Vaisampayana said, “Hearing various sounds resounding in the caves of the
mountain and not seeing Bhimasena, Kunti’s son, Ajatasatru and the twin
sons of Madri and Dhaumya and Krishna and all the Brahmanas and the
friends (of the Pandavas), were filled with anxiety. Thereupon,
entrusting Draupadi to the charge of Arshtishena and equipped in their
arms, those valiant and mighty charioteers together began to ascend the
summit of the mountain. And having reached the summit, as those
repressors of foes and mighty bowmen and powerful charioteers they were
looking about, saw Bhima and those huge Rakshasas of mighty strength and
courage weltering in a state of unconsciousness having been struck down
by Bhima. And holding his mace and sword and bow, that mighty-armed one
looked like Maghavan, after he had slain the danava hosts. Then on seeing
their brother, the Pandavas, who had attained excellent state, embraced
him and sat down there. And with those mighty bowmen, that summit looked
grand like heaven graced by those foremost of celestials, the highly
fortunate Lokapalas. And seeing the abode of Kuvera and the Rakshasas,
lying slain on the ground, the king addressed his brother who was seated,
saying, ‘Either it be through rashness, or through ignorance, thou hast,
O Bhima, committed a sinful act. O hero, as thou art leading the life of
an anchorite, this slaughter without cause is unlike thee. Acts, it is
asserted by those versed in duties, as are calculated to displease a
monarch, ought not to be committed. But thou hast, O Bhimasena, committed
a deed which will offend even the gods. He that disregarding profit and
duty, turneth his thoughts to sin must, O Partha, reap the fruit of his
sinful actions. However, if thou seekest my good, never again commit such
a deed.’”
Vaisampayana continued, “Having said this to his brother, Vrikodara the
virtuous, the highly energetic and firm-minded son of Kunti, Yudhishthira
versed in the particulars of (the science of) profit, ceased, and began
to reflect on that matter.”
“On the other hand, the Rakshasas that had survived those slain by Bhima
fled in a body towards the abode of Kuvera. And they of exceeding
fleetness having speedily reached Vaisravana’s abode, began to utter loud
cries of distress, being afflicted with the fear of Bhima. And, O king
bereft of their weapons and exhausted and with their mail besmeared with
gore and with dishevelled hair they spake unto Kuvera, saying. ‘O lord,
all thy foremost Rakshasas fighting with maces and clubs and swords and
lances and barbed darts, have been slain. O lord of treasures, a mortal,
trespassing into the mountain, hath, singlehanded, slaughtered all thy
Krodhovasa Rakshasas assembled together. And, O lord of wealth, there lie
the foremost of the Yakshas and Rakshasas senseless and dead, having been
struck down; and we have been let off through his favour. And thy friend,
Maniman also hath been slain. All this hath been done by a mortal. Do
thou what is proper, after this.’ Having heard this, that lord of all the
Yaksha hosts waxing wroth, with eyes reddened in anger, exclaimed,
‘What!’ And hearing of Bhima’s second (act of) aggression, that lord of
treasures, the king of the Yakshas, was filled with wrath, and said.
