Detya Matsya Baerawa: The Wrath of Baerawa and Bima's Purification Mission

In ancient times, after the end of the great Barathayuda war, the sea, usually blue and calm, turned red with the blood of the fallen warriors. The great war left not only destruction on land but also tainted the sea with the blood that flowed heavily from the battlefield. The once-clear seawater was now filled with blood, creating a horrifying and sorrowful sight. The scent of death could be felt even down to the depths of the ocean.

the ocean is mixed with the blood of fallen warriors (source: personal collection)

The great god Baruna, ruler of the seas, became furious upon seeing his sacred waters tainted. As the deity responsible for the cleanliness and purity of the waters, Dewa Baruna felt that the blood flowing into his sea was a great insult to the nature he governed. With his heart ablaze with anger, Dewa Baruna used his "aji tenung"—a magical ability to see into the past—to uncover the source of all the blood that polluted the ocean.

Dewa Baruna used his aji tenung (source: personal collection)

Through the power of his aji tenung, god Baruna discovered that most of the blood belonged to Dursasana, one of the great commanders of the Korawa, who met a tragic end at the hands of Bima, the mighty Pandawa warrior. In a decisive battle during the Barathayuda war, Bima, with burning fury, struck down Dursasana. His blood flowed heavily, reaching the sea and becoming a symbol of vengeance and the relentless cruelty of war.

God Baruna, overwhelmed by fury at humanity's destruction, decided to take drastic action. He summoned the blood from the sea, particularly that of Dursasana, and fashioned it into a fearsome giant. This powerful being, born of vengeance and rage, was created to carry out Baruna’s wrath against those who had tainted his sacred waters. From the sea of blood emerged Detya Matsya Baerawa, a fearsome giant with the body of both a fish and a human, possessing extraordinary power. Detya Matsya Baerawa was created to symbolize nature’s vengeance and fury against human violence.

Meanwhile, after the Barathayuda war ended, peace began to blossom once more in the world. Yudistira, the wise Pandawa, felt that the world needed to be cleansed of all the negative energy left behind by the war. He sensed that the land, water, and air had been tainted by human anger, blood, and greed. So Yudistira decided to conduct the Yadnya Bumisudha, a grand purification ceremony to restore balance and purity to the world. However, to ensure the success of this sacred ritual, he needed holy water—the sacred cleansing liquid that could only be obtained from God Baruna, the ruler of the oceans.

Yudistira feels that the world needs to be purified of all negative energies (source: personal collection)

Yudistira then sent Bima, known as the strongest and bravest among the Pandawa, to the sea to request the holy water from God Baruna. Accompanied by his loyal attendants, Tualen and Merdah, who were always ready to assist and offer wise counsel in difficult situations, Bima set out with confidence towards the vast and mysterious ocean.

However, upon reaching the edge of the ocean, Bima and his attendants encountered Detya Matsya Baerawa’s army. The giant soldiers were stationed around the sea, under Dewa Baruna’s command, ready to confront anyone attempting to approach the sacred waters. Without hesitation, a fierce battle erupted between Bima and the giant army. With his immense strength, Bima fought valiantly, defeating one giant after another. As his soldiers fell, Detya Matsya Baerawa's rage grew uncontrollable. Created from pure anger and blood, the giant couldn't accept defeat, and his fury set the stage for an intense confrontation with Bima.

Finally, Detya Matsya Baerawa stepped in himself. He advanced with his terrifying giant body, wielding his sacred weapon, Jalajena, a weapon infused with the power of the ocean. With its immense strength, Detya Matsya Baerawa attacked Bima with tremendous force, creating massive waves that crashed onto the shore. After a fierce battle, Bima, usually invincible, was ultimately defeated in the face of the giant's overwhelming power.

Tualen and Merdah, seeing their master defeated, were terrified. They quickly fled to the mainland to report the incident to Yudistira. On their way back, Tualen encountered Kresna, the incarnation of Dewa Wisnu, known for his wisdom and extraordinary power. Tualen immediately told him of Bima’s fate, having fallen at the hands of Detya Matsya Baerawa. Upon hearing this, Kresna took swift action. He rushed to the ocean, determined to save Bima and put an end to Detya Matsya Baerawa’s reign of terror.

Upon reaching the middle of the ocean, Kresna immediately confronted Detya Matsya Baerawa. Realizing the immense strength of the giant, Kresna summoned his divine weapon, the Sudarsana Chakra, a sacred tool with immense power. However, before Kresna could strike, Dewa Baruna emerged from the depths of the ocean. Dewa Baruna explained to Kresna that the sea had been filled with blood due to the Barathayuda war and that the ocean had been desecrated by the bodies cast into it without honor.

After hearing Dewa Baruna's explanation, Kresna began to understand the god's anger. He explained that the purpose of the Barathayuda war was not to create endless vengeance, but to cleanse the world of evil and restore balance. Dewa Baruna, moved by Kresna's words, realized his mistake. He willingly offered the holy water to Kresna, to be used in the Yadnya Bumisudha ceremony.

With the sacred water, Yudistira was finally able to perform the purification ceremony. The ritual successfully restored the balance of nature, cleansing all the stains left by the great war, and brought peace back to the world. The struggles of Bima, the wisdom of Kresna, and the sacrifices of all involved became a symbol that peace and balance can only be achieved through understanding and forgiveness, not through vengeance and violence.