Ghatotkacha

Illustrated Classics From India

Over 86 million copies of over 400 titles sold worldwide!

Amar Chitra Katha is a collection of illustrated classics that retell stories from Indian
mythology, history, folktale and legend through the fascinating medium of comics. Over
430 stories from all over India have been told in this series that has been endorsed by
educationists and recommended by teachers the world over.

Through a masterful blend of commentary, dialogue and illustration, Amar Chitra Katha
presents complex historical facts and intricate mythology in a format that would appeal
to children. They not only entertain, but also provide a fitting introduction to the cultural
heritage of India. In a country so vast and varied, the series also serves as a medium
for national integration, by introducing young readers to the rich cultural diversity of
the country and highlighting the achievements of local heroes.

Amar Chitra Katha comics are like famijy heirlooms, passed down from generation to
generation. These timeless illustrated classics are now also available online on www.
AmarChitraKatha.com. Start your own collection today!

No. S92 •Rs 30

m
INDIA BOOK HOUSE
© India Book House Pvt. ltd. 1974 Reprinted: June 2006 ISBN: 81-7508-150-3
Published and Printed by India Book House Pvt Ltd, Mahalaxmi Chambers,
5th Floor, 22 Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mumbai 400 026, India.
 7H E KAURAVA RR/N CEe A N D TH E ORPHANED
PANDAVA PRINCE6 WERE COUSINe. T H E Y G REW
U P TO GETHER A T HA&T/NAPURA IN THE
CH ARG E O F TH EIR G R A N & -U N C LE, 3H EF3H M A.
6 As rt
UNCLE
BHEE6HMA
16 PARTIAL
TO THE

H r THE
V PEOPLE
[ TOO LOVE
THEM A/ORE
THAN U 6 .

W riS V 73ME AR& /VEP A T W f PANPAVAS S E C R E T LY H A P A

VARANAVATA , V U PH IS H TH IR A, 7 H f TU N N EL AAAPE FO R ES C A PE.
E LP E S T O F THEM TU R N ED TO

WE M U 6T
6ET FIR E T O
T H I© H O USE.

AFTER SETTING THE H O USE O N FIRE. THE FANPAVAS> AN D THEIR

M OTHER, KUNTI, ESCAF>
E P TH RO UG H THE T U N N E L.
WHEN TH EY WERE P E E P iN TH E BHEEMA. WAS TH E S TR O N G ES T
FO RESTr- O F TH EM A L L .

V I KN O W . B U T
T W E CANNOT
STO P N O W .
BHEEMA,CAN Y O U
C AR R Y H IM 9

H IPIM &A, A R A K S H A S A W AS T H E M AS TER O F TH AT FO R ES T.

M ..!
M Y M OUTH
i em eu.
HUM ANS.
B R IN G THEM
H E R E . WE
S H A LL FEA6T
O N FRESH
M EAT.

3
 WHEN H/P/M3AA CAME IN SEARCH O F TH E FANDAVA6 SHE SAW BHEEMA

HOW H AN PS C M E H E 16! I S H A LL CHANGE MYSELF

P O N ’ T W A N T T O EAT IN TO A BEAU TIFU L jk
G IR L . T H E N H E W ILL J
FALL IN %
^ ^ ^ ■ ^ M L O V E W ITH
me.

r A S I SU SPEC TED !
S H E H A S C H AN 6EP
HER FORM A N P ,
( IS M AKIN G fd t
L E V E S AT TH A T l p |
^ HUMAN. / ,

H IP/M BA C H A LLE N G E D BHEEMA A N P TH EY FOUGHT.

KUNTI, HIDIMBAA A N D YUDHI&HTH/RA
RUSHED FORWARD. ■ I I m i m I
0HGEMAI BE
CAREFUL!

VO N O T FEAR |y
M OTHER. V O U R lj
BRAVE © O N M
W ILL W I N . ^ ^ f l

H/D/MBA WAS JC/LLED. /CUNT/ N O W

TURNED TO
H/DfM BAA.

\O U ARE
VERV I
BEAUTI- I
FU Ll A
WHO ARE
VOU?M

5
 H IPIM 8AA W AS A P E U D T E P PAU < 5H TERr-IN -LAW .

M O THER,
I MAY LIVE
W ITH YOU
T IL L YOUR
C3RANP&ON
15 B O R N .
T H E N WE
W IL L HAVE
T O PART, /

NO T LONG AFTER., BHEEMA '3 S O N . S H A IO T K A C H A , WAS B O R N . B E/N G A

RA/CSHASA H E K N E W A L L T H E IR M A& /C A N P WAS F U LL-G R O W N A T BIRTH.