‘Yoke’ (the horses). Thereat unto a car of the hue of dark clouds, and
high as a mountain summit, they yoked steeds having golden garments. And
on being yoked unto the car, those excellent horses of his, graced with
every noble quality and furnished with the ten auspicious curls of hair
and having energy and strength, and adorned with various gems and looking
splendid, as if desirous of speeding like the wind, began to neigh at
each other the neighing emitted at (the hour of) victory. And that divine
and effulgent king of the Yakshas set out, being eulogised by the
celestials and Gandharvas. And a thousand foremost Yakshas of reddened
eyes and golden lustre and having huge bodies, and gifted with great
strength, equipped with weapons and girding on their swords, followed
that high-souled lord of treasures. And coursing through the firmament
they (the steeds) arrived at the Gandhamadana, as if drawing forward the
sky with their fleetness. And with their down standing erect, the
Pandavas saw that large assemblage of horses maintained by the lord of
wealth and also the highsouled and graceful Kuvera himself surrounded by
the Yaksha hosts. And seeing those mighty charioteers the son of Pandu,
possessed of great strength, equipped with bows and swords, Kuvera also
was delighted; and he was pleased at heart, keeping in view the task of
the celestials. And like unto birds, they, (the Yakshas) gifted with
extreme celerity, alighted on the summit of the mountain and stood before
them (the Pandavas), with the lord of treasures at their head. Then, O
Bharata, seeing him pleased with the Pandavas, the Yakshas and the
Gandharvas stood there, free from agitation. Then thinking themselves as
having transgressed, those high-souled and mighty charioteers, the
Pandavas, having bowed down unto that lord, the giver of wealth stood
surrounding the lord of treasures with joined hands. And the lord of
treasures sat on that excellent seat, the elegant Pushpaka, constructed
by Viswakarma, painted with diverse colours. And thousands of Yakshas and
Rakshasas, some having huge frames and some ears resembling pegs, and
hundreds of Gandharvas and hosts of Apsaras sat in the presence of that
one seated, even as the celestials sit surrounding him of a hundred
sacrifices and wearing a beautiful golden garland on his head and holding
in his hands his noose and sword and bow, Bhima stood, gazing at the lord
of wealth. And Bhimasena did not feel depress either on having been
wounded by the Rakshasas, or even in that plight seeing Kuvera arrive.
“And that one going about on the shoulders of men, on seeing Bhima stand
desirous of fighting with sharpened shafts, said unto Dharma’s son, ‘O
Partha, all the creatures know thee as engaged in their good. Do thou.
therefore, with thy brothers fearlessly dwell on this summit of the
mountain. And, O Pandava, be thou not angry with Bhima. These Yakshas and
Rakshasas had already been slain by Destiny: thy brother hath been the
instrument merely. And it is not necessary to feel shame for the act of
impudence that hath been committed. This destruction of the Rakshasas had
been foreseen by the gods. I entertain no anger towards Bhimasena.
Rather, O foremost of the Bharata a race, I am pleased with him;
nay,--even before coming here, I had been gratified with this deed of
Bhima.’”
Vaisampayana said, “Having spoken thus unto the king, (Kuvera) said unto
Bhimasena, ‘O child, O best of the Kurus, I do not mind this, O Bhima, as
in order to please Krishna, thou hast, disregarding the gods and me also,
committed this rash act, namely, the destruction of the Yakshas and the
Rakshasas, depending on the strength of thy arms, I am well-pleased with
thee. O Vrikodara, to-day I have been freed from a terrible curse. For
some offence, that great Rishi, Agastya, had cursed me in anger. Thou
hast delivered me by this act (of thine). O Pandu’s son, my disgrace had
ere this been fated. No offence, therefore, in any way, attaches unto
thee, O Pandava.’
“Yudhishthira said, ‘O divine one, why wast thou cursed by the
high-souled Agastya? O god, I am curious to hear about the occasion of
that imprecation. I wonder that at that very moment, thou together with
thy forces and attendants wast not consumed by the ire of that
intelligent one.’
“Thereupon the lord of treasures said, ‘At Kusasthali, O king, once there
was held a conclave of the gods. And surrounded by grimvisaged Yakshas,
numbering three hundred maha-padmas, carrying various weapons, I was
going to that place. And on the way, I saw that foremost of sages,
Agastya, engaged in the practice of severe austerities on the bank of the
Yamuna, abounding in various birds and graced with blossoming trees. And,
O king, immediately on seeing that mass of energy, flaming and brilliant
as fire, seated with upraised arms, facing the sun, my friend, the
graceful lord of the Rakshasas, Maniman, from stupidity, foolishness,
hauteur and ignorance discharged his excrement on the crown of that
Maharshi. Thereupon, as if burning all the cardinal points by his wrath,
he said unto me, ‘Since, O lord of treasures, in thy very presence,
disregarding me, this thy friend hath thus affronted me, he, together
with thy forces, shall meet with destruction at the hands of a mortal.
And, O wicked-minded one, thou also, being distressed on account of thy
fallen soldiers, shalt be freed from thy sin, on beholding that mortal.
But if they follow thy behests, their (the soldier’s) powerful sons shall
not incur by this dreadful curse. This curse I received formerly from
that foremost of Rishis. Now, O mighty king, have I been delivered by thy
brother Bhima.’”