Jatasura

Jatāsura (जटासुर) was a Asura who disguised himself as a Brahman and carried Yudhishthira, Sahadeva, Nakula, and Draupadi. He was overtaken and killed by Bhima.

जटासुर:पुं० [जटा-असुर, मध्य० स०] १. एक प्रसिद्ध राक्षस जिसका वध भीम ने उस समय किया था जब वह ब्राह्मण वेश धारण करके द्रौपदी को हर कर ले जा रहा था। २. एक प्राचीन देश।

In Adi Parva

After this last, Tirtha-yatra or the pilgrimage of the wise prince of the Kurus, the death of Jatasura, and the battle of the Yakshas.

In Virata Parva

Virata Parva, Mahabharata/ Book IV Chapter 20 mentions Jatasura in shloka 30:

It was thou, O Bhima, that didst deliver me from the terrible Jatasura. It was thou also that with thy brothers didst vanquish Jayadratha.

तवया हय अहं परित्राता तस्माथ घॊराज जटासुरात

जयथ्रदं तदैव तव मजैषीर भरातृभिः सह (IV.20.30)

In Vana Parva

Vana Parva, Mahabharata/Book III Chapter 154 mentions in shloka 4 and 60:

परीक्षमाणः पार्दानां कलापानि धनूंषि च

अन्तरं समभिप्रेप्सुर नाम्ना खयातॊ जटासुरः (III.154.4)

संथष्टौष्ठं विवृत्ताक्षं फलं वृन्ताथ इव चयुतम

जटासुरस्य तु शिरॊ भीमसेनबलाथ धृतम

पपात रुधिराथिग्धं संथष्ट थशनछथम (III.154.60)

Jatasura used his powers of illusion to appear in the guise of a Brahmana to the Pandavas. His objective was to gain their confidence and to wait for an opportunity to seize their weapons, ravish their wife Draupadi, and take some captives. He lay in wait "like unto a fire covered with ashes." One day when Bhima was gone, Jatasura took on a monstrous form, seized the weapons and Draupadi, and fled with three of the Pandavas, including Yudhishthira, as his captives. Yudhishthira, however, confused him by showering him with moral accusations, and Jatasura slowed down enough for Bhima to catch up. The doomed Jatasura fought valiantly, but in the end Bhima knocked him out with a punch to the neck, lifted him up and dashed him to the ground, and severed his head from his neck.

In Sabha Parva

Sabha Parva Shows that “ Jatasura Madra Kanam” (i.e. Asra and Madra Jats) brought presents for the Pandavas, who were their relations.

In Drona Parva

....O king, Jatasura's mighty son, that foremost of smiters, approaching Duryodhana, said unto him, 'O Duryodhana, commanded by thee, I desire to slay, with their followers, thy foes of celebrity, viz., the Pandavas, those warriors incapable of being easily defeated in battle. My father was mighty Jatasura, that foremost of Rakshasa.

....summoning Ghatotkacha to the fight, Jatasura's son shrouded the son of Bhimasena with diverse kinds of weapons.

.... Then Jatasura's son, carless and driverless, wrathfully struck Ghatotkacha, in that battle, with his fists. Thus struck, Ghatotkacha trembled like a mountain with its trees and creepers and grass at the time of an earthquake. Then Bhimasena's son, mad with rage, raising his own foe-slaying arm that resembled a spiked mace, dealt a severe blow on Jatasura's son. Crushing him then in rage, Hidimva's son quickly threw him down, and seizing him with his two arms he began to press him with great force upon the earth. Then Jatasura's son freeing himself from Ghatotkacha, rose up and assailed Ghatotkacha with great impetuosity.

References

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