Why Lord Krishna Celebrated when Ghatotkacha was killed by Karna || ఘటోత్కచుడి మరణాన్ని కృష్ణుడు కోరుకున్నాడా? || With Subtitles/CC
Ghatotkacha is an important character in the Mahabharata. His name comes from his head, which was hairless (utkaca) and shaped like a ghatam. Ghatotkacha was the son of the Pandava Bhima and the Rakshasi Hidimbi. His maternal parentage made him half-Rakshasa and gave him many magical powers such as the ability to fly, to increase or decrease his size and to become invisible. He was an important fighter from the Pandava side in the Kurukshetra war.
Ghatotkacha was born to Hidimbi and the Pandava Bhima. When traveling the countryside with his brothers and mother as a brahmin, having escaped the lakshagraha, Bhima saved Hidimbi from her wicked brother Hidimba. Soon after Ghatotkacha was born, Bhima had to leave his family, as he still had duties to complete at Hastinapura. Ghatotkacha grew up under the care of Hidimbi. One day he received a pearl which he later gave to his cousin Abhimanyu. Like his father Ghatotkacha primarily fought with the mace. Lord Krishna gave him a boon that no one in the world would be able to match his sorcery skills (except Krishna himself). His wife was Ahilawati and his sons were Barbarika and Meghvarna.
In the Mahābhārata, Ghatotkacha was summoned by Bhima to fight on the Pandava side in the Kurukshetra battle. Invoking his magical powers, he wrought great havoc in the Kaurava army. In particular, after the death of Jayadratha on the fourteenth day of battle, when the battle continued on past sunset, his powers were at their most effective.
At this point in the battle, the Kaurava leader Duryodhana appealed to Karna, to kill Ghatotkacha as the whole Kaurava army was coming close to annihilation due to Ghatotkacha's attacks. Karna possessed a divine weapon called the Vasavi Shakti, granted by the god Indra. Only able to use it once, Karna had been saving it for his battle with his rival, Arjuna. Unable to refuse Duryodhana, Karna discharged the weapon against Ghatotkacha, killing him. It is said that when Ghatotkacha realized that he was going to die, that he assumed a gigantic size. When the huge body fell, it crushed one akshauhini of the Kaurava army. After his death Krishna was glad Karna no longer had Vasavi Sakthi to use against Arjuna.
In popular culture
A 1957 Black and White film Mayabazar (English: Market of Illusions) was lead by Ghatotkacha's Character. It was directed by the legendary director Sri Kadiri Venkata Reddy. S. V. Ranga Rao played as Ghatotkacha.
A 2008 animated film Ghatothkach was based on his life. It was directed by Singeetham Srinivas Rao.
There is a temple built in Manali, Himachal Pradesh for Ghatotkacha near Hidimba Devi Temple.
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