but will, I know to a certainty, rescue himself.  I have seen before many mighty Rakshasas of huge bodies engaged in combat with my heroic son and killed too by him.  But, O Brahmana, do not disclose this fact to anybody, for if it be known, persons desirous of obtaining this power, will, from curiosity, always trouble my sons.  The wise have said that if my son imparteth any knowledge, without the assent of his preceptor, unto any person, my son himself will no longer be able to profit by that knowledge.’

“Thus addressed by Pritha, the Brahmana with his wife became exceedingly glad and assented to Kunti’s speech, which was unto them as nectar.  Then Kunti, accompanied by the Brahmana, went unto the son of Vayu (Bhima) and asked him to accomplish (that difficult task).  Bhima replied unto them, saying, ‘So be it.’”

SECTION CLXIV

(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)

“Vaisampayana said, ’After Bhima had pledged himself to accomplish the task, saying, ‘I will do it,’ the Pandavas, O Bharata, returned home with the alms they had obtained during the day.  Then Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu from Bhima’s countenance alone, suspected the nature of the task he had undertaken to accomplish.  Sitting by the side of his mother, Yudhishthira asked her in private, ’What is the task, O mother, that Bhima of terrible prowess seeketh to accomplish?  Doth he do so at thy command or of his own accord?’ Kunti replied, ’Bhima, that chastiser of foes, will at my command, do this great deed for the good of the Brahmana and the liberation of this town.’

“Yudhishthira said, ’What rash act hast thou done, O mother!  It is difficult of being performed and almost amounteth to suicide!  The learned never applaud the abandonment of one’s own child.  Why dost thou, O mother, wish to sacrifice thy own child for the sake of another’s?  Thou hast, O mother, by this abandonment of thy child, acted not only against the course of human practices but also against the teachings of the Vedas, That Bhima, relying on whose arms we sleep happily in the night and hope to recover the kingdom of which we have been deprived by the covetous son of Dhritarashtra, that hero of immeasurable energy, remembering whose prowess Duryodhana and Sakuni do not sleep a wink during the whole night and by whose prowess we were rescued from the palace of lac and various other dangers, that Bhima who caused the death of Purochana, and relying on whose might we regard ourselves as having already slain the sons of Dhritarashtra and acquired the whole earth with all her wealth, upon what considerations, O mother, hast thou resolved upon abandoning him?  Hast thou been deprived of thy reason?  Hath thy understanding been clouded by the calamities thou hast undergone?’