01.139
Core:Bhima rejects Hidambi's offer.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
tatra teṣu śayāneṣu hiḍimbo nāma rākṣasaḥ। avidūre vanāt tasmāc chālavṛkṣam upāśritaḥ ॥1॥
There, while they were lying down, a demon named Hiḍimba, stationed near a śāla tree not far from that forest, was present.
krūro mānuṣamānsādo mahāvīryo mahābalaḥ। virūparūpaḥ piṅgākṣaḥ karālo ghoradarśanaḥ। piśitepsuḥ kṣudhārtaḥ tān apaśyat yadṛcchayā ॥2॥
He, cruel and eater of human flesh, of great strength and might, deformed in form, tawny-eyed, fierce-jawed, terrifying in sight, desiring flesh and tormented by hunger, saw them by chance.
ūrdhvāṅguliḥ sa kaṇḍūyan dhunvan rūkṣāñ śiroruhān। jṛmbhamāṇo mahāvaktraḥ punaḥ punar avekṣya ca ॥3॥
With raised fingers, scratching and shaking his rough head hairs, yawning with a wide mouth, he kept gazing again and again.
duṣṭo mānuṣamānsādo mahākāyo mahābalaḥ। āghrāya mānuṣaṁ gandhaṁ bhaginīm idam abravīt ॥4॥
The wicked, huge-bodied, and mighty eater of human flesh, having smelled human scent, said this to his sister.
upapannaś cirasyādya bhakṣo mama manaḥpriyaḥ। snehasravān prasravati jihvā paryeti me mukham ॥5॥
Today, after a long time, my most desired prey has come — my tongue salivates and moves around my mouth.
aṣṭau daṁṣṭrāḥ sutīkṣṇāgrāś cirasyāpātaduḥsahāḥ। deheṣu majjayiṣyāmi snigdheṣu piśiteṣu ca ॥6॥
After a long time, with my eight sharp-tipped fangs, I shall plunge into soft flesh and bodies — unbearable in attack.
ākramya mānuṣaṁ kaṇṭham ācchidya dhamanīm api। uṣṇaṁ navaṁ prapāsyāmi phenilaṁ rudhiraṁ bahu ॥7॥
Seizing a human throat and cutting the artery, I shall drink warm, fresh, foamy blood — in abundance.
gaccha jānīhi ke tv ete śerate vanam āśritāḥ। mānuṣo balavān gandho ghrāṇaṁ tarpayatīva me ॥8॥
Go and find out who these are lying in the forest — the strong human scent pleases my nose.
hatvaitān mānuṣān sarvān ānayasva mamāntikam। asmadviṣayasuptebhyo naitebhyo bhayam asti te ॥9॥
Kill all these humans and bring them near to me — while they sleep in our territory, you have no reason to fear them.
eṣāṁ māṁsāni saṁskṛtya mānuṣāṇāṁ yatheṣṭataḥ। bhakṣayiṣyāva sahitau kuru tūrṇaṁ vaco mama ॥10॥
Prepare the meat of these humans as desired — we two shall eat it together. Quickly obey my words.
bhrātur vacanam ājñāya tvaramāṇeva rākṣasī। jagāma tatra yatra sma pāṇḍavā bharatarṣabha ॥11॥
Having obeyed her brother's words, the demoness hastened as if eagerly and went to where the Pāṇḍavas were, O bull of the Bharatas.
dadarśa tatra gatvā sā pāṇḍavān pṛthayā saha। śayānān bhīmasenaṁ ca jāgrataṁ tv aparājitam ॥12॥
Having gone there, she saw the Pāṇḍavas lying with Kuntī and Bhīmasena awake and unconquered.
dṛṣṭvaiva bhīmasenaṁ sā śālaskandham ivodgatam। rākṣasī kāmayām āsa rūpeṇa apratimaṁ bhuvi ॥13॥
Upon seeing Bhīmasena, risen like a śāla tree trunk, the demoness desired him, whose form was incomparable on earth.
ayaṁ śyāmo mahābāhuḥ siṁhaskandho mahādyutiḥ। kambugrīvaḥ puṣkarākṣo bhartā yukto bhaven mama ॥14॥
This dark, broad-armed, lion-shouldered, radiant one with a conch-like neck and lotus eyes — he should be my husband.
nāhaṁ bhrātṛvaco jātu kuryāṁ krūropasaṁhitam। patisneho'tibalavān na tathā bhrātṛsauhṛdam ॥15॥
I would never follow my brother’s cruel words; the love for a husband is stronger than affection for a brother.
muhūrtam iva tṛptiś ca bhaved bhrātur mamaiva ca। hatair etair ahatvā tu modiṣye śāśvatiḥ samāḥ ॥16॥
Only momentary satisfaction would be had by my brother from slaying these, but without killing them I shall enjoy for eternal years.
