And
addressing Bhima he said, 'Who is this fool, who desiring to go to the
abode of Yama, eateth in my very sight the food intended for me?' Hearing
these words, Bhima, O Bharata, smiled in derision and disregarding the
Rakshasa, continued eating with averted face. Beholding this, the cannibal
uttered a frightful yell and with both arms upraised ran at Bhima desiring
to kill him, there and then. Even then disregarding the Rakshasa and
casting only a single glance at him, Vrikodara, that slayer of hostile
heroes continued to eat the Rakshasa's food. Filled with wrath at this,
the Rakshasa struck from behind with both his arms a heavy blow on the
back of Vrikodara, the son of Kunti. But Bhima, though struck heavily by
the mighty Rakshasa, with both his hands, did not even look up at the
Rakshasa but continued to eat as before. Then the mighty Rakshasa,
inflamed with wrath, tore up a tree and ran at Bhima for striking him
again. Meanwhile the mighty Bhima, that bull among men had leisurely eaten
up the whole of that food and washing himself stood cheerfully for fight.
Then, O Bharata, possessed of great energy, Bhima, smiling in derision,
caught with his left hand the tree hurled at him by the Rakshasa in wrath.
Then that mighty Rakshasa, tearing up many more trees, hurled them at
Bhima, and the Pandava also hurled as many at the Rakshasa. Then, O king,
the combat with trees between that human being and the Rakshasa, became so
terrible that the region around soon became destitute of trees.
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