Vaisampayana said, “Witnessing that dreadful and wonderful body of Hanuman, like unto the Vindhya mountain, the son of the wind-god became bewildered.  Then with his down standing erect, the noble-minded Bhima, joining his hands, replied unto Hanuman saying (there), ’O lord, by me have been beheld the vast dimensions of thy body.  Do thou (now), O highly powerful one, decrease thyself by thy own power.  Surely I cannot look at thee, like unto the sun risen, and of immeasurable (power), and irrepressible, and resembling the mountain Mainaka.  O hero, to-day this wonder of my heart is very great, that thou remaining by his side, Rama should have encountered Ravana personally.  Depending on the strength of thy arms, thou wert capable of instantly destroying Lanka, with its warriors, and horses, elephants and chariots.  Surely, O son of the wind-god, there is nothing that is incapable of being achieved by thee; and in fight, Ravana together with his followers was no match for thee single-handed.’”

Vaisampayana continued, “Thus addressed by Bhima, Hanuman, the chief of monkeys, answered in affectionate words uttered in solemn accents.  ’O mighty-armed one, O Bharata, it is even as thou sayest.  O Bhimasena, that worst of Rakshasas was no match for me.  But if I had slain Ravana—­that thorn of the worlds—­the glory of Raghu’s son would have been obscured;—­and for this it is that I left him alone.  By slaying that lord of the Rakshasas together with his followers, and bringing back Sita unto his own city, that hero hath established his fame among men.  Now, O highly wise one, being intent on the welfare of thy brothers, and protected by the wind-god, do thou go along a fortunate and auspicious way.  O foremost of the Kurus, this way will lead thee to the Saugandhika wood. (Proceeding in this direction), thou wilt behold the gardens of Kuvera, guarded by Yakshas and Rakshasas.  Do thou not pluck the flowers (there) personally by thy own force; for the gods deserve regard specially from mortals.  O best of the Bharata race, the gods confer their favour (upon men), (being propitiated) by offerings, and homas, and reverential salutations, and recitation of mantras, and veneration, O Bharata.  Do thou not, therefore, act with rashness, O child; and do thou not deviate from the duties of thy order.  Sticking to the duties of thy order, do thou understand and follow the highest morality.  Without knowing duties and serving the old, even persons like unto Vrihaspati cannot understand profit and religion.  One should ascertain with discrimination those cases in which vice goeth under the name of virtue, and virtue goeth under the name of vice,—­(cases) in which people destitute of intelligence become perplexed.  From religious observances proceedeth merit; and in merit are established the Vedas; and from the Vedas sacrifices come into existence; and by sacrifices are established the gods.  The gods are maintained by the (celebration of) sacrifices prescribed by the