(-vadha Parva continued)
"Having heard these words of his mother, said, 'What thou you, O mother, hast have deliberately done, moved by compassion for the afflicted Brahmana, is, indeed, excellent will certainly come back with life, after having slain the cannibal, inasmuch as thou you art, O mother, always compassionate unto to Brahmanas. But tell the Brahmana, O mother, that he doth does not do anything whereby the dwellers in this town may know all about it, and make him promise to keep thy your request.'
" continued, 'Then, when the night passed away, , the son of , taking with him the Rakshasa's food set out for the place where the cannibal lived. The mighty son of , approaching the forest where the Rakshasa dwelt, began to eat himself the food he carried, calling loudly to the Rakshasa by name. The Rakshasa, inflamed with anger at 's words, came out and approached the place where was.
"Of huge body and great strength, of red eyes, red beard, and red hair, he was terrible to behold, and he came, pressing deep the earth with his tread. The opening of his mouth, was from ear to ear and his ears themselves were straight as arrows. Of grim visage, he had a forehead furrowed into three lines. Beholding eating his food, the Rakshasa advanced, biting his nether lip and expanding his eyes in wrath. And addressing he said, 'Who is this fool, who desiring to go to the abode of , eateth eats in my very sight the food intended for me?' Hearing these words, , O Bharata, smiled in derision and disregarding the Rakshasa, continued eating with averted face. Beholding this, the cannibal uttered a frightful yell and with both arms upraised ran at desiring to kill him, there and then. Even then disregarding the Rakshasa and casting only a single glance at him, , that slayer of hostile heroes continued to eat the Rakshasa's food. Filled with wrath at this, the Rakshasa struck, from behind with both his arms a heavy blow on the back of , the son of . But , though struck heavily by the mighty Rakshasa, with both his hands, did not even look up at the Rakshasa but continued to eat as before. Then the mighty Rakshasa, inflamed with wrath, tore up a tree and ran at for striking him again. Meanwhile the mighty , that bull among men had leisurely eaten up the whole of that food and washing himself stood cheerfully for fight. Then, O Bharata, possessed of great energy, , smiling in derision, caught with his left hand the tree hurled at him by the Rakshasa in wrath. Then that mighty Rakshasa, tearing up many more trees, hurled them at , and the Pandava also hurled as many at the Rakshasa. Then, O king, the combat with trees between that human being and the Rakshasa, became so terrible that the region around soon became destitute of trees. Then the Rakshasa, saying that he was none else than , sprang upon the Pandava and seized the mighty with his arms. That mighty hero also clasping with his own strong arms the strong-armed Rakshasa, and exerting himself actively, began to drag him violently. Dragged by and dragging also, the cannibal was overcome with great fatigue. The earth began to tremble in consequence of the strength they both exerted, and large trees that stood there broke in pieces. Then , beholding the cannibal overcome with fatigue, pressed him down on the earth with his knees and began to strike him with great force. Then placing one knee on the middle of the Rakshasa's back, seized his neck with his right hand and the cloth on his waist with his left, and bent him double with great force. The cannibal then roared frightfully. And, O monarch, he also began to vomit blood while he was being thus broken on 's knee.'"
(-vadha Parva continued)
" said 'Then , huge as a mountain, thus broken (on 's knee), died, uttering frightful yells. Terrified by these sounds, the relatives of that Rakshasa came out, O king, with their attendants. , that foremost of smiters, seeing them so terrified and deprived of reason, comforted them and made them promise (to give up cannibalism), saying, 'Do not ever again kill human beings. If ye you kill men, ye you will have to die even as .' Those Rakshasas hearing this speech of , said, 'So be it,' and gave, O king, the desired promise. From that day, O Bharata, the Rakshasas (of the region) were seen by the inhabitants of that town to be very peaceful towards mankind. Then , dragging the lifeless cannibal, placed him at one of the gates of the town and went away unobserved by any one. The kinsmen of , beholding him slain by the might of , became frightened and fled in different directions.
"Meanwhile , having slain the Rakshasa, returned to the Brahmana's abode and related to all that had happened, in detail. The next morning the inhabitants of the town in coming out saw the Rakshasa lying dead on the ground, his body covered with blood. Beholding that terrible cannibal, huge as a mountain cliff, thus mangled and lying on the ground, the hair of the spectators stood erect. Returning to Ekachakra, they soon gave the intelligence. Then, O king, the citizens by thousands accompanied by their wives, young and old, all began to come to the spot for beholding the and they were all amazed at seeing that superhuman feat. Instantly, O monarch, they began to pray to their gods. Then they began to calculate whose turn it had been the day before to carry food to the Rakshasa. And ascertaining this, they all came to that Brahmana and asked him (to satisfy their curiosity). Thus asked by them repeatedly, that bull among Brahmanas, desirous of concealing the Pandavas, said these words unto to all the citizens, 'A certain high-souled Brahmana, skilled in mantras, beheld me weeping with my relatives after I had been ordered to supply the Rakshasa's food. Asking me the cause and ascertaining the distress of the town, that first of Brahmanas gave me every assurance and with smiles said, 'I shall carry the food for that wretched Rakshasa today. Do not fear for me.' Saying this he conveyed the food towards the forest of . This deed, so beneficial unto to us all, hath has very certainly been done by him.'
Then those Brahmanas and Kshatriyas (of the city), hearing this, wondered much. And the Vaisyas and the Sudras also became exceedingly glad, and they all established a festival in which the worship of Brahmanas was the principal ceremony (in remembrance of this Brahmana who had relieved them from their fears of ).
