1.There was a time while living in exile the Pandavas roamed from place to place.
Once the Pandavas stayed at the hermitage of Nara and Narayana for a spell.
2.
Arjuna had gone out to Indra’s space.
Ghatotkacha spent time with the Pandavas at the mountain hermitage as well.
3.
One day while dwelling at this mountain place a rakshasa laid in wait.
That rakshasa waylaid King Yudhishthira while Bhima was away.
The rakshasa swiftly brought The King, Krishnaa, Sahadeva and Nakula under control.
4.
You see the rakshasa dressed as a brahman and practiced perfect lies.
Like that - that rakshasa lived among the Pandavas in disguise.
That rakshasa meant to steal the Pandavas weapons through a wicked stunt.
As a man-eater the rakshasa felt compelled to hunt.
5.
Driven by lust for Draupadi that evil-souled rakshasa put his evil mind toward hatching an evil plot.
That rakshasa's name was Jat.
This is the story of how Jat came to naught.
6.
Pandu’s Son felt wrath when he was caught.
The King had been the wheel in Jat’s path.
Jat’s betrayal sin covered him like ash.
7.
In the middle of the day, Bhimasena was out on a goose chase.
The Brahman entourage had gone in separate ways, in all directions each by habit to a different place.
8.
Lomarsha and the great sages had gone to bathe or gather flowers.
Ghatotkacha was on mountain patrol.
9.
When Jat sprang into action his form was terrible and beautiful.
Jat looked like Shiva with the Pandavas in his powers.
10.
Then that evil-souled Jat took off with Draupadi plus the three.
But soon while on the run Sahadeva slipped free.
11.
Sahadeva gripped his sword intending to cut Jat’s cord.
But Sahadeva ran to summon Bhima forth to face this danger.
12-27. [abridged]
The Dharma King Yudhishthira spoke to Jat with a throat choked in anger.
‘Are you lost, fool?
You abuse the rule!
Is murder your plan?
Engage us in battle!
Fool, you will never sever the Dharma root from which you shoot.
We patron the poetic.
We protect the aesthetic.
We follow ritual.
We protect kingdoms, empires, people and cattle.
We kings fight for loot.
Rakshasa you will vomit our curses.
You ate our food.
You sang our verses.
You stayed with our brood.
You paid respect to Brahman and guru.
You betray friends and the universe.
You enjoyed our fruit.
You followed our foot.
You enjoyed the labor of our pain.
Your useless idle intelligence is for wanton gain.
You are way out of line.
Your dharma is in decline.
Your life will soon end.
Give us a weapon and fight like a man!
Give us a fighting chance to be slain.
Win Draupadi by the bow.
Your lust is like delicious liquor that makes you dull and slow.
The signs are inauspicious.
Ill winds blow.
You speed to the hour of your destruction.
Your greed has brought you to a time of crisis now.‘
28.
Like that Yudhishthira’s words made the weight of Jat’s load grow.
Sweat beaded on Jat’s brow.
Jat’s swift run got slow.
29.
Yudhishthira spoke to Draupadi and Nakula loud enough for Jat to hear,
‘Do not fret.
Do not fray.
We have checked Jat’s progress.
Jat’s breath runs short.
So does the threat.
A powerful protector is not far away.
Soon he will sort this mess.’
30-35.
Sahadeva saw the rakshasa Jat looking struck dumb.
Sahadeva said,
‘King Yudhishthira,
What greater respect can a kshatriya get than a fight to the death?
We will taste victory or our last breath.
This is the time and place to make a stand.
Kshatriya dharma dares warriors to face truth.
To attain victory or be killed is the bet.
Rakshasa you will not see the sun set.
If my pledge proves false,
I will not speak of being a kshatriya again.
Hail, hail! Rakshasa.
Wait.
I am Sahadeva.
I want to show you the dexterity of my hand.’
36-39.
Bhimasena arrived then, his whirling mace flashing like lightning.
Jat’s noose was tightening.
Bhima saw Sahadeva’s challenge root Jat.
Bhima saw his brothers and Draupadi bound.
Bhima saw how far Jat dragged Draupadi and his brothers around.
40-46.
With wrath Bhima spat,
‘Fool! I made you by the way you gaze at our weapons and women.
Though I knew it was not the right time then.
I conned your confidence.
I kept my suspicion in suspense.
You pose as a brahman peasant.
You spoke false words to sound pleasant.
Dear to us you were a delight.
Near to us our guest at least revealed a snake in the light.
Rakshasa - I await.
I hold the rod and reel.
You were quick to steal.
I was quicker.
Your mind was intoxicated by liquor.
You swallowed the bait.
Your stomach holds the hook.
Like a fish on a line you will be gutted.
Your future is fallen and polluted.
You hang at the end of your rope.
Soon you will join Baka and Hidimba in the sky.
Rakshasa - time to die!’
47-48.
Bhimasena’s words liberated Jat from hope.
Jet felt played.
Jat felt afraid.
Jat gave up the flight.
Jat obliged to fight.
