विस्मयं परमं गत्वा राक्षसो घोरदर्शनः।' किर्मीरस्त्वब्रवीदेनं दिष्ट्या देवैरिदं मम। उपपादितमद्येह चिरकालान्मनोरथम्
Amazed, the fearsome rakshasa Kirmira said to him, "By the gods' favor, today my long-cherished desire is fulfilled here."
भीमसेनवधार्थं हि नित्यमभ्युद्यतायुधः। चरामि पृथिवीं कृत्स्नां नैनं चासादयाम्यहम्
"For the sake of slaying Bhimasena, I have always roamed the whole earth, weapons ever at the ready, yet I have never found him."
सोयमासादितो दिष्ट्या भ्रातृहा काङ्क्षितश्चिरम्। अनेन हि मम भ्राता बको विनिहतः प्रियः
"Now, by fortune, I have found him—the slayer of my brother, whom I have long sought. For by him, my dear brother Vaka was slain."
वैत्रकीयवने राजन्ब्राह्मणच्छद्मरूपिणा। विद्याबलमुपाश्रित्य न ह्मस्त्यस्यौरसं बलम्
"In the Vaitraki forest, disguised as a brahmin, relying on the power of his knowledge, he killed him; for he has no equal in physical strength."
हिडिम्बश्च सखा मह्मं दयितो वनगोचरः। हतो दुरात्मनाऽनेन स्वसा चास्य हृता पुरा
"Hidimba, my beloved friend who roamed the woods, was also slain by this evil one, and his sister was taken away by him long ago."
सोयमभ्यागतो मूढो ममेदं गहनं वनम्। प्रचारसमयेऽस्माकमर्द्धरात्रे स्थिते समे
"Now this fool has come into my deep forest, at the very time when we roam, at midnight, when all is still."
अद्यास्य यातयिष्यामि तद्वैरं चिरसंभृतम्। तर्पयिष्यामि च बकं रुधिरेणास्य भूरिणा
"Today I shall exact that long-held vengeance upon him, and I shall satisfy Vaka with his copious blood."
अद्याहमनृणो भूत्वा भ्रातुः सख्युस्तथैव च। शान्तिं लब्धास्मि परमां हत्वा राक्षसकण्टकम्
"Today, having paid my debt to my brother and friend, I shall attain the highest peace by slaying this thorn among rakshasas."
यदि तेन पुरा मुक्तो भीमसेनो बकेन वै। अद्यैनं भक्षयिष्यामि पश्यतस्ते युधिष्ठिर
"If Bhimasena was once spared by Vaka, today I shall devour him before your eyes, Yudhishthira."
एनं हि विपुलप्राणमद्य हत्वा वृकोदरम्। संभक्ष्य जरयिष्यामि यथाऽगस्त्यो महासुरम्
"Today, having slain this mighty Bhimasena, I shall consume him and digest him, just as Agastya did the great asura."
एवमुक्तस्तु धर्मात्मा सत्यसन्धो युधिष्ठिरः। नैतदस्तीति सक्रोधो भर्त्सयामास राक्षसम्
Thus addressed, the righteous and truthful Yudhishthira, angered, rebuked the Rakshasa, declaring, 'This is not so.'
ततो भीमो महाबाहुरारुज्यतरसा द्रुमम्। दशव्याममथोद्विद्धं निष्पत्रमकरोत्तदा
Then Bhima, mighty-armed, swiftly uprooted a tree ten cubits tall, stripped it of its branches and leaves.
चकार सज्यं गाण्डीवं वज्रनिष्पेषगौरवम्। निमेषान्तरमात्रेण तथैव विजयोऽर्जुनः
Arjuna, the victorious, readied his Gandiva bow, its weight like the thunderbolt, in the blink of an eye.
निवार्य भीमो जिष्णुं तं तद्रक्षो मेघनिःस्वनम्। अभिद्रुत्याब्रवीद्वाक्यं तिष्ठतिष्ठेति भारत
Bhima restrained Arjuna, and that Rakshasa, roaring like a thundercloud, rushed forward and shouted, 'Stop, stop!'
इत्युक्त्वैनमतिक्रुद्धः कक्ष्यामुत्पीड्य पाण्डवः। निष्पिष्य पाणिना पाणिं संदष्टौष्ठपुटो बली। तमभ्यधावद्वेगेन भीमो वृक्षायुधस्तदा
Having said this, the enraged Pandava crushed his girdle, clenched his hand, biting his lips, and with force advanced upon the Rakshasa, wielding the tree as a weapon.