FATH ER 1 I A M T H E WE W ILL
L O R P O F T H IS 60 ON!
F O R E 6T . W HEN­ < 3 0P B L E S S
EVER N O U Jk you.
T H IN k l O F / ff! 7
M E I W IL L [11/A
C O M E A N P / ly J < l|
S E R VE
YOU.

7 W FA N & K V A S W E N T T H E /R W AV A N P
<2>HATCm:/\CHA L / / E P W /TH H /S M O T H E R
IN T H E IR F O R E S T .
6
 MANY YEARS PASSED BY. THE PANDAVAS BECAME THE RULERS O F
INDRAPRASTHA W HERE TH EY BUILT A BEAUTIFUL PALACE. YUDHISHTH/RA
PERFO RM ED TH E RAUASUYA SACR/F/CE. TH E KAURAVAS WERE
JE A LO U S O F THEIR. SU CCESS.
WE MUST P o l l HAVE AN IPEA. ^
SOMETHIN©. T H E ) LET US IN V IT E ^ B P ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ S
PANCAVAS ARE C Y U P H IS H T H IR A H C fe S ^ ^ S ^
TO O P O P U LA R ^ -> T O PLAY
A N P P R O 6P E R O U 0J
WIj V \ JJA

WE W ILL
C ^jr M ARK TH E

.wf M f PICE A N P
W CHEAT H IM .

SO THE KAURAVAS INVITED TH E YUDHISHTHIRA P LA Y E D A N D

PANDAVAS TO HASTINAPURA. LO S T A LL H/S WEALTH.

6M ALL r COME I STAKE

WE y o u r kjn spo m
BEGIN? N H iA / >

f A KINC3
CANNOT
REFUSE.
WE W IL L
L P LA Y .

H E LOST H/e MNGDOM TO O . B U T H E VUDH/SHTH/RA LOST.

CONTINUED TO PLAY. TH E PANDAVAS HAD
W ILL YO U TO LEAVE FO R TH E
AGREE TO <30 FOREST, WTTH
T O THE FO REST DRAUPADI\
FOR 13 YEARS THEIR QUEEN.
IF*M9U L O S E ?
IF VOU WIN
I’ L L 0 IV E
BACK

KIN 6PO M
WHEN TH EY H AD G O N E, A R JU N A '5 O N THE. W AY TO DWARAKA
WIFE, & U B H A PR A ,A VARAVA PRINCESS*
TOOK THEIR & O N , ABHIM ANYUr TO THE
YAPAVA KINGDOM.
ABHIMANYU , YOUR ^ \ M Y REPUTATION
UNCLE BALARAMA HAS ] 15 AT STAKE.
C O N E BACK O N H IS J LET US <30 7 0
WORP. HE IS SIVIN S PW ARAKA.
^ATSALA TO " l AKSHAAANA. W ^

r PRIVE ^
Q UICKLY,
ABHIM ANYU
I P O N ’T
FEEL
SAFE. i

B U T ABHIM ANYU WAS

U N PA U N T E P .
HO W Cy\RE YOU
TR ESPASS. I’ L L K IL L ^
l I S H A LL & YOU f ir s t !
A k fcILL O T/
\V J \ y o u ! A w

* DURYODHANA*S SO N . * •fiA LA R A M A ’5 D A U G H TER

 BUT HOW THAT ARvJUNA
10 IN EXILE, VAT8ALA
18 TO MARRY
r
0
--------------"^>3
WE ARE ^
O IN € >

PWARAKA
T O

LAK6HMANA, TO TRY
f t t TH E 6 0 N ANP
1 9 OF TH E C . PREVENT IT,
fjg . ICAURAVA, <& ■
H A PUR VO - 1 . . ■
^ ■ P H A N A . ^ i^ .
TH E /CAURAVAQ W HO H A D C O M E /= De T H E WEDD/NG, WHAT A
FLOCKED 70 THE SHOPS. '---- --------------- 1-----------------fg f NOVEL WAV
IM ’m dti-WriUlMn ----------- 7 ^ I ■ II O F ENTER­
th e s e n e w \ I \ r w r \ H i TAIN IN G
M L C L O TH E S k jM E 8RIOE-
are o f A L J U n y f ln -U G R O Q M ’S
SUPERIOR S k j4 PARTY.
CO M E ! S IT ' I caHATOTZACHA PICKED U P
POW N A N P I/ATSALA’S B ED A N D FLEW
O U T O F' TH E WINDOW.

