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STORIES · THE MAHĀBHĀRATA · Rajasthan & central · regional retelling

Barbarika was the yaksha Suryavarcha

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A boastful yaksha's boast set the whole head-donation in motion.

Past life: the yaksha Suryavarcha boasted before the gods that he alone could remove the earth's burden; Brahma cursed him to be born on earth and be killed by Krishna whenever he tried to relieve it. Krishna lifts the curse when the head is given.

Who: Barbarika, Suryavarcha, Brahma, Krishna

Bound to

Barbarika/Khatu Shyam: the grandson who gave his head past-life-explains

Where this comes from

• devotional · hindu-blog.com, Barbarika story no source cited

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