Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/482

thee truly that beholding thee resplendent as a celestial, even I would have none else for my husband save thee! Thou who art acquainted with all duties, knowing this, do unto me what is proper! My heart as well as body hath been pierced by (the shafts of) Kama! O, desirous as I am of obtaining thee, make me thine! O thou of mighty arms, I will rescue thee from the Rakshasa who eateth human flesh! O sinless one, be thou my husband! We shall then live on the breasts of mountains inaccessible to ordinary mortals. I can range the air and I do so at pleasure. Thou mayst enjoy great felicity with me in those regions!'

"Hearing these words of hers, Bhima replied, 'O Rakshasa woman, who can, like a Muni having all his passions under complete control, abandon his sleeping mother, and elder and younger brothers? What man like me would go to gratify his lust leaving his sleeping mother and brothers as food for a Rakshasa?'

"The Raksha woman replied, 'O awaken all these, and I shall do unto ye all what is agreeable to thee! I shall certainly rescue ye all from my cannibal brother!'

"Bhima then said, 'O Rakshasa woman, I will not from fear of thy wicked brother awaken my brothers and mother sleeping comfortably in the woods! O timid one, Rakshasas are never able to bear the prowess of my arms! And, O thou of handsome eyes, neither men, nor Gandharvas, nor Yakshas are able to bear my might. O thou amiable one, thou mayst stay or go as thou likest, or mayst even send thy cannibal brother, O thou of delicate shape, I care not!'"

Thus ends the hundred and fiifty-fourth Section in the Hidimva-badha of the Adi Parva.

Vaisampayana said, "Hidimva, the chief of the Rakshasas, seeing that his sister returned not soon enough, then alighted from the tree and proceeded quickly to where the Pandavas were. Of red eyes and strong arms and the hair