t the
time for the display of our prowess hath drawn nigh.' Having said this,
the king looked around. Then not finding Bhima, that represser of foes,
Dharma's son, Yudhishthira, enquired of Krishna and the twins standing
near regarding his brother, Bhima, the doer of dreadful deeds in battle,
saying, 'O Panchali, is Bhima intent upon performing some great feat, or
hath that one delighting in daring deeds already achieved some brave
deed? Portending some great danger, these omens have appeared all
around, indicating a fearful battle.' When Yudhishthira said this, his
beloved queen, the high-minded Krishna of sweet smiles, answered him, in
order to remove his anxiety. 'O king, that Saugandhika lotus which
to-day had been brought by the wind, I had out of love duly shown unto
Bhimasena; and I had also said unto that hero, If thou canst find many
of this species, procuring even all of them, do thou return speedily,--O
Pandava, that mighty armed one, with the view of gratifying my desire,
may have gone towards the north-east to bring them.' Having heard these
words of hers, the king said unto the twins, 'Let us together follow the
path taken by Vrikodara. Let the Rakshasas carry those Brahmanas that
are fatigued and weak. O Ghatotkacha, O thou like unto a celestial, do
thou carry Krishna. I am convinced and it is plain that Bhima hath dived
into the forest; for it is long since he hath gone, and in speed he
resembleth the wind, and in clearing over the ground, he is swift like
unto Vinata's son, and he will ever leap into the sky, and alight at his
will. O Rakshasas, we shall follow him through your prowess. He will not
at first do any wrong to the Siddhas versed in the Vedas.' O best of the
Bharatas, saying, 'So be it,' Hidimva's son and the other Rakshasas who
knew the quarter where the lotus lake of Kuvera was situated, started
cheerfully with Lomasa, bearing the Pandavas, and many of the Brahmanas.
Having shortly reached that spot, they saw that romantic lake covered
with Saugandhika and other lotuses and surrounded by beautiful woods.
And on its shores they beheld the high-souled and vehement Bhima, as
also the slaughtered Yakshas of large eyes, with their bodies, eyes,
arms and thighs smashed, and their heads crushed. And on seeing the
high-souled Bhima, standing on the shore of that lake in an angry mood,
and with steadfast eyes, and biting his lip, and stationed on the shore
of the lake with his mace upraised by his tw