(-vadha Parva continued)
" said, ', 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 to a mass of dark clouds, teeth long and sharp-pointed, he was terrible to behold. And , beholding her brother of frightful visage alight from the tree, became very much alarmed, and addressing said, 'The wicked cannibal is coming hither here in wrath. I entreat thee you, do with thy your brothers, as I bid thee you. O thou you of great courage, as I am endued with the powers of a Rakshasa, I am capable of going whithersoever I like. Mount ye you on my hips, I will carry you all through the skies. And, O chastiser of foes, awaken these and thy your mother sleeping in comfort. Taking them all on my body, I will convey you through the skies.'
" then said, 'O thou you 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 you of slender waist. I will slay this (cannibal) before thy your 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 to the trunk of an elephant. Behold also these thighs of mine like unto to iron maces, and this broad and adamantine chest. O beautiful one, thou you shall today behold my prowess like unto to that of . O thou you of fair hips, hate me not, thinking that I am a man.'
" replied saying, 'O tiger among men, O thou you of the beauty of a celestial, I do not certainly hold thee you in contempt. But I have seen the prowess that Rakshasas exert upon men.'
" continued, 'Then, O Bharata, the wrathful Rakshasa eating human flesh heard these words of who had been talking in that way. And beheld his sister disguised in human form, her head decked with garlands of flowers and her face like the full moon and her eyebrows and nose and eyes and ringlets all of the handsomest description, and her nails and complexion of the most delicate hue, and herself wearing every kind of ornament and attired in fine transparent robes. The cannibal, beholding her in that charming human form, suspected that she was desirous of carnal intercourse and became indignant. And, O best of the Kurus, becoming angry with his sister, the Rakshasa dilated his eyes and addressing her said, 'What senseless creature wishes to throw obstacles in my path now that I am so hungry? Hast have thou you become so senseless, O , that thou you fearest fear not my wrath? Fie on thee you, thou you unchaste woman! Thou you art even now desirous of carnal intercourse and solicitous of doing me an injury. Thou you art ready to sacrifice the good name and honour of all the Rakshasas, thy your ancestors! Those with whose aid thou you wouldst would do me this great injury, I will, even now, slay along with thee you.' Addressing his sister thus, , with eyes red with anger and teeth pressing against teeth, ran at her to kill her then and there. But beholding him rush at his sister, , that foremost of smiter, endued with great energy, rebuked him and said, Stop--Stop!"
" continued, 'And , beholding the Rakshasa angry with his sister, smiled (in derision), and said, addressing him, 'O , what need is there for thee you to awaken these persons sleeping so comfortably? O wicked cannibal, approach me first without loss of time. Smite me first,--it behoveth behooves thee you not to kill a woman, especially when she hath has been sinned against instead of sinning. This girl is scarcely responsible for her act in desiring intercourse with me. She hath has, in this, been moved by the deity of desire that pervadeth pervades every living form. Thou you wicked wretch and the most infamous of Rakshasas, thy your sister came here at thy your command. Beholding my person, she desireth desires me. In that the timid girl doth does no injury to thee you. It is the deity of desire that hath has offended. It behoveth behooves thee you not to injure her for this offence. O wicked wretch, thou you shalt shall not slay a woman when I am here. Come with me, O cannibal, and fight with myself singly. Singly shall I send thee you today to the abode of (Pluto). O Rakshasa, let thy your head today, pressed by my might, be pounded to pieces, as though pressed by the tread of a mighty elephant. When thou you art slain by me on the field of battle, let herons and hawks and jackals tear in glee thy your limbs today on the ground. In a moment I shall today make this forest destitute of Rakshasas,--this forest that had so long been ruled by thee you, devourer of human beings! Thy your sister, O Rakshasa, shall today behold thyself, huge though thou you art like a mountain, like a huge elephant repeatedly dragged by a lion, O worst of Rakshasas, thyself slain by me, men ranging these woods will henceforth from now on do so safely and without fear.'
"Hearing these words, said, 'What need is there, O man, for this thy your vaunt and this thy your boast? Accomplish all this first, and then mayst may thou you vaunt indeed. Therefore, delay thou you not. Thou you knowest know thyself to be strong and endued with prowess, so thou you shalt shall rightly estimate thy your strength today in thy your encounter with me. Until that, I will not slay these (thy your brothers). Let them sleep comfortably. But I will, as thou you art a fool and the utterer of evil speeches, slay thee you first. After drinking thy your blood, I will slay these also, and then last of all, this (sister of mine) that hath has done me an injury.'
