281) Having been requested by Draupadi, Bhimasena, with a mace in his hand, started climbing that mountain furiously. He destroyed many Daityas who were guised as Lions and Tigers. The groups of Devatas and Siddhas praised him profusely.
282) On the way, he saw Hanumanta, who was radiant like the rising Sun and was his own (alternate) form. Even though he knew him to be his own rupa, he still sportingly engaged with him as if he was different.
283) Whenever they are born as humans, it is utmost Dharma for Devatas to engage with their own alternate form as if they are different, to especially not receive the same strength as the original form and to always conduct themselves complying with human nature. Therefore, both Hanuman and Bhima behaved as if they were brothers even though they were same.
284) When Devatas take Avatara as humans, depending upon the Yuga, and depending upon the (capability of the) original form, their qualities get masked as appropriate. The excellent amongst those Devatas have their original qualities expressed in part, whenever an occasion arises.
285) In all his appearances, Sri Vishnu, who displays all his qualities in full measure, never faces such restrictions on displaying his attributes. For Sri Vayu, his qualities usually manifest depending upon his own intent. For the other Devatas, such qualities manifest only during special circumstances.
286) Therefore, at that moment, Bhimasena behaved as if he was interacting with a different person, only in order to increase his own punya. Although he is the very essence of strength, he acted that way in order to cause illusion to Asuras.
287) Bhimasena saw that form of Hanuman becoming immense. He heard the tales of Sri Rama from him. He heard the divine glory of the four forms of Sri Hari. He also listened to the excellent Dharmas that are appropriate for the four Yugas.
288) Hanuman granted him a boon saying he would sit on Arjuna’s flag and cause defeat to the enemies merely by his roar. Later, Bhima bowed to him and quickly left for that excellent forest containing the Sougandhika (flowers).
289) Having reached that lake which was unreachable by (ordinary) humans, Bhima saw golden lotus flowers that had amazing form, were divine, and had excellent scent. He was then opposed by some carnivorous Rakshasas.
290) Bhima, who was terrible, most powerful, of handsome outlook, and possessed a weapon, was stopped together by hundred crore Daityas known as Krodhavashas.
291) Talking about those Shastras proclaiming Shiva as the Supreme One, and having become invincible due to Shiva’s boons, they showered Bhima, the omniscient one who was the very personification of Tapas and an ocean of strength, with terrible weapons and astras.
292) Bhimasena first defeated them in the war of words using Vaishnava shastras, destroyed their weapons and then killed them all with his mace.
293) Bhima was that son of Kunti, born from Sri Vayu, who was powerful, brave, tapasvi, destroyer of enemies, always engaged in truth and Dharma and who was never subdued in valour by his enemies.
294) Bhima defeated many other Rakshasas there who were arguing that the world was unreal, without a God, that it doesn’t depend upon anyone and claiming themselves to be siddha and Ishwara, by singing the glory of Sri Vishnu.
295) Declaring Vishnu to be distinct than all others and Vishnu to be the Supreme One, he killed one lakh warriors among them. Seeing his valour, strength, knowledge and physical prowess, they failed to face him in spite of attacking together, and were killed. The remaining ones immediately fled from there.
296) Bhimasena, the great Kuru hero, attacked all of them with his mace. Having chased them away, he entered that lotus pond, drank its nectar like water and picked up those divine flowers.
297) Around that time, noticing many ill-omens indicative of war, Yudhisthira felt disturbed in his mind and asked Draupadi – “Where is Bhima?”
298) Hearing from Draupadi that Bhima had gone to fetch Saugandhika flowers, Dharmaraja climbed the best amongst Rakshasas and left for that place, along with Draupadi and his brothers.
Note: They sat on the shoulders of Ghatotkacha and his assistants.
299) Having reached the place where Bhima was present, he saw his state and asked him not to do such things, out of fear of Shiva.
300) Rakshasas who were fearful of death from the Devatas were guarding that pond as per the orders of Kubera. Shiva in turn was the protector of Kubera. The lord of wealth, however, knew the greatness of Bhima and was not furious at him.
301-302) When the Pandavas were staying there, a few more days passed by. One day, a wind brought there a few flowers, bearing five colours, from the house of Kubera. Knowing that it would bring glory to Bhimasena if he brought those flowers from that place inhospitable to humans, and that his punya would also increase, Draupadi asked him (to bring them).
303) “Since this mountain is lorded by Kubera, its terrain is difficult for all. You should go there today itself and defeat all the Rakshasas”.
304) When Draupadi asked him thus, Bhimasena, the one who had never tasted defeat, picked up his mace, bow and arrows and climbed that mountain. There, seeing him approach, an army of three padma Rakshasas who were intoxicated (with over-confidence) stopped him.
305) The Rakshasa Manimanta, who had become invincible due to the boon of Shiva, engaged in battle by showering numerous weapons and great astras. Bhimasena immediately felled all the Rakshasas, who were with Manimanta, through a barrage of excellent arrows and killed them.
306) Those Rakshasas, known as Krodhavashas, although they were invincible, were killed in an instant by the most-powerful Bhimasena in battle. Having been slain by Bhima, who was on top of that mountain, all of them entered Andhantamas.
307) Manimanta, who was killed in the Sougandhika forest, was born again in Kaliyuga and, having spread false knowledge especially, obtain higher Tamoloka.
308) Later King Kubera, seeing that his army of three padmas and their leader and his friend Manimanta had been slain, climbed a divine chariot in order to face Bhima in battle.
309) Due to Asura-avesha, he had developed great anger against Bhima. The lord of wealth himself came there to fight Bhima.
310) At that time, King Dharmaraja heard the roar of Bhima and immediately asked Draupadi – “Where is Bhima?”. As soon as she told him, he climbed the shoulders of Ghatotkacha and reached the place (where Bhima and Kubera were about to battle).
311) When Dharmaraja, along with his brothers, Sages and Draupadi reached the place where Bhima was, the Asura-avesha of Kubera reduced a little upon seeing him. Similarly, a littleness friendliness developed towards them.
312) Since a little Asura-avesha still resided in him, he could not recognize the greatness of Bhima even after seeing him wield the weapon. He then stated that the reason for his friend Manimanta’s killing was the curse of Sage Agastya.
313) Later, when his Asura-avesha went away completely, his mind became calm and he happily offered his house to the Pandavas for them to stay. The Pandavas started living there, as well as in the houses of the other Devatas.
314) Even as the noble Pandavas stayed there happily, four years passed by. Arjuna, who had by then spent five years learning great astras from Indra, requested him to ask for Guru-dakshina.
315-316) Indra asked Arjuna, who was his own Avatara, to kill his enemies the Nivatakavachas. Brahma had granted them a boon saying that they could not be killed by Devatas, Daityas, Gandharvas, Yakshas or even Rakshasas. When Indra had requested (Brahma) again, he had granted him a boon too, asking him to kill them through human form.
317) Therefore, Indra told Arjuna, his own Avatara in human form – “Kill them”. Saying thus, he placed his crown on Arjuna’s head.
Note: Arjuna came to be known as Kiriti after receiving Indra’s divine crown.
318) Partha climbed Indra’s chariot along with Matali and, holding the Gandiva bow, proceeded to slay those great Asuras.
319-320) The Devatas then gave him a conch. That great conch was (named) Devadatta. Causing an echo from the sounds of that conch, Arjuna, wearing divine ear-rings given by Indra, twang the Gandiva which led to a loud thunder, and reached the divine city of those Daityas.
Anandatirtha Prathishtana 