Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v2.c11.46

v2.c11.46

like clubs, and my mighty firm chest. Now thou wilt behold my hero’s strength, that is like Indra’s. Do not belittle me, thou broad-hipped one, by thinking I here am only a man.” “I do not think little of thee, thou with the godlike form. But I have seen what the Rākshasa can do to men.” The giant heard his voice and ran there angrily. When he beheld his sister thus in fair human shape, wearing thin garb, with a wreath of flowers in her hair, and all decked, he opened wide his eyes, and bitterly reproached her for being so bent on man-hunting, putting a hindrance in his way through her blindness, and being willing to bring shame upon the Rākshasa princes. But as he raged on with gnashing teeth, Bhīma laughingly said to him : “Why shouldst thou awake these quiet sleepers? Set on me quickly, thou fool. Come, beat me! Thou shalt not kill a woman, especially when she has done thee no hurt, but another. This maid has no power over herself: she loves me now, she is driven on by the god of love, who has his being within the body. Not against thee has she sinned. It is love that did the crime; do not upbraid this woman here. When I am there, thou shalt not slay a woman. In a moment I will crush thy head.” Then the Rākshasa uttered wild threats, and fell on Bhīma. But Bhīma laid hold of the arm he stretched out, and first of all dragged the struggling Rākshasa a long way off, that the sleepers might not hear the noise of the fight. A fierce struggle now was fought between the two; like two rutting elephants of sixty years¹ they broke down trees, carrying away creepers with them. Kuntī and her sons were awakened by it, and she asked the wonderful apparition standing before her who she was. Hiḍimbā told her how things stood, and declared to her that, driven by the love that has its abode in the hearts of all beings, she had chosen the other’s son for her husband. Arjuna shouted to Bhīma that he would help him, and bring the monster down. But Bhīma answered: “Look thou on as one beholding only, and be not stirred. One that has once fallen between my arms stays not in this life." The brother bade him act quickly, before the east should redden, for by twilight, he said, the Rākshasas are strong.¹ Bhīmasena whirled the giant around a hundred times in the air, dashed him onto the ground, and broke him in twain at his middle, so that he met his end with a dreadful roaring. Then the brothers went quickly on, and Hiḍimbā followed them. Bhīma wanted to send her after her brother, fearing her vengeance and craft, but Yudhishṭhira prevailed on him not to murder a woman, and Hiḍimbā turned humbly to Kuntī : "Noble lady, thou knowest the sorrow that comes on women through love. It has come on me, and the cause is Bhīma. I have borne the utmost pain while awaiting the right moment. This has now come, and must be for my happiness. Friends, my duty and my folk I have left, and chosen the tiger among men, thy son, for my husband. If I am repelled by this hero and by thee, I cannot go on living. Therefore have pity on me, thou of the lovely face, thinking of me : 'She is blinded,' or 'given up to love', or 'has followed him'". She promised the fugitives every kind of help, and pointed out that on the general view life must be preserved in any way whatever that is possible and that unhappiness is harmful to virtue²; but that he who like herself keeps virtue unharmed amid unhappiness, and preserves his life in holy wise is worthy of all praise. At Yudhishṭhira's bidding she was then wedded to Bhīma but on the condition that she should only take her pleasure with him by day and always bring him back again at night; and Bhīma added he would only stay with her until she had borne a son. She was content with all, and now the two lived the happiest days in a great variety of splendid places, even in the forests of the gods;