YOU 0 H A L L
6 0 0 N BE
W ITH
ABHIAAANVU
ANP
M OTHER
SUBHAPRA.

12
 QHATOTZACHA L E F T VAT&ALA W fTH
ABHiAAANVU A N D R E T U R N E D 7 0 DW A&AKA.
I MUST NOV? ...A N P TAKE
TRANSFORMS H ER PLAC E.
► MYSELF I
TO LOOK. I
% LIKE 1
\V A T 6 A L A .X

TH E N EX T /"G&V/A45 TH E BR /D E WA€> L E D 7 0 T H E MAR&ACbE HALL

W /TH T H E M THE NEW CLO TH ES A LSO F L E W AW AY.
 T H E N E X T PWV% &04BHADRA A R R /V E D AT DWARAAZA
W/TH A&H/AAANYU A N D H /& ' B R /D E .

BROTHER ! B L E 5 0
T H E M ! TH E Y
W ERE M AR R IEP
YESTER P*Y,
TH AN KS TO
(3HATO TKACHA. A

S IS T E R !
I S H O U L P HAVE
KN O W N

AB H /M AN YU LJV ED H A P P /LV A T
DW ARAKA W /TH VAT&ALA A N D SU8HADRA.
W HEN THE/R EXJLE WAS O V E R ,T H E PANDAVAS R E T U R N E D FRO M
THE FO R ES T TH E KAURAVAS W OULD N O T & V E QACAZ THE/R
KINGDOM. &O THE PANDAVAS
TH EM . L O R D K R ISH N A WAS O N TH E
S/D E O F T H E P A N D A V A S -

BHEEMA I YOU
M UST C ALL

WE W ILL
N E E P HI©
H ELP. PON’T
YOU A6REE,
KR ISH NA?

I HAVE
BU T T O
T H IN K
O F H IM .
TH E N E X T DAY, B H A6AD AT7A G H ATO TK/\CH A CAM E T H ER E
RETALIATED B Y ATTACkUN<3 TH E T H E K A U R A V A S SAW M ANY
PAN PAVAS A N D k JL U N C M A N Y O F O F THEIR FRIEN D S LYING
TH EM . DEAD.

N O T REALISING TH AT IT WAS M E R E LY A N ILLUSIO N,

TH EY R A N AW AY FR O M TH E B ATTLEFIELD .
O N T H E TH IR TEEN TH D A Y O F T H E W AR,
ABH/AAANVU WAS K ILLED .

JAYADRATHA WAS TH E CAUSE O F ABH/AAANVU'S DEATH. ARUUNA

SW ORE TO K ILL HIM B Y S U N S E T N E X T PAY. i------------------- r > --------

IP
I FO N *T
SUCCEEP,
I W ILL K IL L
M V6ELF!

IF
H E 16
ALIV E AT
SU N SET,
A R JU N A
W ILL K ILL
HIM SELF
A N P TH E
W AR W ILL
ENP.
B EFO R E S U N S E T T H E N E X T D AY, A R U U N A ,
WITH LO R D KR/SHNA’S H ELR, KILLED JAYADRATHA

D U R YO D H AN A TA U N T E D H IS G EN ER A LS , D/ZONA A N D KARNA.

YO U HAVE N O T FO U G H T
W E LL.T H A T IS W H Y A
L UAYAPRATHA WA€> ^
K ILLE O .

PQN’ T BLAME
US.W E P IP
v OUR BEST. .

X WE W ILL
// <30 BACK ANP
I CONTINUE THE
r BATTLE T IL L
JAYAPRATHA
C IS A V E N 6E P .
 jt
DRONA AN D KARNA FO U G H T G O W ELL THAT TH E RANDAVAS W ERE
H A R D -PR ES S ED . YUD H t&H TH /RA C ALLED A R JU N A A N D KR/GHNA.

