breeze, carrying all perfumes, and of a balmy feel.
And there were various beautiful and wonderful trees
of diverse hues resounding with diverse dulcet notes.
And at that place the foremost of the Bharatas surveyed
the palace of the Lord of the Rakshasas scattered
with heaps of gems, and adorned with variegated garlands.
And renouncing all care of life the mighty-armed Bhimasena
stood motionless like a rock, with his mace and sword
and bow in his hands. Then he blew his shell
making the down of his adversaries stand erect; and
twanging his bow-string, and striking his arms with
the hands he unnerved all the creatures. Thereat
with their hairs standing erect, the Yakshas and Rakshasas
began to rush towards the Pandavas, in the direction
of those sounds. And taken by the arms of the
Yakshas and Rakshasas the flamed maces and clubs and
swords and spears and javelins and axes, and when,
O Bharata, the fight ensued between the Rakshasas
and Bhima, the latter by arrows cut off the darts,
javelins and axes of those possessing great powers
of illusion, and he of exceeding strength with arrows
pierced the bodies of the roaring Rakshasas, both of
those that were in the sky, and of those that remained
on the earth. And Bhima of exceeding strength
was deluged with the mighty sanguine rain sprung from
the bodies of the Rakshasas with maces and clubs in
their hands and flowing on all sides from their persons.
And the bodies and hands of the Yakshas and Rakshasas
were seen to be struck off by the weapon discharged
by the might of Bhima’s arms. And then all
the creatures saw the graceful Pandava densely surrounded
by the Rakshasas, like unto the Sun enveloped by clouds.
And even as the Sun surrounds everything with his
rays, that mighty-armed and strong one of unfailing
prowess, covered all with arrows destroying foes.
And although menacing and uttering yells, the Rakshasas
did not see Bhima embarrassed. Thereupon, with
their bodies mangled, the Yakshas afflicted by fear,
Bhimasena began to utter frightful sounds of distress,
throwing their mighty weapons. And terrified
at the wielder of a strong bow, they fled towards the
southern quarter, forsaking their maces and spears
and swords and clubs and axes. And then there
stood, holding in his hands darts and maces, the broad-chested
and mighty-armed friend of Vaisravana, the Rakshasa
named Maniman. And that one of great strength
began to display his mastery and manliness. And
seeing them forsake the fight, he addressed them with
a smile, ’Going to Vaisravana’s abode,
how will ye say unto that lord of wealth, that numbers
have been defeated by a single mortal in battle?’
Having said this unto them that Rakshasa, taking in
his hands clubs and javelins and maces, set out and
rushed towards the Pandava. And he rushed in
amain like a maddened elephant. Bhimasena pierced
his sides with three choice arrows. And the mighty
Maniman, on his part, in wrath taking and flourishing
a tremendous mace hurled it at Bhimasena. Thereupon