Mahabharata’s Bhima is related to Lord Hanuman – Here’s how

Bhima was born to Pandu’s first wife Kunti after she had invoked Vayu Devata.

Bhima Shakti sculpture in Bali, Indonesia (L) and a statue of Hanuman (R). Pic courtesy: Thinkstock Photos.

Mumbai: Bhima, the strongest of all the Pandavas, who along with his brothers was responsible for uprooting the existence of the Kauravas, was born to Kunti, the first wife of King Pandu.

But he was born out of a boon to Kunti after she had invoked Vayu Devata. He wasn’t Pandu’s biological son.

Here’s the legend behind Bhima’s birth 

King Pandu had unknowingly shot Rishi Kindama (in disguise as a male deer) with an arrow while the latter was engaged in lovemaking with a female deer. The Rishi had great inhibitions about making love in the presence of humans and to quench his sexual needs, he would transform into a deer with his special powers. Mistaking Rishi Kindama to be a deer, King Pandu shot him thereby injuring him seriously. Angered after being injured, Rishi Kindama curses the king by telling him that he would meet death if he ever tried to make love with a woman.

Saddened by the curse, Pandu, who wishes to have children, reminded his first wife Kunti to use the boons granted to her by Rishi Durvasa. Thus, Yudishthira was born to Kunti after she was blessed by Yama and then Vayu Devata blessed her with Bhima.

Bhima and Hanuman

Hanuman was born to Anjana after she was blessed by Lord Shiva. The Lord had asked Vayu Devata to bring a portion of the divine pudding that was being consumed by Dasharatha’s queens in Ayodhaya, for Anjana. After consuming the pudding, Anjana was blessed by Vayu and granted her wish to have a child. Since he was responsible for bringing the pudding, he was rightfully the father of Anjana’s child.

Since both Hanuman and Bhima were born after being blessed by Vayu, they were brothers.