HIDIMBA-VADHA PARVA: Chapter 152

Colloquy of Hidimba and Bhima

वैशम्पायन उवाच तत्र तेषु शयानेषु हिडिम्बो नाम राक्षसः। अविदूरे वनात् तस्माच्छालवृक्षं समाश्रितः॥श।
Vaishampayana said : Nor far from the place where they (the Pandavas) slept there was a Rakshasas, named Hidimba, living on a Sala tree.

क्रूरो मानुषमांसादो महावीर्यपराक्रमः। प्रावृड्जलधरश्यामः पिङ्गाक्षो दारुणाकृतिः॥ दंष्ट्राकरालवदनः पिशितेप्सुः क्षुधादितः। लम्बस्फिग्लम्बजद्दरो रक्तश्मश्रुशिरोरुहः॥ महावृक्षगलस्कन्धः शरूको बिभीषणः। यदृच्छया तानपश्यत् पाण्डुपुत्रान् महारथान्॥
(He was) greatly energetic and powerful, black as the clouds of the rainy season, hungry and eager for human flesh of cruel and terrible visage, of long shanks and large belly, locks and beard, red in colour of shoulder broad as the neck of the large tree of ears like arrow and of features frightful and hideous. When casting his glance at pleasure all around (the place), he saw the great car warriors, the sons of Pandu.

विरूपरूपः पिङ्गाक्षः करालो घोरदर्शनः। पिशितेप्सुः क्षुधार्तश्च तानपश्यद् यदृच्छया॥
Ugly featured, red eyed, fearful and terrible looking, hungry and thirsty he looked around at pleasure and he saw them in that state.

ऊर्ध्वाङ्गुलिः स कण्डूयन् धुन्वन् रूक्षान् शिरोरुहान् जृम्भमाणो महावक्त्रः पुनः पुनरवेक्ष्य च॥ हष्टो मानुषमांसस्य महाकायो महाबलः। आघ्राय मानुषं गन्धं भगिनीमिदमब्रवीत्॥ उपपन्नश्चिरस्याद्य भक्षोऽयं मम सुप्रियः। स्नेहस्रवान् प्रस्रवति जिह्वा पर्येति मे सुखम्॥
Yawning wistfully, shaking his dry and grizzly locks pointed upwards and scratching them with his finger the large mouthed cannibal repeatedly looked at the sleeping sons of Pandu. Of huge body and great strength of complexion like a mass of clouds, of teeth long and sharp pointed, of face emitting a sort of lustre, he was ever pleased with the human food. Smelling the scent of man, he spoke thus to his sister, “It is after a long time that my most favourite food has come to me. My tongue is moist with saliva in anticipating the relish of such food.

अष्टौ दंष्ट्राः सुतीक्ष्णाग्राश्चिरस्यापातदुस्सहाः। देहेषु मज्जयिष्यामि स्निग्धेषु पिशितेषु च।॥
My eight teeth are sharp pointed and incapable of being resisted by anything. I shall dip them into the most delicious meat.

आक्रम्य मानुषं कण्द्दमाच्छिद्य धमनीमपि। उष्णं नवं प्रपास्यामि फेनिलं रुधिरं बहु॥
Attacking the human throat and (human) arteries also. I shall drink a plentiful quantity of hot, fresh and frothy blood.

गच्छ जानीहि के त्वेते शेरते वनमाश्रिताः। मानुषो बलवान् गन्धो घ्राणं तर्पयतीव मे॥
Go and ascertain who these (men) are, lying asleep in this forest. The strong scent of man pleases my nostrils.

हत्वैतान् मानुषान् सर्वानानयस्व ममान्तिकम्। अस्मद्विषयसुप्तेभ्यो नैतेभ्यो भयमस्ति ते॥
Killing all these men, bring them to me. They are asleep in my dominion. There is no fear for you.

एषामुत्कृत्य मांसानि मानुषाणां यथेष्टतः। भक्षयिष्याव सहितौ कुरु तूर्णं वचो मम॥
Tearing a plentiful flesh from these men. We shall then both eat (the meat). You immediately obey my command.

भक्षयित्वा च मांसानि मानुषाणां प्रकामतः। नृत्याव सहितावायां दत्ततालावनेकशः॥
Eating to our will the flesh of these men, we shall dance together to various tones.”

एवमुक्ता हिडिम्बा तु हिडिम्बेन तदा वने। भ्रातुर्वचनमाज्ञाय त्वरमाणेव राक्षसी॥ जगाम तत्र यत्र स्म पाण्डवा भरतर्षभ। ददर्श तत्र सा गत्वा पाण्डवान् पृथया सह। शयानान् भीमसेनं च जाग्रतं त्वपराजितम्॥
Having been thus addressed by Hidimba in the forest, Hidimba. The female Rakshasas, went at the command of her brother, O best of the Bharata race, to the place where the Pandavas were. Going there she saw the Pandavas with Pritha asleep and the invincible Bhimasena sitting awake.

दृष्टैव भीमसेनं सा शालपोतमिवोद्गतम्। राक्षसी कामयामास रूपेणाप्रतिमं भुवि॥
Seeing Bhimasena who resembled a Sala tree and who was matchless in beauty, the Rakshasi was filled with desire.

अयं श्यामो महाबाहुः सिंहस्कन्धो महाद्युतिः। कम्बुग्रीवः पुष्कराक्षो भर्ता युक्तो भवेन्मम॥
She thought, “His colour is like the heated gold; he is mighty armed, he is leonine shouldered, he is greatly effulgent, he is conch necked and he is lotus eyed, he is fit to be my husband.

