Did Bhim drink Dusshasan’s blood? In TV serials, it has been shown that Bhim tore Dusshasan’s chest open and drank his blood. The story goes that when Draupadi was disrobed by Dusshasan, Bhim took a vow that he would rip out Dusshasan’s arm, tear open his chest and drink his blood. But did Bhim really do such a terrible thing?
Let’s go to the world of Mahabharat and know the real truth of the story of Bhim and Dusshasan. Friends, it is true that enraged by the disrobing of Draupadi, Bhim made a fierce vow to tear Dusshasan’s chest and drink his blood, but whether he really drank blood or not, we will investigate further. But first, we will find out about that vow of Bhim correctly:
In Mahabharat’s Sabha Parva, Adhyay 68, Shlok 52 and 53, Bhim promises to drink the blood of Dusshasan’s chest –
यद्येतदेवमुक्त्वाहं न कुर्यां पृथ्वीश्वरा ।
पितामहानां पूर्वेषां नाहं गतिमवाप्नुयाम्।। 52
अस्य पापस्य दुर्बुद्धेर्भारतापसदस्य च ।
न पिबेयं बलाद् वक्षो भित्तवा चेद् रुधिरं युधिः ।। 52
In this verse, Bhim is saying that O’ Kings! This evil-minded Disshasan is a blot on the Bharat dynasty. I will tear open the chest of this sinner in battle and drink his blood. If I don’t drink it, I may not get the exalted position of my ancestors.
It is true that Bhim had promised to drink the blood of Dusshasan. Let’s now go to the battlefield of Mahabharat, i.e., Kurukshetra where, on the 17th day of the war, a fierce battle was going on between Bhim and Dusshasan. Bhim kills Dusshasan in battle, rips off his arms and then tear open his chest and pretend to drink his blood
Look at this Shlok of the 43rd Adhyay of Karna Parva of Mahabharat –
उत्कृत्य वक्षः पतितस्य भूमावथापिबच्छोणितमस्य कोष्णम् ।
ततो निपात्यास्य शिरोSपकृत्य तेनासिना तव पुत्रस्य राजन् ।।
सत्यां चिकिर्शुर्मतिमान प्रत्ग्यं भीमोस्पिबच्छोनितमस्य कोष्णम्।
आस्वाद्य चस्वाद्य च विक्ष्माणः क्रुद्धो हि चैनं निजगाद वाक्यम्।
Mahabharat, Karna Parva, Shlok 28-29
In these two Shloks, Sanjay describes to Dhritarashtra, the scene of Bhim tearing open the chest of Dusshasan and drinking his blood, saying – “O King! After this, Bhim started trying to drink the blood of Dusshasan lying on the earth by tearing his chest. Bhimsen felled Duhshasan, who was trying to get up again. To prove his promise, Bhim beheaded your son, Dusshasan, with his sword and started drinking his hot blood with relish.”
Till here, it seems true that Bhim drank the blood of Dusshasan. Bhim fulfilled his promise. But when the war of Mahabharat is over and the Pandavas are victorious, all the Pandavas reach Hastinapur. There Bhim meets Duryodhan and Dusshasan’s mother, Gandhari. Gandhari asks Bhim how could he commit the sin of drinking the blood of his own brother, Dusshasan. At this time Bhim tells a new thing, which changes the whole matter.
Listen to what Bhim is saying to Gandhari in Adhyay 15 of Mahabharat’s Streeparva in this Shlok–
अन्यस्यापि न पातव्यं रुधिरं किं पुनः स्वकम् ।
यथैवात्मा तथा भ्राता विशेषो नास्ति कश्चन ।।
Mahabharat, Streeparva, Adhyay 15, Shlok 15
This means Bhim says to Gandhari, “O mother! One should not drink the blood of others; then how can one drink one’s own blood? My brother’s body is like my own body. There is no difference between me and my brother.”
After this, Bhim reveals the secret of drinking the blood of his cousin, Dusshasan, and says that –
रुधिरं न व्यातिक्रामद दांटोष्ठ मे सम्ब मा शुचः।
वैवस्वतस्तु तद् वेद हस्तौ मे रुधिरौक्षितौ ।।
Mahabharat, Streeparva, Adhyay 15, Shlok 16
Here, Bhim is telling his elder mother, Gandhari, that “Mother! Do not grieve. That blood could not go beyond my teeth and lips. Suryaputra Yamraj knows the fact that only my two hands were stained with blood.
After this, Bhim tells Gandhari that he pretended to drink blood to scare the Kaurav brothers present around. In fact, he did not drink the blood of Dusshasan at all. So friends, have you seen the difference between the research of The Karma and the stories of Mahabharat shown in TV serials? Hope you have liked this video of The Karma and you must have subscribed to our channel by now. Namaskar!
