BAKA-VADHA PARVA: Chapter 163

Fight between Baka and Bhima

युधिष्ठिर उवाच उपपन्नमिदं मातस्त्वया यद् बुद्धिपूर्वकम्। आर्तस्य ब्राह्मणस्यैतदनुक्रोशादिदं कृतम्॥
Yudhisthira said : O mother, what you have deliberately done, moved by the compassion for the affected Brahmana, is indeed excellent.

ध्रुवमेष्यति भीमोऽयं निहत्य पुरुषादकम्। सर्वथा ब्राह्मणस्यार्थे यदनुक्रोशवत्यसि॥
Because you are compassionate for the Brahmana, Bhima will certainly come back after killing the cannibal.

यथा त्विदं न विन्देयुनरा नगरवासिनः। तथायं ब्राह्मणो वाच्यः परिग्राह्यश्च यत्नतः॥
But tell the Brahmana that he must not to any thing by which the people of this town may know all about it. You must carefully make him promise it.

वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो रात्र्यां व्यतीतायामन्नमादाय पाण्डवः। भीमसेनो ययौ तत्र यत्रासौ पुरुषादकः॥ आसाद्य तु वनं तस्य रक्षसः पाण्डवो बली। आजुहाव ततो नाम्ना तदनमुपपादयन्॥
Vaishampayana said : When the night passed away, the Pandava, Bhimasena, taking with him the food (for the Rakshasa) set out for the place where the cannibal dwelt. Reaching the forest in which the Rakshasas lived, the greatly strong Pandava (Bhima) began to eat himself the food and called loudly the Rakshasas by name.

ततः स राक्षसः क्रुद्धो भीमस्य वचनात् तदा। आजगाम सुसंक्रुद्धो यत्र भीमो व्यवस्थितः॥
Thereupon the Rakshasas was inflamed with anger by Bhima's words. He came in wrath to the place where Bhima was.

महाकायो महावेगो दारयन्निव मेदिनीम्। लोहिताक्षः करालश्च लोहितश्मश्रुमूर्धजः॥
Of huge body, of great strength, of fierce appearance, with red eyes, red beard, red hair, he pressed the earth (as he walked).

आकर्णाद् भिन्नवक्त्रश्च शरूको विभीषणः। त्रिशिस्त्रां भ्रुकुटिं कृत्वा संदश्य दशनच्छदम्॥ भुञ्जानमन्नं तं दृष्ट्वा भीमसेनं स राक्षसः। विवृत्य नयने क्रुद्ध इदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
The opening of his mouth was from ear to ear, his ears were like arrows, his visage was grim and his forehead furrowed into three lines. Seeing Bhima engaged in eating his food the Rakshasas, thus spoke in anger and with eyes expanded and lips bitten.

कोऽयमन्नमिदं भुङ्क्ते मदर्थमुपकल्पितम्। पश्यतो मम दुर्बुद्धिर्मियासुर्यमसादनम्॥
The Rakshasas said : Who is the fool that desires to go to the land of the dead by eating in my very sight the food intended for me!

भीमसेनस्ततः श्रुत्वा प्रहसन्निव भारत। राक्षसं तमनादृत्य भुक्त एव पराङ्मुखः॥
O descendant of Bharata, hearing this Bhimasena smiled (in derision) and disregarding the Rakshasas and turning his head continued to eat.

रवं स भैरवं कृत्वा समुद्यम्य करावुभौ। अभ्यद्रवद् भीमसेनं जिघांसुः पुरुषादकः॥
Uttering a fearful yell, the cannibal rushed on Bhima with two arms raised high and with the intention of killing Bhimasena.

तथापि परिभूयैनं प्रेक्षमाणो वृकोदरः। राक्षसं भुक्त एवान्नं पाण्डवः परवीरहा॥ अमर्षेण तु सम्पूर्णः कुन्तीपुत्रं वृकोदरम्। जघान पृष्ठे पाणिभ्यामुभाभ्यां पृष्ठतः स्थितः॥
That slayer of hostile heroes, the son of Pandu (Bhima), even then disregarding him and casting on him only a single glance, continued to eat the food of the Rakshasas. Being filled with great displeasure, he (the Rakshasas) struck a heavy blow with both his hands on the back of the son of Kunti, Vrikodara.

