Ahilawati

Ahilāvati was a female character in the famous epic Mahābhārata. She was a Nāga Kanyā meaning a snake-girl and was married to Ghatotkacha. She was the daughter of Bashak snake (the snake staying around the neck of Lord Shiva). She had been cursed by Goddess Parvati for offering stale flowers to Lord Shiva. The curse was that she would get a mortified man as her husband. It is said that Bhima was poisoned by Shakuni and Duryodhana and thrown in a river,after which he wafted and reached Ahilyavati's kingdom. Owing to the curse, Ahilyavati soon recognised him as Vaayu's son and asked her father to provide jeevan-daan (life) to him, failing which she would burn herself alive in Bhima's pyre. After Bashakji gave the elixir given as boon to him by Shivji, he 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, who is also known as 'Sheesh ka daani' or 'Haare ka sahara'.

Mahabharata
Books (parvas)	Adi Sabha Vana Virata Udyoga Bhishma Drona Karna Shalya Sauptika Stri Shanti Anushasana Ashvamedhika Ashramavasika Mausala Mahaprasthanika Svargarohana Harivamsa
Kuru Kingdom	Shantanu Ganga Bhishma Satyavati Chitrāngada Vichitravirya Ambika Ambalika Vidura Dhritarashtra Gandhari Pandu Kunti Madri Pandavas Yudhisthira Bhima Arjuna Nakula Sahadeva Draupadi Kauravas Duryodhana Dushasana Vikarna Yuyutsu Dushala Hidimbi Ghatotkacha Ahilawati Subhadra Uttarā Ulupi Chitrāngadā Abhimanyu Iravan Babruvahana Barbarika Upapandavas Parikshit Janamejaya
Other characters	Amba Ashwatthama Balarama Bhagadatta Brihannala Chitrasena Dhrishtadyumna Drona Drupada Durvasa Ekalavya Hidimba Jarasandha Jayadratha Karna Kichaka Kindama Kripa Krishna Kritavarma Mayasura Sanjaya Satyaki Shakuni Shalya Shikhandi Shishupala Bahlika Sudeshna Uttara Kumara Virata Vrishasena Vyasa
Related articles	Avatars Hastinapur Indraprastha Kingdoms Kurukshetra War Bhagavad Gita Vedic-Puranic chronology
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