CERPEN; Java Pewayangan

Banjaran Gathotkaca

By Dhalang Purba Asmara

at General Medical School of Gadjah Mada University

Gathotkaca is prominent figure in the story of Java Pewayangan. He is a son of Bimasena is from Pandawa’sFamillyand Arimbi (Hidimbi) is from Rakshasa. Gathotkaca has great supernatural power as he could fly on the sky without wings and even he is cannot be defeated by any even weapon except by heirloom Kontawijaya. He is also known as “wire muscle iron bone” because his strong body.

Birth of Gathotkaca

A long time ago, Gathotkaca was born by his mother Arimbi. Krisna, Gareng, and the others assembled to watch the birth of Gathotkaca. Unexpectedly, there was a something weird when he was born. As told in pewayangan by Ki Purba Asmara that his cord cannot be cut by any weapon. Bima and Arjuna had tried to cut it but they both failed. So his mother and overall who watched this incident were very sad. Bimasena even attempted to suggest her not to be sad. However, Bima just looked at Arimbi’s sadness.He was not success to suggest her. Consequently, Arjuna as Bima’s brother, attempted to cut it by the cover of arrow Kontawijaya. Also together with all his powerful magic, Arjuna started to cut it. However there was a miracle happened at that event. Gathotkaca’s cord was cut and the cover of Kontawijaya entered into gathotkaca’s body through his navel. But that was not a problem. Gathotkaca’s mother was even very glad. She absolutely could smile again.

In actual fact that was not told by dhalang Purba Asmara about before Arjuna cut Gathotkaca’s cord, he firstly went to somewhere to do meditation for getting the guidance from god. Also at the same time, Karna was doing meditation looking for the heirloom weapon. Because of their faces are resemble, so that Batara Narada as delegate from the heaven, gave heirloom Kontawijaya to wrong person that is Karna. Actually it should be given to Arjuna on command from Bathara Guru. So when Arjuna knew that incident after doing meditation, he attempted to take it back from Karna. Unfortunately, he just could get its cover, whereas Karna escaped and brought the heirloom Kontawijaya..

For a while the misery happened, Bathara Naradha came. He gave Gathotkaca name as Jabang Tetuka. After that he borrowed Gathotkaca to bring over the heaven. However, his mother was curious why did Bathara wanted to bring him over the heaven. So Bathara replied that Gathotkaca would be used for against the sovereign Pracana and governor Sekipu. After talking more, so Arimbi and Bima allowed him to bring Gathotkaca.

Be God’s Knight

Governor Sekipu attacked the heaven. He was refused by Bathara Guru to propose an angle called Dewi Supraba. So Bathara Guru sent Bathara Naradha to borrow Gathotkaca  for fighting Sekipu. When Naradha came with little Gathotkaca, He surrendered Gathotkaca to Sekipu as his enemy. The first, Sekipu underestimated Gathotkaca as little baby fought powerful ogre. However when he tried to eat Gathotkaca, he couldn’t eat him.  He couldn’t hurt Gathotkaca’s skin even a little. Because of his shame, he gave Gathotkaca back. He wanted Gathotkaca grew up immediately. Therefore, Gathotkaca was included into crater Candradimuka. For a while later, he grew up as powerful man that has more great powerful magic then before. It was because Candradimuka influenced his powerful magic more great.

Gathotkaca was ready to battle with Sekipu, so that he met him. However before they went to battle, they talk a little bit. Then Sekipu attacked Gathotkaca suddenly. In luck, Gathotkaca was success to avoid him. After that they duel strongly and powerfully. Sometimes Sekipu felt down and sometimes so did Gathotkaca. In fortune, Gathotkaca defeated him successfully. So Sekipu died and then Pracana appeared with his horrifying face. He wanted to revenge on the die of his governor, Sekipu. After a little talk, He also did something same as Sekipu. He attacked Gathotkaca immediately and touched gathotkaca’s body. Gathotkaca felt down and then he woke up again. After that Gathotkaca revenged it, so they battled as strong knight. The situation was same as while fighting Sekipu. Sometimes Gathotkaca felt down and sometimes so did Pracana. Eventually with his super power, Gathotkaca was success defeated him. Indeed, Pracana felt down and died.

The Marriage of Gathotkaca with Pergiwa

The planning of marriage Gathotkaca and Pergiwa as daughter of Arjuna has spread to anywhere. The preparation at Yodipatias Bimasena’s place was very perfect. At schedule, the celebration would be done at three places such as Madukoro, Yodipati, and Pringgondani. The report has been spread to Hastina, the staying place of Kurawa’s people. There was carried out of noble meeting. There was be present the elders of Kurawa as sovereign Duryodana, governor Sengkuni, and Danyang Drona. They discussed about the way in order to Pandawa could be destroyed. Danyang Drona suggested breaking Pandawa by wedding Lasmana with Pergiwa before Gathotkaca did. Hopefully, Bimasena would be angry and then killed his younger brother, Arjuna. That planning was prepared perfectly.

