after having killed me, carry off this lady, or being slain, lie
senseless here.'

"Madri's son, Sahadeva, was speaking thus, when Bhimasena made his
appearance, with a mace in his hand, like unto Vasava himself wielding
the thunder-bolt. And here he saw his two brothers and the noble-minded
Draupadi (on the shoulders of the demon), and Sahadeva on the ground
rebuking the Rakshasa and also that stupid Rakshasa himself deprived of
sense by Fate, going round in different directions through bewilderment
caused by Destiny. And finding his brothers and Draupadi being carried
off, Bhima of mighty strength was fired with wrath, and addressed the
Rakshasa, saying, 'I had ere this found thee out for a wicked wight from
thy scrutiny of our weapons; but as I had no apprehension of thee, so I
had not slain thee at that time. Thou wert in the disguise of a
Brahmana--nor didst thou say anything harsh unto us. And thou didst take
delight in pleasing us. And thou also didst not do us wrong. And,
furthermore, thou wert our guest. How could I, therefore, slay thee, who
wert thus innocent of offence, and who wert in the disguise of a
Brahmana? He that knowing such a one to be even a Rakshasa, slayeth him,
goes to hell. Further, thou canst not be killed before the time cometh.
Surely to-day thou hast reached the fullness of thy time in as much as
thy mind hath been thus turned by the wonder-performing Fate towards
carrying off Krishna. By committing thyself to this deed, thou hast
swallowed up the hook fastened to the line of Fate. So like unto a fish
in water, whose mouth hath been hooked, how canst thou live to-day? Thou
shall not have to go whither thou intendest to, or whither thou hadst
already gone mentally; but thou shall go whither have repaired Vaka and
Hidimva.'

"Thus addressed by Bhima, the Rakshasa in alarm put them down; and being