem first then she fed her other four sons. Everybody knew about it and sometimes used to take advantage out of it. Duryodhan was his main enemy as Bheem often troubled him in games, so Duryodhan always thought about to insult him or rather kill him. Once Duryodhan, with the intention to kill Bheem, mixed poison in sweets and fed it to Bheem. After some time he got unconscious. Duryodhan and Dushaasan tied him in a mat and threw him in the river to drown. Instead of drowning, Bheem went down and down and arrived in Naag Desh. When Bheem arrived there Naag guards started biting him, but surprisingly he did not die, rather he started fighting with them, so they went to their King and reported about this. He asked to bring the boy to him. The King asked who was he and how did he come there? He introduced himself and told his story. When he told that he was Kuntee's son he was given a royal treatment.

In fact Kuntee was a Naag girl, and one of them was her Naanaa, so upon his recommendation Naag Raaj gave him some potion to drink which gave him a 10,000 elephants strength. So instead of dying he came back with much more strength. Duryodhan got very surprised to see this and got very sorry and angry seeing his plan failed.

Baaranaavat Affair
There used to be an annual fair at Baaranaavat where usually the Crown Prince used to go. But since for a few years Hastinaapur didn't have its Crown Prince, Dhritraashtra used to go there. But now Yudhishthir was declared as the Crown Prince, so Vidur suggested that this time Yudhishthir should be sent there. This will give the opportunity to Hastinaapur people know their would be King. He should introduce himself as the future King. So all Paandav went there along with Kuntee. But Duryodhan had some evil plans for them. He was planning to kill them all, because he could not get opportunity better than this to kill all of them together.

So he built a special house there for them which was made of all kinds inflammable things. A trustworthy man was supposed to light fire in it on a certain night. But Vidur Jee knew about this plan before so he warned Paandav, and helped them to come out through a tunnel. So they themselves set out the fire a night before the fixed night and escaped. Fortunately or unfortunately a family of five sons and their mother stayed there for that night, so that family got burned. Everybody in Hastinaapur thought that Paandav got burnt along with Kuntee in that fire. Duryodhan was extremely happy; Bheshm was extremely sad for them; Dhritraashtra was just showing sorry face to others, otherwise in his heart he was happy too; Vidur Jee was indifferent. Later when he gave a second thought on the events, he got surprised that how come that the fire was set one night before, but he couldn't think of any reason, since there was no news of Paandav. Besides he was so happy with his plan that he soon forgot to think about it.

Bheem was so mighty that when Paandav were hiding in Van and Kuntee used to get tired walking, he used to carry them all on his shoulders.

Bheem's Marriages to Hidimbaa, Draupadee, and Balandharaa

Marriage to Hidimbaa
On Vidur's advice, Paandav started living in hiding in villages and Van (forests). Once all Paandav were sleeping along with Kuntee in a forest. Bheem was on their guard. There lived a Raakshas nearby, named Hidimb along with his sister Hidimbaa. On that night when Hidimb came back, he smelled human being's flesh and asked Hidimbaa to bring human meat. Hidimbaa went there where Paandav were sleeping, but as she saw Bheem, she got attracted to him. She started talking to him. When Hidimbaa did not come for quite some time, her brother went to look for her and found her near Bheem. As she saw her brother coming she protected Bheem and said to her brother - "I wouldn't let you kill him because I love him and want to marry him."

Still Hidimb fought with him, but Bheem killed him. By then other Paandav and Kuntee also woke up and surprised to see a Raakshas killed and lying there. Hidimbaa requested Kuntee to accept her for Bheem. Kuntee accepted her on Bheem's and Yudhishthir's consent. Bheem lived there until he had a son - one year. His son's name was Ghatotkach. He also fought very bravely in Mahaabhaarat war like Abhimanyu and was killed there.

Marriage to Draupadee
Other Paandav and Kuntee went further and stayed in a Braahman's house in Ekchakraa Nagaree in disguise of Braahman. Bheem joined them after the birth of Ghatotkach. Bheem then married to Draupadee and had a son from her named Shrutkarmaa.

Marriage to Balandharaa
Bheem was married to the Princess of Kaashee also - Balandharaa, and had a son from her too, named Sarvaang.

MBH, G-7-Postwar/28 says that when Paandav and other people went to see Dhritraashtra, Gaandharee and Kuntee in forest, Bheem's another wife Jarasandhaa, Jaraasandh's sister was also with them.

Bhaagvat Puraan, 9/13 mentions his one more wife's name - Kaalee from whom he had a son named Sarvagat

Thus Bheem had 4 sons from his 5 wives - Ghatotkach from Hidimbaa, Shrutkarmaa from Draupadee, Jaraasandhaa (no child name is mentioned anywhre), Sarvaang from Balandharaa and Sarvagat from Kaalee..

Bheem Kills Bakaasur
After the birth of Ghatotkach, Bheem also joined his brothers. That family with whom Paandav were living, had parents and a daughter and a son. One day Kuntee heard some argument and sound of crying going on among them. She went there and asked as what was the cause of argument and crying. First Braahman hesitated to say something about his problems but then Kuntee said - "We live in your house, that is why we have the right to share your problems too."

Then only Braahman told her that there lived a Raakshas named Bakaasur who used to eat as many people as he liked. Then the village people settled with him that they would send a cart-load food with somebody every week and he would not come to village any more. So we decided that we will choose one family by lottery and that family will send one person to that Raakshas. Tomorrow is my family's turn, so we are quarreling that who will go tomorrow with the cart. I say that I will go because I am the head of the family so it is my duty to protect them all and go there; my wife says that "I share your luck so I will go with the cart. You are the head of the family, if you will go who will take care of the family?" My daughter says "I will go" and my this little son says "I should share my father's responsibility, so I will go."

Kuntee said - "This is not a problem at all. You were quarreling without any reason. I am part of your family and I also have the right to share your problems. I have five sons. Tomorrow my one son will take the food cart to that Raakshas. So neither of you need to worry at all and sleep comfortably." That Braahman agreed after some hesitation.

Next day Kuntee sent Bheem with the cart. Bheem finished all food on the way and arrived there late. Raakshas was very angry. Seeing Bheem coming so late he growled "Why are you so late? I am very hungry. Bring my food." Bheem said, "I have come here, that is enough for you. And I am late because on the way I also felt hungry so I ate all food which I brought with me." When Raakshas didn't see his food, he ran to eat Bheem. Both fought fiercely and in the end Bheem killed that Raakshas.

When it was getting late, village people thought that there is something wrong. They got scared. But then somebody informed them that he saw the dead Raakshas lying, so don't worry, he is dead. Everybody got very happy to hear this and came to that Braahman's house to honor him, but he said that it was not he, but a Braahman boy did it. Then they said - "Call him, where is he? We want to thank him." The Braahman went inside to call him  but found nobody there as all had left the house.

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