" continued, 'Saying this, the cannibal, extending his arms ran in wrath towards , that chastiser of foes. Then of terrible prowess quickly seized, as though in sport, with great force, the extended arms of the Rakshasa who had rushed at him. Then seizing the struggling Rakshasa with violence, dragged him from that spot full thirty-two cubits like a lion dragging a little animal. Then the Rakshasa, thus made to feel the weight of 's strength, became very angry and clasping the Pandava, sent forth a terrible yell. The mighty then dragged with force the Rakshasa to a greater distance, lest his yells should awaken his brothers sleeping in comfort. Clasping and dragging each other with great force, both and put forth their prowess. Fighting like two full-grown elephants mad with rage, they then began to break down the trees and tear the creepers that grew around. And at those sounds, those tigers among men (the sleeping Pandavas) woke up with their mother, and saw sitting before them.'"
(-vadha Parva continued)
" said, 'Roused from sleep, those tigers among men, with their mother, beholding the extraordinary beauty of , were filled with wonder. And , gazing at her with wonder at her beauty, addressed her sweetly and gave her every assurance. She asked, 'O thou you of the splendour of a daughter of the celestials, whose art thou you and who art thou you? O thou you of the fairest complexion, on what business hast have thou you come hither here and whence from where hast have thou you come? If thou you art the deity of these woods or an Apsara, tell me all regarding thyself and also why thou you stayest stay here?' Thereupon then replied, 'This extensive forest that thou you seest see, of the hue of blue cloud, is the abode of a Rakshasa of the name of . O handsome lady, know me as the sister of that chief of the Rakshasa. Revered dame, I had been sent by that brother of mine to kill thee you with all thy your children. But on arriving here at the command of that cruel brother of mine, I beheld thy your mighty son. Then, O blessed lady, I was brought under the control of thy your son by the deity of love who pervadeth pervades the nature of every being, and I then (mentally) chose that mighty son of thine yours as my husband. I tried my best to convey you hence, but I could not (because of thy your son's opposition). Then the cannibal, seeing my delay, came hither here to kill all these thy your children. But he hath has been dragged hence with force by that mighty and intelligent son of thine yours--my husband. Behold now that couple--man and Rakshasa--both endued with great strength and prowess, engaged in combat, grinding each other and filling the whole region with their shouts.'
" continued, 'Hearing those words of hers, suddenly rose up and also and and of great energy and they beheld and the Rakshasa already engaged in fight, eager to overcome each other and dragging each other with great force, like two lions endued with great might. The dust raised by their feet in consequence of that encounter looked like the smoke of a forest-conflagration. Covered with that dust their huge bodies resembled two tall cliffs enveloped in mist. Then , beholding rather oppressed in the fight by the Rakshasa, slowly, said with smiles on his lips, 'Fear not, O of mighty arms! We (had been asleep and therefore) knew not that thou you wast was engaged with a terrible Rakshasa and tired in fight. Here do I stand to help thee you, let me slay the Rakshasa, and let and protect our mother.' Hearing him, said, 'Look on this encounter, O brother, like a stranger. Fear not for the result. Having come within the reach of my arms, he shall not escape with life.' Then said, 'What need, O , for keeping the Rakshasa alive so long? O oppressor of enemies, we are to go hence, and cannot stay here longer. The east is reddening, the morning twilight is about to set in. The Rakshasa became stronger by break of day, therefore, hasten, O ! Play not (with thy your victim), but slay the terrible Rakshasa soon. During the two twilights Rakshasas always put forth their powers of deception. Use all the strength of thy your arms.
" continued, 'At this speech of , blazing up with anger, summoned the might that (his father) puts forth at the time of the universal dissolution. And filled with rage, he quickly raised high in the air the Rakshasa's body, blue as the clouds of heaven, and whirled it a hundred times. Then addressing the cannibal, said, 'O Rakshasa, thy your intelligence was given thee you in vain, and in vain hast have thou you grown and thriven on unsanctified flesh. Thou you deservest deserve, therefore, an unholy death and I shall reduce thee you today to nothing. I shall make this forest blessed today, like one without prickly plants. And, O Rakshasa, thou you shalt shall no longer slay human beings for thy your food.' at this juncture, said, 'O , if thou you thinkest think it a hard task for thee you to overcome this Rakshasa in combat, let me render thee you help, else, slay him thyself without loss of time. Or, O , let me alone slay the Rakshasa. Thou you art tired, and hast have almost finished the affair. Well dost do thou you deserve rest.'
" continued, 'Hearing these words of , was fired with rage and dashing the Rakshasa on the ground with all his might slew him as if he were an animal. The Rakshasa, while dying, sent forth a terrible yell that filled the whole forest, and was deep as the sound of a wet drum. Then the mighty , holding the body with his hands, bent it double, and breaking it in the middle, greatly gratified his brothers. Beholding slain, they became exceedingly glad and lost no time in offering their congratulations to , that chastiser of all foes. Then worshipping the illustrious of terrible prowess, addressed him again and said, 'Revered senior, I think there is a town not far off from this forest. Blest be thou you, let us go hence soon, so that may not trace us.'
"Then all those mighty car-warriors, those tigers among men, saying, 'So be it,' proceeded along with their mother, followed by , the Rakshasa woman.'"