Jat’s rage shined.
49.
So Jat whined,
‘I will toast your blood to the two you slew.’
A lame threat were Jat’s last words.
50.
Bhima smiled like the fire of death.
Bhimas arms struck Jat like wire cords.
51-53.
The Rakshasa and Bhima fought up close.
The two rained down an onslaught of blows.
Mad like Bali and Indra they traded left and right.
Madri’s sons Nakula and Sahadeva rushed to join the fight.
54-55.
Bhima smiled at his brothers and said,
‘By my soul.
By my mind.
By my merit alone.
By what I atone.
Killing this rakshasa solo is my goal.’
56-60.
Vrikodara and Jat clawed at each other for a hold.
They were strong.
They had valor.
They were bold.
Like the Gods and Danavas they fought long.
Like mad elephants they screamed and uprooted trees.
To make clubs they cracked wood over knees.
60.
They fought with hate.
They fought to annihilate.
61.
They fought with fury like Bali and Sugriva fighting over a wife.
The two carried on this way for part of the day.
62.
They clashed with broken trees under a cloudy breeze until all the greens were smashed to smithereens.
When all the sticks lay in splinters the two took to throwing stones.
63-65.
O’Bharata!
Like two mountain elephants in a rut they clashed and dashed.
They hurled stones.
They suffered cuts and broken bones.
They clasped one another with arms and legs bent.
Their muscles burned and bodies spent.
66.
They pushed and clawed each other’s flesh in torment.
Mighty fists struck ghastly body blows.
67.
Then Bhima sent a fist that was like a five headed serpent.
The looping hook made a dent that knocked Jat senseless.
68.
Bhima’s fist fell again upon Jat’s swelled head like a molten ball of lead.
That defenseless blow spelled Jat’s end.
69.
Bhima whirled Jat up like the wind.
Bhima slammed Jat’s body down with hurricane power.
70.
Bhima snapped Jat limb by limb like snap crackle pop.
Bhima rolled Jat’s body with rock like grinding wheat into flour.
71.
They watched Bhima abuse Jat until he was dead.
Then like falling fruit, Jat’s head popped off rolling to a stop.
72.
Drenched in blood, Bhima presented Yudhishthira with the stain.
Praise, victory, valor - Jat was slain - Jat went splat.
Like Vasava being praised by a Marut, the Brahman hailed the mighty bowman Bhima for vanquishing Jat.
And that was that for that bad cat Jat.
Notes
[1] Nara and Narayana are also names for Vishnu and brothers. The characters Arjuna and Krishna Vasudeva are considered incarnations of Nara and Narayana. Similarly, the name Arjuna means white and Krishna means dark. So Arjuna and Krishna as a pair are black and white.
The Pandavas live in exile after Yudhishthira lost their kingdom in the gambling match with dice. The Pandavas agree to spend 13 years in exile before the Kauravas will return the kingdom to them. The events of Jat occurred during this period of exile.
The story of how the Pandavas won their kingdom before the gambling match is told in Digvijaya.
A start (chapter 1 of many) of the as it rhymes translation for Digvijaya
The story of the dice match is told in Dyuta.
[2] The story of Arjuna's solo venture into the Himalayas, fight with Shiva in the form of a hunter and time with Indra are told in an earlier book.
Ghatotkacha is Bhima’s son by Hidimbaa. Ghatotkacha joined the Pandavas at this time to help Draupadi after Draupadi collapses from exhaustion.
The story of Hidimba is told in an earlier book.
[3] Rakshasa's are cannibals. They are sometimes described as having predatory power over humans, or being semi-divine creatures.
[5] Jatasura is Jat's name + asura. Asura are also demonic beings. Asura and Rakshasa descend from different divine lineage.
[6] Pandu’s son in this context is Yudhishthira. Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, Sahadeva and Draupadi are the Pandavas. Draupadi is a common wife among them. The story of how this came to be is told in Digvijaya Parva.
[11] The name of Sahadeva's sword is Kaushika. Unfortunately, the translator could not make this wonderful name rhyme.
[30] Following the plot - a. Bhima goes out to hunt. b. Jat captures Yudhishthira, Nakula, Sahadeva and Draupadi, binds them and runs off with them in a cart. c. Sahadeva wriggles free, d. wrestles his sword from among the weapons away from Jat, and e. runs off to fetch Bhima. f. Sahadeva arrives back first and engages with Jat while Bhima catches up.
[47] The stories of Baka and Hidimba are told in earlier books. Look for the As It Rhymes translations as part of Bhima’s book. Bhima's enmity with the rakshasas bent on revenge is a running thread.
[56] Vrikodara is a name for Bhima.
[61] The story of Vali and Sugriva is told in the Ramayana.
[72] Vasava is a name for Indra.
The Maruts, or Rudras, are forms of Shiva.
References
- Debroy, Bibek. The Mahabharata. Penguin Random House India, 2015.
- Dutt, M.N. The Mahabharata. Sanskrit Text with English Translation. Parimal Publications, 2022.
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