Chapter 76

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Thus addressed by Vasudeva, the ever-wrathful Bhima,incapable of bearing insults, was immediately awakened like a steed ofhigh metal, and replied, without losing a moment, saying, ‘O Achyuta, Iwish to act in a particular way; thou, however, takest me in quite adifferent light. That I take great delight in war and that my prowess isincapable of being baffled, must, O Krishna. be well-known to thee inconsequence of our having lived together for a long time. Or it may be,thou knowest me not, like one swimming in a lake ignorant of its depth.It is for this that thou chidest me in such unbecoming words. Who else, OMadhava, knowing me to be Bhimasena, could address me with suchunbecoming words as thou dost? Therefore, I shall tell thee, O delighterof the Vrishnis, about my own prowess and unrivalled might. Although tospeak of one’s own prowess is always an ignoble act, yet, pierced as I amby thy unfriendly strictures, I will speak of my own might. Behold, OKrishna, these–the firmament and the earth–which are immovable,immense, and infinite, and which are the refuge of, and in which are bornthese countless creatures. If through anger these suddenly collide liketwo hills, just I, with my arms, can keep them asunder with all theirmobile and immobile objects. Behold the joints of these my mace-likearms. I find not the person who can extricate himself having once comewithin their grasp. The Himavat, the ocean, the mighty wielder of thethunderbolt himself, viz., the slayer of Vala,–even these three cannot,with all their power extricate the person attacked by me. I will easilytrample on the ground under my feet all the Kshatriyas, who will come tobattle against the Pandavas. It is not known to thee, O Achyuta, withwhat prowess I vanquished the kings of the earth and brought them undersubjection. If, indeed, thou really knowest not my prowess which is likethe fierce energy of the midday sun thou wilt then know it, O Janardana,in the fierce melee of battle. Thou woundest me with thy cruel words,paining me with the pain of opening a foetid tumour. But know me to bemightier than what I have said of myself of my own accord. On that day,when the fierce and destructive havoc of battle will begin, thou willthen see me felling elephants and car-warriors combatants on steeds andthose on elephants, and slaying in rage the foremost of Kshatriyawarriors. Thou, as well as others, wilt see me doing all this andgrinding down the foremost of combatants. The marrow of my bones hath notyet decayed, nor doth my heart tremble. If the whole world rushethagainst me in wrath, I do not yet feel the influence of fear. It is onlyfor the sake of compassion, O slayer of Madhu, that I am for displayinggoodwill to the foe. I am far quietly bearing all our injuries, lest theBharata race be extirpated.'”