and thousands of Rakshasas, named Krodhavasas, were guarding that lake, wearing uniforms and armed with various weapons.  And as that repressor of foes, Kunti’s son, the heroic Bhima of dreadful prowess, clad in deer-skins and wearing golden armlets and equipped with weapons and girding his sword on, was fearlessly proceeding, with the view of gathering the lotus, those (Rakshasas) saw him and immediately began to address each other, shouting forth, ’It behoveth you to enquire for the errand on which this foremost of men, clad in deer skins, and equipped with arms, hath come.’  Then they all approached the effulgent Vrikodara of mighty arms and asked, ’Who art thou?  Thou shouldst answer our questions.  We see thee in the guise of an ascetic and yet armed with weapons.  O thou of mighty intelligence, do thou unfold unto us the object with which thou hast come (hither).”

SECTION CLIII

“Bhima said, ’I am the son of Pandu, and next by birth to Yudhishthira the just, and my name is Bhimasena.  O Rakshasas, I have come with my brothers to the jujube named Visala.  At that place, Panchali saw an excellent Saugandhika lotus, which, of a certainty, was carried thither by the wind from this region.  She wisheth to have those flowers in abundance.  Know ye, ye Rakshasas, that I am engaged in fulfilling the desire of my wedded wife of faultless features, and have come hither to procure the flowers.  Thereat the Rakshasas said, ’O foremost of men, this spot is dear unto Kuvera, and it is his sporting region.  Men subject to death cannot sport here.  O Vrikodara. the celestial sages, and the gods taking the permission of the chief of the Yakshas, drink of this lake, and sport herein.  And, O Pandava, the Gandharvas and the Apsaras also divert themselves in this lake.  That wicked person who, disregarding the lord of treasures, unlawfully attempteth to sport here, without doubt, meeteth with destruction.  Disregarding him, thou seekest to take away the lotuses from this place by main force.  Why then dost thou say that thou art the brother of Yudhishthira the just?  First, taking the permission of the lord of Yakshas, do thou drink of this lake and take away the flowers.  If thou dost not do this, thou shall not be able even to glance at a single lotus Bhimasena said, ’Ye Rakshasas, I do not see the lord of wealth here And even if I did see that mighty king, I would not beseech him Kshatriyas never beseech (any body).  This is the eternal morality; and I by no means wish to forsake the Kshatriya morality.  And, further this lotus-lake hath sprung from the cascades of the mountain; it hath not been excavated in the mansion of Kuvera.  Therefore it belongeth equally to all creatures with Vaisravana.  In regard to a thing of such a nature, who goeth to beseech another?”