यमदण्डप्रतीकाशं ततस्तं तस्य मूर्धनि। पातयामास वेगेन कुलिशं मघवानिव
Then, like the rod of Yama, Bhima struck the Rakshasa's head with the tree, with the force of Indra wielding his thunderbolt.
असंभ्रान्तं तु तद्रक्षः समरे प्रत्यदृश्यत। चिक्षेप चोल्मुकं दीप्तमशनिं ज्वलितामिव
Yet the Rakshasa, undisturbed in battle, hurled a blazing, flaming club, like a thunderbolt.
तदुदस्तमलातं तु भीमः प्रहरतां वरः। पदा सव्येन चिक्षेप तद्रक्षः पुनराव्रजत्
Bhima, foremost among fighters, kicked aside the raised club with his left foot, and the Rakshasa returned again.
किर्मीरश्चापि सहसा वृक्षमुत्पाट्य पाण्डवम्। दण्डपाणिरिव क्रुद्धः समरे प्रत्यधावत
Suddenly, Kirmira, enraged like a rod-wielder, uprooted a tree and charged at the Pandava in battle.
तद्वृक्षयुद्धमभवन्महीरुहविनाशनम्। वालिसुग्रीवयोर्भ्रात्रोर्यथा स्त्रीकाङ्क्षिणोः पुरा
A battle of trees ensued, destroying the forest, like the ancient fight between the brothers Vali and Sugriva, both desiring a woman.
शीर्षयोः पतिता वृक्षा विभिदुर्नैकधा तयोः। यथैवोत्पलपत्राणि मत्तयोर्द्विपयोस्तथा
Trees fell upon their heads and shattered in many pieces, just as lotus petals are scattered by two intoxicated elephants.
मूर्ध्निजर्झरभूतास्तु बहवस्तत्र पादपाः। चीराणीव व्युदस्तानि रेजुस्तत्र महावने
Many trees became battered and broken, strewn about like strips of bark, resounding throughout the great forest.
तद्वृक्षयुद्धमभवन्महूर्तं भरतर्षभ। राक्षसानां च मुख्यस्य नराणामुत्तमस्य च
That tree-battle lasted for a moment, O best of Bharatas, between the chief of Rakshasas and the foremost of men.
ततः शिलां समुत्क्षिप्य भीमस्य युधि तिष्ठतः। प्राहिणोद्रासः क्रुद्धो भीमसेनश्चचाल ह
Then the Rakshasa, enraged, lifted a stone and hurled it at Bhima, who stood firm in battle, and Bhimasena staggered.
तं शिलाताडनजडं पर्यधावत राक्षसः। बाहुविक्षिप्तकिरणः स्वर्भानुरिव भास्करम्
The Rakshasa, made dull by the stone's blow, circled around, his arms flailing like Svarbhanu obscuring the sun.
तावन्योन्यं समाश्लिश्य प्रकर्षन्तौ परस्परम्। उभावपि चकाशेते प्रवृद्धौ वृषभाविव
The two, grappling each other and dragging one another, shone forth, both grown fierce like mighty bulls.
तयोरासीत्सुतुमुलः संप्रहारः सुदारुणः। नखदंष्ट्रायुधवतोर्व्याघ्रयोरिव दृप्तयोः
Between them arose a tumultuous, dreadful struggle, as if between two proud tigers fighting with claws and fangs.
दुर्योधननिकाराच्च बाहुवीर्याच्च दर्पितः। कृष्णानयनदृष्टश्च व्यवर्धत वृकोदरः
Because of Duryodhana's insults, his own arm-strength, and seeing Krishna's arrival, Vrikodara's vigor increased.
अभिहत्याथ बाहुभ्यां प्रत्यगृह्णादमर्षितः। मातङ्गमिव मातङ्गः प्रभिननकरटामुखम्
Then, enraged, he struck with his arms and seized him, like an elephant breaking open the mouth of another elephant with its tusks.
स चाप्येनं ततो रक्षः प्रतिजग्राह वीर्यबान्। तमाक्षिपद्भीमसेनो बलेन बलिनां वरः
And that powerful Rakshasa also seized him in turn; but Bhimasena, foremost of the strong, dragged him with his might.