The applicant group of Hastinapura even set out completely with the troops and every kind of greatness sign and marriage sign. After arrived in Madukoro, Danyang Darona talked and persuaded Arjuna. So by many ways, Arjuna eventually couldn’t refuse. The proposal of Hastinapura was accepted. Then the delegate to Yodipati was sent for giving information that the proposal of Gathotkaca was refused, whereas the group of hastina was allowed to lodge at Madukoro. At Yodipati, Bimasena that before looked fresh, immediately be quiet and slept at the yard of his place. He said; “don’t disturb me”. At the same time, Gathotkaca looked very disappointed. However, he was comforted by the servants and Petruk promised that he would try to relate their love back. So, Gathotkaca went to Madukoro with Petruk. They moved stealthily to get Pargiwa’s place.

Petruk had the duty to keep outside, whereas Gathotkaca got into Pergiwa’s room. Pergiwa welcomed Gathotkaca.

Gathotkaca; “is it right if you accept Lesmana’s proposal?”

Pergiwa; “absolutely Gathotkaca, I was ready to serve Lesmana as my husband.”

Gathotkaca; “okey, if that’s right I would be glad too. As the reward, take my heart”, (Gathotkaca took his weapon).

Then, Gathotkaca was embraced hardly by Pergiwa. She acknowledged that she just examined Gathotkaca’s love and then said that she accepted Lesmana’s proposal because she didn’t want to disappoint his father.

At outside the room, Lesmana came to get Pergiwa. However Petruk blocked him, so the battle was happened. And then Lesmana knew that Gathotkaca was inside, so that he called Kurawa’s people to attack Gathotkaca. However, Gathotkaca defeated them all, including Danyang Drona.

Danyang Drona was very angry so that he reported it to Arjuna. He said that Gathotkaca was doing not proper deed with Pergiwa. Arjuna was so angry herd that, so he faced Gathotkaca soon. He battled Gathotkaca with his great heirloom. Meanwhile, Gathotkaca didn’t fight him back anymore. Arjuna became more vicious than before, he thought that Gathotkaca underestimated him. Petruk was very afraid looked at situation. Moreover Arjuna pulled out his whip Kyai Pamuk that was striked hard on Gathotkaca’s body repeatedly.

Petruk run to Yodipati for waking Bimasena up. However, Bimasena couldn’t wake up though he called it repeatedly. Then Petruk remembered the story about Kumbokarno that could be woken by pulling his foot hair out. So he did it to Bima and he woke up. Immediately, Petruk told about his son that was stroke by Arjuna hardly. However Bima was just relaxed, he didn’t care about that. He said that Arjuna was right as his uncle to teach about the truth for Gathotkaca. Petruk was very confused and said that Gathotkaca would die. However, Bima didn’t care about that and just said that it was no problem. Petruk tried to find another way. He said that Arjuna disfigured his name when he was torturing Gathotkaca. Suddenly, Bimasena run very fast. He was very angry with Arjuna. After he came to Werkudoro, he hit Arjuna hardly repeatedly. So Arjuna ran to the group Ngamarta that just came.

Kresna and Puntadewa came and fortuanately he was success to separate between Bima and Arjuna. Then, Petruk told Bima about why he lied to him. Eventually, Arjuna and Bima made piece. Arjuna realized about his fault. Indeed, Pergiwa accepted Gathotkaca to marry her after that. Meanwhile, the group of Hastina was attacked by Bima and then went home without good outcome.

The Death of Gathotkaca

In pewayangan version wich has been told that Gathotkaca was very close with Arjuna’s son, Abimanyu. Once day, Abimanyu married with Utari as princess from Wirata Kingdom where he acknowledged that he still be unmarried man. But actually the case that he was married with Sitisundari, Kresna’s daughter.

Sitisundari that was entrusted at Gathotkaca’s castle heard that his husband was married again. So, Gathotkaca’s uncle called Kalabendana came to meet Abimanyu for asking him went home. Kalabendana was the youngest brother of Arimbi that had the smooth heart and noble. The case of Abimanyu was made utari jealous. Abimanyu perforce lie with Utari. He swore if he had more wife than Utari, so the enemy would gang up on him.

Then Kalabendana met Gathotkaca and reported the attitude of Ambimanyu. However Gathotkaca reprimanded him instead. Gathotkaca considered him was daring to meddle in his cousin’s family business. Because of his emotion, He stroke Kalabendana’s head. So that Kalabendana died immediately even though Gathotkaca did it unconsciously. When the war of Baratayuda was happened, Ambimanyu was truly died beacause he was ganged up on by the enemy from Korawa. Tomorrow, Arjuna was sauccess to revenge on the die of his son by cutting Jayadrata’s head off. 

Duyudana was very sad on the die of his cousin in law, Jayadrata. He forced Karna to attack for Pandawa’s camping that night. So karna even perforce did it although that broke the war role.

Hearing Korawa wanted to attack at night, so Pandawa even sent Gathotkaca to block them. Gathotkaca was chosen consciously because Kotang Antrakusuma that he had could spray the light brightly.

The battle at that night was very horrifying. Gathotkaca was success killed Korawa’s person called Lembusa. However, he lost his both uncles Brajalamadan and Brajawikalpa that was killed together with their enemies called Lembusura and Lembusana. Gathotkaca finally faced with Karna that had Kontawijaya heirloom. Karna threw Kontawijaya toward Gathotkaca and suddenly Gathotkaca tried to avoid it. However unexpectedly, Kotawijaya touched his navel. So that Kontawijaya united again with its cover and Gathotkaca died.