(Chaitraratha Parva)
After this citizens returned to their respective houses and the Pandavas continued to dwell at Ekachakra as before.
" said, 'O Brahmana, what did those tigers among men, the Pandavas, do after they had slain the Rakshasa ?'
" said, 'The Pandavas, O king, after slaying the Rakshasa , continued to dwell in the abode of that Brahmana, employed in the study of the Vedas. Within a few days there came a Brahmana of rigid vows unto to the abode of their host to take up his quarters there. Their host, that bull among Brahmanas, ever hospitable unto to all guests, worshipping the newly-arrived Brahmana with due ceremonies, gave him quarters in his own abode. Then those bulls among men, the Pandavas, with their mother , solicited the new lodger to narrate to them his interesting experiences. The Brahmana spake spoke to them of various countries and shrines and (holy) rivers, of kings and many wonderful provinces and cities. And after this narration was over, that Brahmana, O , also spoke of the wonderful self-choice of 's daughter, the princes of Panchala, and of the births of and Sikhandi, and of the birth, without the intervention of a woman, of () at the great sacrifice of .
"Then those bulls among men, the Pandavas, hearing of these extraordinary facts regarding that illustrious monarch (), and desiring to know the details thereof of it, asked the Brahmana, after his narration was concluded, to satisfy their curiosity. The Pandavas said, 'How, O Brahmana, did the birth of the son of , take place from the (sacrificial) fire? How also did the extraordinary birth of take place from the centre of the sacrificial platform? How also did 's son learn all weapons from the great bowman ? And, O Brahmana, how and for whom and for what reason was the friendship between and broken off?'
" continued, 'Thus questioned, O monarch, by those bulls among men, the Brahmana narrated all the particulars about the birth of .'"
(Chaitraratha Parva continued)
"The Brahmana said, 'At that region where the entered the plains there lived a great Rishi, devoted to the austerest of penances. Of rigid vows and great wisdom, he bore the name . One day, on coming to the to perform his ablutions, the Rishi saw the Apsara Ghritachi, who had come before, standing on the bank after her ablutions were over. And it so happened that a wind arose and disrobed the Apsara standing there. And the Rishi beholding her thus disrobed, felt the influence of desire. Though practising the vow of continence from his very youth, as soon as he felt the influence of desire, the Rishi's vital fluid came out. And as it came out, he held it in a pot (drana), and of that fluid thus preserved in a pot was born a son who came to be called (the pot-born). And studied all the Vedas and their several branches. And had a friend named who was the king of Panchalas. And about the time that was born, also obtained a son named . And that bull amongst Kshatriyas, 's son, going every day to that asylum of , played and studied with . And after 's death, succeeded him on the throne. about this time heard that (the great Brahmana hero) Rama (on the eve of his retiring into the weeds) was resolved to give away all his wealth. Hearing this, the son of repaired unto to Rama who was about to retire into the woods and addressing him, said, 'O best of Brahmanas, know me to be who hath has come to thee you to obtain thy your wealth.' Rama replied, saying, 'I have given away everything. All that I now have is this body of mine and my weapons. O Brahmana, thou you mayest may ask of me one of these two, either my body or my weapons.' Then said, 'It behoveth behooves thee you, sir, to give me all thy your weapons together with (the mysteries of) their use and withdrawal.'
"The Brahmana continued, 'Then Rama of 's race, saying, 'So be it,' gave all his weapons unto to , who obtaining them regarded himself as crowned with success. obtaining from Rama the most exalted of all weapons, called the weapon, became exceedingly glad and acquired a decided superiority over all men. Then the son of , endued with great prowess went to king , and approaching that monarch, that tiger among men, said, 'Know me for thy your friend.' Hearing this said, 'One of low birth can never be the friend of one whose lineage is pure, nor can one who is not a car-warrior have a car-warrior for his friend. So also one who is not a king cannot have a king as his friend. Why dost do thou you, therefore, desire (to revive our) former friendship?'
"The Brahmana continued, ', gifted with great intelligence, was extremely mortified at this, and settling in his mind some means of humiliating the king of the Panchala he went to the capital of the Kurus, called after the name of an elephant. Then , taking with him his grandsons, presented them unto to the wise son of as his pupils for instruction, along with various kinds of wealth. Then , desirous of humiliating king , called together his disciples and addressed them, 'Ye you sinless ones, it behoveth behooves you, after you have been accomplished in arms, to give me as preceptorial fee something that I cherish in my heart.' Then and others said unto to their preceptor, 'So be it.'--After a time when the Pandavas became skilled in arms and sure aims, demanding of them his fee, he again told them these words, ', the son of , is the king of Chhatravati. Take away from him his kingdom, and give it unto to me.' Then the Pandavas, defeating in battle and taking him prisoner along with his ministers, offered him unto to , who beholding the vanquished monarch, said, 'O king, I again solicit thy your friendship; and because none who is not a king deserveth deserves to be the friend of a king, therefore, O , I am resolved to divide thy your kingdom amongst ourselves. While thou you art the king of the country to the south of Bhagirathi (), I will rule the country to the north.'
"The Brahmana continued, 'The king of the Panchalas, thus addressed by the wise son of , told that best of Brahmanas and foremost of all persons conversant with weapons, these words, 'O high-souled son of , blest be thou you, let it be so, let there be eternal friendship between us as thou you desirest!' Thus addressing each other and establishing a permanent bond between themselves, and the , both of them chastisers of foes, went away to the places they came from. But the thought of that humiliation did not leave the king's mind for a single moment. Sad at heart, the king began to waste away.'"