“Vaishampaayana said ‘Then Baka, huge as a mountain,
thus broken (on Bhima's knee), died, uttering frightful yells. O king (Janamejaya), terrified by these sounds, the relatives
of that Rakshasa (Baka) came out with
their attendants. Bhima, that foremost of attackers, seeing them so terrified
and deprived of reason, comforted them and made them promise (to give up
cannibalism), saying, ‘Do not ever again kill human beings. If you kill men, you
will have to die even as Baka.’ O king (Janamejaya), those Rakshasas hearing this speech of
Bhima, said, ‘So be it,’ and gave the desired promise. O Bharata (Janamejaya), from that day the Rakshasas (of the
region) were seen by the inhabitants of
that town to be very peaceful towards mankind. Then Bhima, dragging the
lifeless Rakshasa (Baka), placed him
at one of the gates of the town and went away unobserved by any one. The relatives
of Baka, seeing him slain by the might of Bhima, became frightened and fled in
different directions.
“Meanwhile Bhima, having slain the Rakshasa, returned
to the Brahmana's house and narrated to Yudhishthira all that had happened, in
detail. The next morning the inhabitants of the town in coming out saw the
Rakshasa lying dead on the ground, his body covered with blood. Seeing that
terrible Rakshasa, huge as a mountain cliff, thus crushed and lying on the
ground, the (body) hair of the spectators stood erect. Returning to Ekachakra, they soon
gave the information. O king (Janamejaya), then the citizens by thousands accompanied by their wives, young and
old, all began to come to the spot for seeing the Baka and they were all amazed
at seeing that superhuman feat.
“O monarch (Janamejaya), instantly they began to pray to Devas.
Then they began to calculate whose turn it had been the day before to carry
food to the Rakshasa. Confirming this, they all came to that Brahmana and asked
him (to satisfy their curiosity).
Thus asked by them repeatedly, that bull among Brahmanas, desirous of hiding
the Pandavas, said these words to all the citizens, ‘A certain high-souled
Brahmana, skilled in mantras, saw me weeping with my relatives after I had been
ordered to supply the Rakshasa's food. Asking me the cause and confirming the suffering
of the town, that first of Brahmanas gave me every assurance and with smiles
said, ‘I shall carry the food for that wretched Rakshasa today. Do not fear for
me.’ Saying this he conveyed the food towards the forest of Baka. This deed, so
beneficial to us all, has very certainly been done by him.’
“Then
those Brahmanas and Kshatriyas (of the city), hearing this, wondered much. The Vaishyas and the Shudras also became
exceedingly glad, and they all established a festival in which the worship of
Brahmanas was the principal ceremony (in remembrance of this Brahmana who
had relieved them from their fears of Baka).
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