with their shouts.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing those words of hers, Yudhishthira
suddenly rose up and Arjuna also and Nakula and Sahadeva of great energy
and they beheld Bhima and the Rakshasa already engaged in fight, eager to
overcome each other and dragging each other with great force, like two
lions endued with great might. The dust raised by their feet in
consequence of that encounter looked like the smoke of a
forest-conflagration. Covered with that dust their huge bodies resembled
two tall cliffs enveloped in mist. Then Arjuna, beholding Bhima rather
oppressed in the fight by the Rakshasa, slowly, said with smiles on his
lips, 'Fear not, O Bhima of mighty arms! We (had been asleep and
therefore) knew not that thou wast engaged with a terrible Rakshasa and
tired in fight. Here do I stand to help thee, let me slay the Rakshasa,
and let Nakula and Sahadeva protect our mother.' Hearing him, Bhima said,
'Look on this encounter, O brother, like a stranger. Fear not for the
result. Having come within the reach of my arms, he shall not escape with
life.' Then Arjuna said, 'What need, O Bhima, for keeping the Rakshasa
alive so long? O oppressor of enemies, we are to go hence, and cannot
stay here longer. The east is reddening, the morning twilight is about to
set in. The Rakshasa became stronger by break of day, therefore, hasten,
O Bhima! Play not (with thy victim), but slay the terrible Rakshasa soon.
During the two twilights Rakshasas always put forth their powers of
deception. Use all the strength of thy arms.

"Vaisampayana continued, 'At this speech of Arjuna, Bhima blazing up with
anger, summoned the might that Vayu (his father) puts forth at the time
of the universal dissolution. And filled with rage, he quickly raised
high in the air the Rakshasa's body, blue as the clouds of heaven, and
whirled it a hundred times. Then addressing the cannibal, Bhima said, 'O
Rakshasa, thy intelligence was given thee in vain, and in vain hast thou
grown and thriven on unsanctified flesh. Thou deservest, therefore, an
unholy death and I shall reduce thee today to nothing. I shall make this
forest blessed today, like one without prickly plants. And, O Rakshasa,
thou shalt no longer slay human beings for thy food.' Arjuna at this
juncture, said, 'O Bhima, if thou thinkest it a hard task for thee to
overcome this Rakshasa in combat, let me render thee help, else, slay him
thyself without loss of time. Or, O Vrikodara, let me