sā kāmarūpiṇī rūpaṁ kṛtvā mānuṣam uttamam। upatasthe mahābāhuṁ bhīmasenaṁ śanaiḥ śanaiḥ ॥17॥
That shape-shifting demoness, having assumed the most excellent human form, slowly approached the broad-armed Bhīmasena.
vilajjāmāneva latā divyābharaṇabhūṣitā। smitapūrvam idaṁ vākyaṁ bhīmasenam athābravīt ॥18॥
Appearing shy like a vine and adorned with divine ornaments, she smiled and then spoke this speech to Bhīmasena.
kutastvam asi samprāptaḥ kaś cāsi puruṣarṣabha। ka ime śerate ceha puruṣā devarūpiṇaḥ ॥19॥
From where have you come, O bull among men? Who are you? And who are these divine-formed men lying here?
keyaṁ ca bṛhatī śyāmā sukumārī tavānagha। śete vanam idaṁ prāpya viśvastā svagṛhe yathā ॥20॥
And who is this tall, dark, and delicate lady of yours, O sinless one, lying here in the forest as if in her own home, full of trust?
nedaṁ jānāti gahanaṁ vanaṁ rākṣasasevitam। vasati hy atra pāpātmā hiḍimbo nāma rākṣasaḥ ॥21॥
This dense forest is unknown to you, it is inhabited by Rākṣasas. Here dwells the evil-souled demon named Hiḍimba.
tenāhaṁ preṣitā bhrātrā duṣṭabhāvena rakṣasā। bibhakṣayiṣatā māṁsaṁ yuṣmākam amaropama ॥22॥
I was sent by my demon brother with wicked intent, desiring to devour your flesh, which is like that of immortals.
sāhaṁ tvām abhisaṁprekṣya devagarbhasamaprabham। nānyaṁ bhartāram icchāmi satyam etad bravīmi te ॥23॥
Having gazed upon you, radiant like a divine son, I desire no other husband. This I truly tell you.
etad vijñāya dharmajña yuktaṁ mayi samācara। kāmopahata-cittāṅgīṁ bhajamānāṁ bhajasva mām ॥24॥
Knowing this, O knower of dharma, act rightly toward me, who am overcome by desire and devotedly seeking you — accept me.
trāsye'haṁ tvāṁ mahābāho rākṣasāt puruṣādakāt। vatsyāvo giridurgeṣu bhartā bhava mamānagha ॥25॥
I shall protect you, O mighty-armed, from the man-eating demon. Let us dwell in mountain caves. Be my husband, O sinless one.
antarikṣacarā hy asmi kāmato vicarāmi ca। atulām āpnuhi prītiṁ tatra tatra mayā saha ॥26॥
I am one who roams the skies at will. Obtain incomparable joy with me, here and there.
bhīma uvāca॥
Bhīma said:
mātaraṁ bhrātaraṁ jyeṣṭhaṁ kaniṣṭhān aparān imān। parityajeta ko nv adya prabhavann iva rākṣasi ॥27॥
Who indeed today, even if powerful, O demoness, would abandon his mother, elder brother, and these younger ones?
ko hi suptān imān bhrātṛn dattvā rākṣasabhojanam। mātaraṁ ca naro gacchet kāmārta iva madvidhaḥ ॥28॥
What man like me, overcome by lust, would give his sleeping brothers and mother as food for a demon and depart?
rākṣasy uvāca॥
The demoness said:
yat te priyaṁ tat kariṣye sarvān etān prabodhaya। mokṣayiṣyāmi vaḥ kāmaṁ rākṣasāt puruṣādakāt ॥29॥
Whatever is dear to you, that I shall do. Awaken all these, I shall rescue you all fully from the man-eating demon.
bhīma uvāca॥
Bhīma said:
sukhasuptān vane bhrātṛn mātaraṁ caiva rākṣasi। na bhayād bodhayiṣyāmi bhrātuḥ tava durātmanaḥ ॥30॥
O demoness, I shall not awaken my peacefully sleeping brothers and mother in the forest out of fear of your evil-souled brother.
na hi me rākṣasā bhīru soḍhuṁ śaktāḥ parākramam। na manuṣyā na gandharvā na yakṣāś cārulocane ॥31॥
No demons, O timid one, nor humans, Gandharvas, or Yakṣas are able to withstand my valor, O beautiful-eyed one.
gaccha vā tiṣṭha vā bhadre yad vāpi icchasi tat kuru। taṁ vā preṣaya tanvaṅgi bhrātaraṁ puruṣādakam ॥32॥
Go or stay, O gentle one, do as you desire. Or send your man-eating brother, O slender-limbed one.
