Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (Volume 1).pdf/373

Rh thou mayst stay or go as thou likest, or mayat even send thy cannibal brother. O thou of delicate shape. I care not I"!

Thus ends the hundred and fifty-fourth section in the Hidim va-badha Parva of the Adi Parva.

Vaisampayana said, "Hidim va, the chief of the Rakshasas, seeing that his sister returned not soon enough, alighted from the tree proceeded quickly to the spot where the Pandavas were. Of red eyes and strong arms and the arms and the hair of his head standing erect, of large open mouth and body like unto a mass of dark clouds, teeth long and sharppointed, he was terrible to behold. And Hidin va, beholding her brother of frightful visage alight from the tree, became very much alarmed, and addressing Bhima said, "The wicked cannibal is coming hither in wrath! I entreat thee, da, with thy brothers, as I bid thee ! O thou of great courage, as I am endued with the powers of a Rakshasa, I am capable of going withersoever I like. Mount ye on my hips, I will carry you all through the skies 1 And, O chastiser of foes, awaken these and thy mother sleeping in comfort. Taking them all on my body, I will convey you through the skies.

"Bhima then said,-'thou of fair hips, fear not anything. I am sure that as long as I am here. there is no Rakshasa capable of injuring any of these, O thou of slender waist, I will slay this (cannibal) before thy very eyes! This worst of Rakshasas, o timid one, is no worthy antagonist of mine, nor can all the Rakshasas together bear the strength of my arms. Behold these strong arms of mine, each like unto the trunk of an elephant 1 Behold also these thighs of mine like unto iron maces. and this broad and adamantine chest! O beautiful one, thou shalt to-day behold my prowess like unto that of Indra. O thou of fair hips, hate me not, thinking that I am a man

"Hidimva replied, saying.--'O tiger among men, Othou of the beauty of a celestial, I do not certainly hold thee in contempt 1 But I have seen the prowess that Rakshasa exert upon men."

Vaisampayana continued, -"Then, O Bharata, the wrathful Rakshasa eating human flesh heard these words of Bhima who had been talking in that way. And Hidim va beheld his sister disguiseed in human form, her head decked with garlands of flowers and her face like the full moon