तथा बलवता भीमः पाणिभ्यां भृशमाहतः। नैवावलोकयामास राक्षसं भुङ्क्त एव सः॥
Though Bhima was struck in great force with the arms (of the Rakshasas), yet he did not even look at him, but he continued to eat.

ततः स भूयः संक्रुद्धो वृक्षमादाय राक्षसः। ताडयिष्यंस्तदा भीमं पुनरभ्यद्रवद् बली॥
Thereupon he (the Rakshasas) became very angry, tore up a tree and ran at the strong Bhima to strike him again.

ततो भीमः शनैर्भुक्त्वा तदन्नं पुरुषर्षभः। वायुपस्पृश्य संहृष्टस्तस्थौ युधि महाबलः॥
That best of men, the greatly strong Bhima, leisurely ate up all the food and then washing himself he stood up cheerfully to fight.

क्षिप्तं क्रुद्धेन तं वृक्षं प्रतिजग्राह वीर्यवान्। सव्येन पाणिना भीमः प्रहसन्निव भारत॥
O descendant of Bharata, the greatly powerful Bhima smilingly caught in his left hand the tree hurled in anger (by the Rakshasas.)

ततः स पुनरुद्यम्य वृक्षान् बहुविधान् बली। प्राहिणोद् भीमसेनाय तस्मै भीमश्च पाण्डवः॥
Then that mighty Rakshasas tearing up various trees, hurled them at Bhima and that Pandava also (hurled) many on the Rakshasas.

तद् वृक्षयुद्धमभवन्महीरुहविनाशनम्। घोररूपं महाराज नरराक्षसराजयोः॥
O great king, the fight between the man and the Rakshasas with trees became devoid of all trees.

नाम विश्राव्य तु बकः समभिदुत्य पाण्डवम्। भुजाभ्यां परिजग्राह भीमसेनं महाबलम्॥
Saying that 'He is no other than Baka,' he sprang upon the Pandava and clasped the greatly powerful Bhima by both his arms.

भीमसेनोऽपि तद् रक्षः परिरभ्य महाभुजः। विस्फुरन्तं बलाद्
Bhimasena also clasped the Rakshasas by his strong arms. The mighty hero began to drag him violently.

स कृष्यमाणो भीमेन कर्षमाणश्च पाण्डवम्। समयुज्यत तीव्रण क्लमेन पुरुषादकः॥
Being dragged by Bhima and dragging Bhima also, the cannibal was gradually overcome with great fatigue.

तयोर्वेगेन महता पृथिवी समकम्पत। पादपांश्च महाकायांचूर्णयामासतुस्तदा॥
The earth trembled in consequence of their great strength and large trees that stood there were broken to pieces.

महाबाहुं विचकर्ष बली॥ हीयमानं तु तद् रक्षः समीक्ष्य पुरुषादकम्। निष्पिप्य भूमौ जानुभ्यां समाजघ्ने वृकोदरः॥
Seeing that the cannibal was overcome with fatigue, Vrikodara pressed him down on the earth with his knees and he then began to strike him with great force.

ततोऽस्य जानुना पृष्ठमवपीड्य बलादिव। बाहुना परिजग्राह दक्षिणेन शिरोधराम्॥ सव्येन च कटीदेशे गृह्य वाससि पाण्डवः। तद् रक्षो द्विगुणं चक्रे रुवन्तं भैरवं रवम्॥
Then placing one knee on the middle of his back, Bhima seized his neck with his right hand and his waist cloth with his left; he then broke him into two with great force. He (the cannibal) then uttered a fearful yell.

ततोऽस्य रुधिरं वक्त्रात् प्रादुरासीद् विशाम्पते। भज्यमानस्य भीमेन तस्य घोरस्य रक्षसः॥
O Vishampata, then the Rakshasas, when he was thus fearfully broken by Bhima, vomited blood.