An Index to the Names in the Mahabharata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s2.29

c5.s2.29

alms. One day Bhīma and Kuntī overheard the brahman complaining (I, 157), and his wife (I, 158) and daughter asked to be sacrificed for him to a *rākṣasa*, and their little son said that he would slay the *rākṣasa* with a blade of grass. *Kuntī* approached (I, 159), and learned that the householders, while the king, residing in *Vetrakīyagra* (see BR.), did nothing to protect the country against him. Now the turn had come for the brahman, and as he had no wealth to buy a man, and could not part with any of his family, he would go with all his family to the *rākṣasa*, in order that he might devour them all (I, 160). *Kuntī* said that one of her sons would bring the food to the *rākṣasa*. This the brahman energetically refused, until she had told him that on account of his strength and *mantras* her son would be safe; but he ought not to disclose this fact to anybody, for then people might trouble them out of curiosity, and if her son imparted his knowledge to anybody he would himself no longer be able to profit by it. *Bhīma* also consented (I, 161). When the others returned home with their alms, *Yudhiṣṭhira* blamed his mother for her rash act; but she relied on *Bhīma* (I, 162). The next morning *Bhīma* set out for the abode of the *rākṣasa*, and approaching he began himself to eat the food he carried, loudly calling the *rākṣasa* by his name. The *rākṣasa* came out in a fury; but *Bhīma*, disregarding his yells and blows, leisurely ate up the whole of that food and washed his hands. Then they began to hurl trees at each other, and thereupon they clasped each other with their arms. At last *Bhīma* pressed Baka down to the earth, and placing one knee on the middle of his back, bent him double, while he (*Baka*) roared frightfully and began to vomit blood (I, 163). Baka died uttering frightful yells. The *rākṣasas*, his relatives, came and promised never again to kill human beings, and from that day the *rākṣasas* of that region were very peaceful towards mankind. *Bhīma* placed the corpse at one of the gates of the town, and went away unobserved. The *brahman* told the citizens that it was a *brahman* skilled in *mantras* (*mantrasiddha*) who had slain the *rākṣasa*, and they established a *Brahma* festival (*brahmapaham*) (I, 164).