The Rakshasa son of Bhima and Hidimbi, who fought for the Pandavas and was killed by Karna.
Accounts of this vary across texts and traditions. This entry primarily follows Mahabharata, with other tellings (Puranic traditions (Harivamsha, Bhagavata Purana), Regional retellings) noted where relevant.
Ghatotkacha is the son of Bhima and the Rakshasi Hidimbi. He fought on the Pandava side in the war.
On the fourteenth night of the war, Ghatotkacha caused great damage to the Kaurava army. Duryodhana pressed Karna to use the divine spear (Shakti) that he had been saving to kill Arjuna. Karna used it on Ghatotkacha, and killed him. Krishna is described as pleased, since it saved Arjuna.
This entry is independently written for myVamsam using the sources listed above. Where traditions differ, this entry identifies the relevant tradition rather than presenting one account as universally established fact.