Chapter 165

“Having heard these words of his mother, Yudhishthira said, ‘What thou, Omother, hast deliberately done, moved by compassion for the afflictedBrahmana, is, indeed, excellent Bhima will certainly come back with life,after having slain the cannibal, inasmuch as thou art, O mother, alwayscompassionate unto Brahmanas.
But tell the Brahmana, O mother, that hedoth not do anything whereby the dwellers in this town may know all aboutit, and make him promise to keep thy request.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘Then, when the night passed away, Bhimasena,the son of Pandu, taking with him the Rakshasa’s food set out for theplace where the cannibal lived. The mighty son of Pandu, approaching theforest where the Rakshasa dwelt, began to eat himself the food hecarried, calling loudly to the Rakshasa by name. The Rakshasa, inflamedwith anger at Bhima’s words, came out and approached the place whereBhima was.

“Of huge body and great strength, of red eyes, red beard, and red hair,he was terrible to behold, and he came, pressing deep the earth with histread. The opening of his mouth, was from ear to ear and his earsthemselves were straight as arrows. Of grim visage, he had a foreheadfurrowed into three lines. Beholding Bhima eating his food, the Rakshasaadvanced, biting his nether lip and expanding his eyes in wrath. Andaddressing Bhima he said, ‘Who is this fool, who desiring to go to theabode of Yama, eateth in my very sight the food intended for me?’ Hearingthese words, Bhima, O Bharata, smiled in derision and disregarding theRakshasa, continued eating with averted face. Beholding this, thecannibal uttered a frightful yell and with both arms upraised ran atBhima desiring to kill him, there and then. Even then disregarding theRakshasa and casting only a single glance at him, Vrikodara, that slayerof hostile heroes continued to eat the Rakshasa’s food. Filled with wrathat this, the Rakshasa struck, from behind with both his arms a heavy blowon the back of Vrikodara, the son of Kunti. But Bhima, though struckheavily by the mighty Rakshasa, with both his hands, did not even look upat the Rakshasa but continued to eat as before. Then the mighty Rakshasa,inflamed with wrath, tore up a tree and ran at Bhima for striking himagain. Meanwhile the mighty Bhima, that bull among men had leisurelyeaten up the whole of that food and washing himself stood cheerfully forfight. Then, O Bharata, possessed of great energy, Bhima, smiling inderision, caught with his left hand the tree hurled at him by theRakshasa in wrath. Then that mighty Rakshasa, tearing up many more trees,hurled them at Bhima, and the Pandava also hurled as many at theRakshasa. Then, O king, the combat with trees between that human beingand the Rakshasa, became so terrible that the region around soon becamedestitute of trees. Then the Rakshasa, saying that he was none else thanVaka, sprang upon the Pandava and seized the mighty Bhima with his arms.That mighty hero also clasping with his own strong arms the strong-armedRakshasa, and exerting himself actively, began to drag him violently.Dragged by Bhima and dragging Bhima also, the cannibal was overcome withgreat fatigue. The earth began to tremble in consequence of the strengththey both exerted, and large trees that stood there broke in pieces. ThenBhima, beholding the cannibal overcome with fatigue, pressed him down onthe earth with his knees and began to strike him with great force. Thenplacing one knee on the middle of the Rakshasa’s back, Bhima seized hisneck with his right hand and the cloth on his waist with his left, andbent him double with great force. The cannibal then roared frightfully.And, O monarch, he also began to vomit blood while he was being thusbroken on Bhima’s knee.'”