ng the mace of Yama himself
descend with force on the head of the cannibal. The Rakshasa, however,
was seen to remain unmoved at that blow, and wavered not in the conflict.
On the other hand, he hurled his lighted brand, flaming like lightning,
at Bhima. But that foremost of warriors turned it off with his left foot
in such a way that it went back towards the Rakshasa. Then the fierce
Kirmira on his part, all on a sudden uprooting a tree darted to the
encounter like unto the mace bearing Yama himself. And that fight, so
destructive of the trees, looked like the encounter in days of yore
between the brothers Vali and Sugriva for the possession of the same
woman. And the trees struck at the heads of the combatants, were broken
into shivers, like lotus-stalks thrown on the temples of infuriate
elephants. And in that great forest, innumerable trees, crushed like unto
reeds, lay scattered as rags. That encounter with trees between that
foremost of Rakshasas and that best of men, O thou bull of the Bharata
race, lasted but for a moment. Then taking up a crag, the angry Rakshasa
hurled it at Bhima standing before him, but the latter wavered not. Then
like unto Rahu going to devour the sun dispersing his rays with extended
arms, the Rakshasa with out-stretched arms darted towards Bhima, who had
remained firm under the blow inflicted with the crag. And tugging at and
grappling with each other in diverse ways they appeared like two
infuriate bulls struggling with each other. Or like unto two mighty
tigers armed with teeth and claws, the encounter between them waxed
fierce and hard. And remembering their (late) disgrace at the hands of
Duryodhana, and proud of the strength of his arms, and conscious also of
Krishna looking at him, Vrikodara began to swell in vigour. And fried
with anger, Bhima seized the Rakshasa with his arms, as one elephant in
rut seizeth another. And the powerful Rakshasa also in his turn seized
his adversary, but Bhimasena that foremost of all men endued with
strength, threw the cannibal down with violence. The sounds that in
consequence of those mighty combatants pressing each other's hands, were
frightful and resembled the sounds of splintering bamboos. And hurling
the Rakshasa down, seized him by the waist, and began to whirl him about,
even as fierce hurricane shaketh a tree. And thus seized by the mighty
Bhima, the fatigued Rakshasa, became faint, and trembling all over, he
still pressed the (Pandava) with