नाहं भ्रातृवचो जातु कुर्यां क्रूरोपसंहितम्। पतिस्नेहोऽतिबलवान् न तथा भ्रातृसौहृदम्॥ मुहूर्तमेव तृप्तिश्च भवेद् भ्रातुर्ममैव च। हतैरेतैरहत्वा तु मोदिष्ये शाश्वतीः समाः॥
I shall not away the cruel commands of my brother. A woman's love for her husband is greater then that of her brother. If I kill him, my brother's and my pleasure will be momentary, but if I do not kill him, I shall for ever enjoy with hi.”

सा कामरूपिणी रूपं कृत्वा मानुषमुत्तमम्। उपतस्थे महाबाहुं भीमसेनं शनैः शनैः॥ लज्जमानेव ललना दिव्याभरणभूषिता। स्मितपूर्वमिदं वाक्यं भीमसेनमथाब्रवीत्॥ कुतस्त्वमसि सम्प्राप्तः कश्चासि पुरुषर्षभ। क इमे शेरते चेह पुरुषा देवरूपिणः॥
She was capable of assuming any from at will. She assumed an excellent human form and came slowly to the mighty armed Bhimasena. Being decked with celestial ornaments, she came to Bhimasena in bashfui demeanour and with smiles on her lips. She said, "O best of men, whence have you come her and who are you? Who are these celestial like men that are asleep here?

केयं वै बृहती श्यामा सुकुमारी तवानघ। शेते वनमिदं प्राप्य विश्वस्ता स्वगृहे यथा॥
O sinless one, who is this delicate lady of transcendent beauty sleeping so trustfully here in this forest, as if she is in her own house?

नेदं जानाति गहनं वनं राक्षससेवितम्। वसति ात्र पापात्मा हिडिम्बो नाम राक्षसः॥
Do you not know that this dense forest is the abode of Rakshasas. Here dwells the wicked-minded Rakshasas named Hidimba.

तेनाहं प्रेषिता भ्रात्रा दुष्टभावेन रक्षसा। बिभक्षयिषता मांसं युष्माकममरोपम॥
O celestial like man, I have been sent here by my brother, that Rakshasas, with the cruel intention of eating your flesh.

साहं त्वामभिसम्प्रेक्ष्य देवगर्भसमप्रभम्। नान्यं भर्तारमिच्छामि सत्यमेतद् ब्रवीमि ते॥
I tell you truly that seeing you as effulgent as a celestial, I do not desire anybody else to be my husband except you.

एतद् विज्ञाय धर्मज्ञ युक्तं मयि समाचर। कामोपहतचित्ताङ्गी भजमानां भजस्व माम्॥
O learned man in all the precepts of virtue, do to me what is proper. My heart and body are both pierced by Kama (god of love). I am desirous of making you mine; make me yours.

त्रास्यामि त्वां महाबाहो राक्षसात् पुरुषादकात्। वत्स्यावो गिरिदुर्गेषु भर्ता भव ममानघ।॥
O mighty armed hero, I shall rescue you from the Rakshasas who eats human flesh. O sinless one, become my husband. we shall live on the breasts of mountains.

अन्तरिक्षचरी ह्यस्मि कामतो विचरामि च। अतुलामाप्नुहि प्रीतिं तत्र तत्र मया सह॥
I can travel in the sky and I do so at pleasure. You may enjoy with incomparable pleasure in those place."

भीमसेन उवाच मातरं भ्रातरं ज्येष्ठं सुखसुप्तान् कथं त्विमान्। परित्यजेत को वद्य प्रभवन्निह राक्षसि॥
me Bhima said: O Rakshasi, like a self controlled Rishi, who can leave his mother, elder and younger brothers, sleeping happily (here)?

को हि सुप्तानिमान् भ्रातॄन् दत्त्वा राक्षसभोजनम्। मातरं च नरो गच्छेत् कामात इव मद्विधः॥
What man like me would leave his sleeping mother and brother and as food for a Rakshasas in order gratify his lust?

राक्षस्युवाच यत् ते प्रियं तत् करिष्ये सर्वानेतान् प्रबोधय। मोक्षयिष्याम्यहं कामं राक्षसात् पुरुषादकात्॥
The Rakshasi said : Awake them all. I shall do what is agreeable to you. I shall rescue you all from my cannibal brother.

भीमसेन उवाच सुखसुप्तान् वने भ्रातृन् मातरं चैव राक्षसि। न भयाद् बोधयिष्यामि भ्रातुस्तव दुरात्मनः॥
Bhima said: O Rakshasi, for the fear of your wicked minded brother, I shall not awaken my mother and brothers, sleeping comfortably in the forest.

न हि मे राक्षसा भीरु सोढुं शक्ताः पराक्रमम्। न मनुष्या न गन्धर्वा न यक्षाश्चारुलोचने॥
O timid girl, the Rakshasas are never able to withstand my prowess. O beautiful eyed one, no man, no Gandharva and no Yaksha (can also withstand it.)

गच्छ वा तिष्ठ वा भद्रे यद् वापीच्छसि तत् कुरु तं वा प्रेषय तन्वङ्गि भ्रातरं पुरुषादकम्॥
O amiable girl, go or stay or do what you like, or O delicate shaped lady, send your cannibal brother (to me.)