Ahilawati Naga Kanyaka - wife of Bhima's Son Ghatotkacha

Ahilavati was a female character in the famous epic Mahabharat. She was also known as Maurvi. She was a Naga Kanyaka, a snake-girl and was married to Ghatotkacha - the son born to Hidimbi and the Pandava Bhima. In the Skanda Purana, Barbarika or Baliyadev was the son of Ghatotkacha and Maurvi (Ahilawati). She was the daughter of Bashak snake, the snake staying around the neck of Lord Shiva. She had been cursed by Goddess Parvati Devi for offering stale flowers to Lord Shiva. The curse was that she would get a mortified man as her husband.

It is said that Pandava Bhima was poisoned by Shakuni and Duryodhana and thrown in a river, after which he wafted and reached Ahilavati’s Kingdom. Owing to the curse, Ahilavati soon recognised him as Vaayu’s son and asked her father to provide life to Bhima, failing which she would burn herself alive in Bhimasena’s pyre. After Bashakji gave the elixir given as boon to him by Shivji, Bhimasena came back to life. As an aftermath and after a series of incidents, Ghatotkacha finally married Ahilawati and they had a son named Barbarika or the present-day Khatushyamji.

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