MY ARMIES IT IS NOT YET

SUFFER! I TIM E FOR
<30 A N P \ A R JU N A TO
F IG H T M EET
KARNA KARNA

LO RD K R/SH N A S E N T FO R
SHATOT/CACHA. W HEN H E CAM E -

PEAR
| <3HATOTKACHA! I I W ILL
V H E LP O U R FINISH
^ ARMIES , H IM .
A S A IN 5T KARNA
Z A R N A D E S T R O Y E D IT W ITH A R R O W S , S M /L/N 6 A LL TH E TIME,

(bHATOTKACHA CREATED A M O UNTAIN

B V M/e AAA<5IC.FROM TH E M OUNTAIN
CAM E STREAM S O F W EAPO NS.

KARNA D E S T R O Y E D TH E MOUNTAIN WITH THE

VAvJRA ASTRA T ---------- H K

T H E VAJRA ASTRA IS H A R D LIK E A T H U N D E R B O LT

A N D C A N 0REA/C E V E N M O U N T A IN S .
& H ATO TKAC H A M A D E A D A R K C L O U D W H ICH R A IN E D D O W N STO N E& .

VAYU A S T R A
PRO D U C ES A
STR O N G W IN D A S
IT IS G U ID E D B Y
TH E G O D
O F W IND.

G H A TO TKACH A S E N T T R E E S FLY IN G KAR N A D ESTR O YED

A T H IM TH EM W /TH ARRO W S.
 T H E R A N & A V A S O L O /E R S
G R IE V E D .

S U D D E N LY T H E R E W E R E KARNA S H O T ARRO W S A T
(oHATO T/CACH AS EV ER YW H ER E. T H E M A L L . [■
 THEN H E BECAME INVISIBLE A N O TH E TERRIFIED tZAURAVA FORCES
SEN T SHOWERS O F FIERY APPEA LED TO /ZARA/A.
WEAPONS. |--------------------------------------
SAVE U S YOUR ARROWS
KARNA! ARE NOT
POWERFUL
^ ENOUGH. A

USE yo u R
9H AK TI t

Z JH E SHAJCTt HAD BEEN GIVEN TO AZARNA BY /N PR A ,& N 0 O F THE <&OD&. ^

\ /V\tL A r I C.K I PVM.^4

B U T T H E CRIES O F TH E W ARRIORS W ERE PITIA B LE.

28
K A R N A P /C K E D U P T H E S H A K T i A N D T H R E W /T.

IT E N T E R E D & H A T O T K A C H A 9S H E A R T A M D W E N T U P T O H E A V E N
A S A F L A S H O F L IG H T .
YUDHISHTHIISA 700*1 GHATOTKACHA’S A L A S ! ©HATOTKACHA
H EAD O N H ie LA P A N D WEPT, WHILE M Y 6RAVE CHILE?!
KRISHNA LOOKED O N , SMILING. HOW CAN YO U
© M ILE , KR ISH NA ? a

©HATOTKACHA HAS
SAVED ARUUNA.
KAR N A’ S SHAKTI
IS S P E N T . N O W
H E IS POWERLESS
TO K IL L A R J U N A .
 Illustrated Classics From India

Ghatotkacha
Ghatotkacha was one of the finest characters of the epic Mahabharata. Even though he was a rakshasa
(demon), he was affectionate and kind. Being the son of the Pandava prince, Bheema and the rakshasi,
Hidimbaa, he was only half rakshasa. From his mother he leamt all the arts of the rakshasas; from his father
he inherited an affectionate and chivalrous temperament. He was an invaluable ally to the Pandavas in times
of trouble, and appeared before them whenever they thought of him.

Vatsala's wedding to Arjuna's son Abhimanyu is a frequently recurring theme in the ballads and stories of
South India. It was Ghatotkacha, who with his rakshasa hordes and their magical powers made the wedding
of Abhimanyu and Vatsala possible.

This story is not found in the Mahabharata or in Sanskrit literature. It seems to have evolved at a much later
date, as a legend in Telegu and Kannada literature. The exponents of the art of Harikatha consider this story
as one of the most popular ones in their repertoire. It has been handed down by word of mouth for
generations.

This Amar Chitra Katha is derived partly from the Mahabharata and partly from legend.

Editor: Anant Pai

Script: Lakshmi Seshadri Illustrations: Umesh Burande Cover: Khalap

Related Titles
Bheema and Hanuman • The Pandava Princes
The Pandavas in Hiding • Draupadi
Mahabharata • Drona
Bheeshma

IS B N 8 1 - 7 5 0 8 - 1 5 0 - 3

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