all his strength. And finding him
fatigued, Vrikodara, twined his own arms round the foe, even as one
bindeth a beast with cord. And the monster thereupon began to roar
frightfully, as a trumpet out of order. And the mighty Vrikodara for a
long while whirled the Rakshasa till the latter appeared to be
insensible, and began to move convulsively. And finding the Rakshasa
exhausted, the son of Pandu without loss of time took him up in his arms,
and slew him like a beast. And placing his knee on the waist of that
wretch of Rakshasa, Vrikodara began to press the neck of the foe with his
hands. Then Bhima, dragging along the earth the bruised body of the
Rakshasa with the eye-lids about to close, said, 'O sinful wretch, thou
wilt no more have to wipe away the tears of Hidimva or Vaka, for thou too
art about to go to the mansions of Yama!' And saying this, that foremost
of men, his heart filled with wrath, beholding the Rakshasa destitute of
clothing and ornaments, and insensible, and undergoing convulsions, let
him dead. And after that Rakshasa of hue like the clouds had been slain,
the son of that best of kings (Pandu) praised Bhima for his many
qualities, and placing Krishna in their front, set out for the Dwaita
woods."

Vidura said, 'It was thus, O lord of men, that Kirmira was slain in
combat by Bhima, in obedience, O Kaurava, to the commands of Yudhishthira
the just! And having rid the forest of its pest, the victorious
Yudhishthira the just, began to live in that dwelling of theirs, with
Draupadi. And those bulls of the Bharata race comforting Draupadi began
to cheerfully extol Bhima with glad hearts. And after the Rakshasa had
been slain, borne down by the might of Bhima's arms, those heroes entered
into the peaceful forest freed from its annoyance. Passing through the
great forest I saw lying the body of the wicked and fearless Rakshasa
slain by Bhima's might. And, O Bharata, there I heard of this achievement
of Bhima from those Brahmanas who have assembled round the Pandavas.'

Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing the account of the slaughter in combat
of Kirmira, that foremost of Rakshasas, the king sighed in sorrow and
became absorbed in thought.'"

SECTION XII

(Arjunabhigamana Parva)

Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing that the Pandavas had been banished, the
Bhojas, the Vrishnis, and the Andhakas went to those heroes residing in
affliction in the great forest. And the consanguineous relatives of
Panchala, and D