01.140
Core:Bhima comes to Hidimba's rescue.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
tāṁ viditvā ciragatāṁ hiḍimbo rākṣaseśvaraḥ। avatīrya drumāt tasmād ājagāmātha pāṇḍavān॥1॥
Hiḍimba, the lord of the rākṣasas, having known that she had been gone a long time, descended from that tree and then came to the Pāṇḍavas.
lohita-akṣo mahā-bāhur ūrdhva-keśo mahā-balaḥ। megha-saṅghāta-varṣmā ca tīkṣṇa-daṁṣṭra-ujjvala-ānanaḥ॥2॥
He was red-eyed, strong-armed, with hair standing upward, of immense strength, with a form like a mass of clouds, sharp-toothed, and with a radiant face.
tam āpatantaṁ dṛṣṭvaiva tathā vikṛta-darśanam। hiḍimbo vāca vitrastā bhīmasenam idaṁ vacaḥ॥3॥
Seeing him rushing forth in such dreadful appearance, the frightened Hiḍimbā said these words to Bhīmasena.
āpataty eṣa duṣṭātmā saṅkruddhaḥ puruṣādakaḥ। tvām ahaṁ bhrātṛbhiḥ sārdhaṁ yad bravīmi tathā kuru॥4॥
This evil-minded man-eater is charging in rage; do as I say — you and your brothers.
ahaṁ kāmagamā vīra rakṣo-bala-samanvitā। āruhe māṁ mama śroṇīṁ neṣyāmi tvāṁ vihāyasā॥5॥
I, O hero, who can travel at will and possess rākṣasa strength, will carry you through the sky—climb onto my hip.
prabodhayainān saṁsuptān mātaraṁ ca parantapa। sarvān eva gamiṣyāmi gṛhītvā vo vihāyasā॥6॥
Awaken these sleeping ones and your mother, O scorcher of foes; I will carry you all through the sky.
bhīma uvāca॥
Bhīma said:
mā bhais tvaṁ vipula-śroṇi naiṣa kaścin mayi sthite। aham enaṁ haniṣyāmi prekṣantyās te sumadhyame॥7॥
Do not fear, O broad-hipped one; while I am here, none can harm you. I will kill him as you watch, O slender-waisted one.
nāyaṁ pratibalo bhīru rākṣasāpasado mama। soḍhuṁ yudhi parispandam athavā sarva-rākṣasāḥ॥8॥
This lowborn rākṣasa is no match for me in battle, O timid one; nor are all the rākṣasas able to endure my strike.
paśya bāhū suvṛttau me hasti-hasta-nibhāvimau। ūrū parigha-saṅkāśau saṁhataṁ cāpy uro mama॥9॥
Behold my well-formed arms, like elephant trunks, and my thighs like iron clubs, and also my firm chest.
vikramaṁ me yathendrasya sādya drakṣyasi śobhane। māvamansṭhāḥ pṛthu-śroṇi matvā mām iha mānuṣam॥10॥
O beautiful one, you will see today my prowess like that of Indra. Do not look down on me, O broad-hipped one, thinking me to be a mere man.
hiḍimbovāca॥
Hiḍimba said:
nāvamanye naravyāghra tvām ahaṁ devarūpiṇam। dṛṣṭāpadānas tu mayā mānuṣeṣv eva rākṣasaḥ॥11॥
I do not despise you, O tiger among men, who has a divine form. I saw the footprints; this rākṣasa was indeed among humans.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
tathā sañjalpatas tasya bhīmasenasya bhārata। vācaḥ śuśrāva tāḥ kruddho rākṣasaḥ puruṣādakaḥ॥12॥
O Bhārata, while Bhīmasena was speaking thus, the man-eating rākṣasa heard those words and became enraged.
avekṣamāṇas tasyāś ca hiḍimbo mānuṣaṁ vapuḥ। sragdāmapūritaśikhaṁ samagrendunibhānanam॥13॥
Hiḍimba beheld her human form, with hair adorned with garlands and a face resembling the full moon.
subhrūnāsākṣikeśāntaṁ sukumāranakhatvacam। sarvābharaṇasaṁyuktaṁ susūkṣmāmbaravāsasam॥14॥
With beautiful eyebrows, nose, eyes, and hair-tips; soft nails and skin; adorned with all ornaments, clothed in fine delicate garments.
tāṁ tathā mānuṣaṁ rūpaṁ bibhratīṁ sumanoharam। puṁskāmāṁ śaṅkamānaś ca cukrodha puruṣādakaḥ॥15॥
Seeing her in that very charming human form, suspecting her of desiring a man, the man-eater became enraged.
saṅkruddho rākṣasas tasyā bhagin yāḥ kurusattama। utphālya vipule netre tatas tām idam abravīt॥16॥
O best of the Kurus, the rākṣasa, enraged, rolling his large eyes, then said this to his sister.
ko hi me bhoktukāmasya vighnaṁ carati durmatiḥ। na bibheṣi hiḍimbe kiṁ matkopād vipramohitā॥17॥
Who is this evil-minded one who creates an obstacle for me desiring to eat? Do you not fear, O Hiḍimbā? Are you deluded by my wrath?
dhik tvām asati puṁskāme mama vipriyakāriṇi। pūrveṣāṁ rākṣasendrāṇāṁ sarveṣām ayasaṁskari॥18॥
Fie on you, O wicked one desiring a man, doer of harm to me, bringer of disgrace to all the former lords of rākṣasas.
yānimān āśritā kārṣīr apriyaṁ sumahan mama। eṣa tān adya vai sarvān haniṣyāmi tvayā saha॥19॥
Whatever these acts you have resorted to and greatly harmed me, I shall today slay them all along with you.
evam uktvā hiḍimbāṁ sa hiḍimbo lohitekṣaṇaḥ। vadhāyābhipapātaināṁ dantair dantān upaspṛśan॥20॥
Having said thus to Hiḍimbā, the red-eyed Hiḍimba rushed toward her to kill, grinding his teeth against each other.
tam āpatantaṁ samprekṣya bhīmaḥ praharatāṁ varaḥ। bhartsayām āsa tejasvī tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti cābravīt॥21॥
Seeing him rush forward, Bhīma, the best among warriors, rebuked him fiercely and said, “Stand still! Stand still!”
