. And on Bhima
displaying his prowess, dreadful sounds of explosion rang through the
sky. And the earth began to tremble, and dust fell in showers. And the
points of the heavens became reddened. And beasts and birds began to cry
in shrill tones. And every thing became enveloped in darkness; and
nothing could be distinguished. And other evil omens besides these
appeared there. Witnessing these strange phenomena, Dharma's son
Yudhishthira, the foremost of speakers, said, 'Who is it that will
overcome us? Ye Pandavas who take delight in battle, good betide you! Do
ye equip yourselves. From what I see, I infer that 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 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,' Hidimava's son and the other Rakshasas who knew the quarter where
the lotus lake of Kuvera was situated, st