strange whoopos, and terrifying all creatures, endowed with strength and prowess.  And then being terrified, the snakes hid (themselves) in caves, but he, overtaking them with promptitude, pursued them slowly.  Then the mighty Bhimasena, like unto the Lord of the Celestials, saw a serpent of colossal proportions, living in one of the mountain fastnesses and covering the (entire) cave with its body and causing one’s hair to stand on end (from fright).  It had its huge body stretched like a hillock, and it possessed gigantic strength, and its body was speckled with spots and it had a turmeric-like (yellow) colour and a deep copper-coloured mouth of the form of a cave supplied with four teeth; and with glaring eyes, it was constantly licking the corners of its mouth.  And it was the terror of all animated beings and it looked like the very image of the Destroyer Yama; and with the hissing noise of its breath it lay as if rebuking (an in-comer).  And seeing Bhima draw so near to him, the serpent, all on a sudden, became greatly enraged, and that goat-devouring snake violently seized Bhimasena in his grip.  Then by virtue of the boon that had been received by the serpent, Bhimasena with his body in the serpent’s grip, instantly lost all consciousness.  Unrivalled by that of others, the might of Bhimasena’s arms equalled the might of ten thousand elephants combined.  But Bhima, of great prowess, being thus vanquished by the snake, trembled slowly, and was unable to exert himself.  And that one of mighty arms and of leonine shoulders, though possessed of strength often thousand elephants, yet seized by the snake, and overpowered by virtue of the boon, lost all strength.  He struggled furiously to extricate himself, but did not succeed in any wise baffling this (snake).”

SECTION CLXXVIII

Vaisampayana continued, “And the powerful Bhimasena, having thus come under the power of the snake, thought of its mighty and wonderful prowess; and said unto it, ’Be thou pleased to tell me, O snake, who thou art.  And, O foremost of reptiles, what wilt thou do with me?  I am Bhimasena, the son of Pandu, and next by birth to Yudhishthira the just.  And endued as I am with the strength of ten thousand elephants, how hast thou been able to overpower me?  In fight have been encountered and slain by me innumerable lions, and tigers, and buffaloes, and elephants.  And, O best of serpents, mighty Rakshasas and Pisachas, and Nagas, are unable to stand the force of my arms.  Art thou possessed of any magic, or hast thou received any boon, that although exerting myself, I have been overcome by thee?  Now I have been convinced that the strength of men is false, for, O serpent, by thee hath such mighty strength of men been baffled.’