Bhima Fights and Kills Jatasura
Bhima arrives to find his brothers and Draupadi being abducted by the rakshasa Jatasura. He explains that he had suspected the creature earlier but spared him because the time was not ripe. Now it is. The two engage in a ferocious duel — hurling trees, then rocks, then wrestling — until Bhima seizes Jatasura, dashes him to the ground, and severs his head.
On seeing his brothers and Draupadi being thus abducted, the mighty-armed Bhima was overcome with rage. He spoke to the rakshasa.
"I had got to know about you earlier, when I saw you scrutinize our weapons. But though I did not have my trust in you, I did not kill you then. You were in the form of a brahmana and you had not uttered any unpleasant words towards us. You did what brought us pleasure and you did nothing that brought us displeasure. You were in the form of an innocent brahmana who was a guest. Anyone who kills such a person, even if he knows him to be a rakshasa, goes to hell. That apart, the time for your killing was not ripe.
"That time is ripe now, since your inclination is of this nature. Extraordinary destiny has made you abduct Krishna. You have swallowed the hook that stretches from the line of fate, like a fish in the water. How will you escape from me today? You will not be able to reach the region you have left for and where your mind has already gone. You will not be able to reach — and you will traverse the path travelled by Baka and Hidimba."
The rakshasa was driven by destiny. Having been thus addressed by Bhima, he was frightened and threw them all down. Then he approached, so as to fight. His lips trembling in anger, he told Bhima, "O deluded one! I did not lose my directions because I was deluded. I was waiting for your sake. I have heard about the rakshasas whom you killed in battle. With your blood, I will offer funeral oblations to them today."
Bhima smiled and licked the corners of his mouth. He was bursting with rage, like time and death personified.
With great force, he dashed at the rakshasa to engage him in a bout of wrestling. On seeing Bhima ready to fight, the rakshasa also forcefully dashed towards him, like Bali towards the wielder of the vajra (thunderbolt). When they were about to engage in that terrible battle with arms, Madri's two sons — Nakula and Sahadeva — were also extremely angered and rushed forward. But Vrikodara (Bhima), Kunti's son, laughingly restrained them.
"Behold. I am capable of handling this rakshasa. By myself, with my brothers, by the dharma that I have observed well and by my oblations, I swear that I will finish off this rakshasa."
Having said this, the two brave ones challenged each other. The rakshasa and Vrikodara grasped each other with their arms. They did not spare each other. Angrily, Bhima and the rakshasa engaged each other in a terrible battle, like a god and a danava (demon).
Uprooting trees, the two immensely strong ones hurled them at each other, roaring like clouds when the summer season is over. Those two, supreme among strong ones, shattered the trunks of trees with the force of their thighs. They rushed at each other, each desirous of victory. The duel with trees caused the destruction of many large trees — like that ancient battle between the brothers Vali and Sugriva, lions among apes.
For some time, they repeatedly hurled trees at each other and struck each other, continuously roaring. When all the trees in the region had been torn down and reduced to hundreds of heaps, they immediately took up rocks. Those two immensely strong ones fought like a king of mountains fighting with clouds. Hard and terrible rocks flew around like the vajra. They repeatedly struck each other with these, insolent because of their strength.
After this, they rushed at each other and grasped each other with their arms, tugging like elephants. They struck each other with extremely terrible fists. The two great-souled ones raised a noise by gnashing their teeth.
Then Bhima clenched his fist — like a serpent with five heads — and struck the rakshasa's neck with great force. The rakshasa was exhausted from the force of Bhimasena's blow. On seeing this, Bhimasena grasped the one who was extremely tired. The mighty-armed one, equal to the immortals, raised him up in his two arms. With great force, Bhima flung him down on the ground. Pandava shattered all his limbs. Holding him with his elbow, he detached the head from the trunk.
As a result of Bhimasena's force, Jatasura's head was severed and fell down on the ground, drenched in blood, the eyes bulging and the teeth clenched — like a fruit dislodged from a tree.
Having killed him, the mighty archer went to Yudhishthira. The foremost among brahmanas praised him, like the Maruts (storm gods) praise Vasava (Indra). Aranyaka Parva, Chapter 451