Bhima kills the rakshasa Hidimba after encouragement from Arjuna
Bhima is locked in a brutal grapple with the rakshasa Hidimba. Arjuna, watching, urges his brother to finish the fight quickly before dawn, when rakshasas grow stronger. Spurred on, Bhima crushes his foe and rips his body apart.
The fight was a raw contest of strength. Bhima and the rakshasa Hidimba grasped each other, roaring, dragging one another through the dirt until the rising dust enveloped them like a mountain mist. Arjuna watched his brother locked in the struggle.
He spoke slowly, as if in jest. "O Bhima! Do not be afraid. We did not know you were tired from fighting this terrible rakshasa. I am here to help you. I shall kill him, while Nakula and Sahadeva guard our mother."
Bhima refused. "Watch this fight as a neutral. You don't have to take part. When I have got him in my clutches, he will not live for long."
Arjuna pressed him. "O Bhima! What is the need to keep this evil rakshasa alive for so long? We have to leave this place as quickly as we can. Before long, the east will redden. The morning dawn is about to set in. At the roudra moment, the rakshasas become stronger. O Bhima! Be quick. Kill the terrible rakshasa before he begins to use his powers of delusion. Therefore, show the strength of your arms."
Addressed thus, Bhima threw up the body of the terrible rakshasa and whirled it around a hundred times. He said, "Your body has thrived in vain on impure flesh. Your intelligence is in vain and you have aged in vain. Therefore, you deserve a useless death. Today, I will end your useless existence."
Arjuna spoke again, a final goad. "If you think that killing this rakshasa in battle is too onerous a task, let me help you. O Vrikodara! Kill him quickly. Otherwise, let me kill him. You are tired and have almost finished the work. You deserve to rest now."
Hearing these words, Bhimasena was enraged. Crushing the rakshasa on the ground with all his strength, he killed him the way one kills an animal. As he died, Hidimba let out a mighty roar that filled the entire forest, like the sound of a kettledrum drenched in water.
Then the strong son of Pandu held the body in his hands and tore it into two, pleasing the Pandavas with the strength of his arms.
On seeing Hidimba killed, they were delighted and swiftly congratulated Bhimasena, a tiger among men and conqueror of enemies. Worshipping the great-souled Bhima of terrible strength, Arjuna told him, "O lord! I think there is a city not far from this forest. O fortunate one! Let us go there quickly, before Suyodhana discovers us."
The scorchers of enemies and tigers among men agreed, as did their mother, and left, with the rakshasi Hidimba following.