तद् वृक्षयुद्धम् अभवन् महीरुहविनाशनम् ॥
घोररूपं महाराज बकपाण्डवयोर् महत् ॥
नाम विश्राव्य तु बकः समभिद्रुत्य पाण्डवम् ॥
भुजाभ्यां परिजग्राह भीमसेनं महाबलम् ॥
भीमसेनो ऽपि तद् रक्षः परिरभ्य महाभुजः ॥
विस्फुरन्तं महावेगं विचकर्ष बलाद् बली ॥
tad vṛkṣayuddham abhavan mahīruhavināśanam ||
ghorarūpaṃ mahārāja bakapāṇḍavayor mahat ||
nāma viśrāvya tu bakaḥ samabhidrutya pāṇḍavam ||
bhujābhyāṃ parijagrāha bhīmasenaṃ mahābalam ||
bhīmaseno 'pi tad rakṣaḥ parirabhya mahābhujaḥ ||
visphurantaṃ mahāvegaṃ vicakarṣa balād balī ||
"That was a great and terrible battle of trees, destructive of the trees, between Baka and the Pandava, O great king. Proclaiming his own name, Baka rushed at the Pandava and seized mighty Bhima with both arms; and Bhima, the mighty-armed, embracing that quivering, swift rakshasa, dragged him by force."
fdaa3e7d3aa6 · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:19:51 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The battle now moves from hurling trunks to direct combat. It is telling that Baka "proclaims his own name" as he throws himself into the clash: the tyrant is proud of his fearsome name, accustomed to inspiring terror — but a name will not save one whose cause is lawless. Here is the vanity of a terrifying reputation before true strength: the devourer's loud name is empty when it meets righteous might. So the scripture shows that the two forces have now met face to face in the decisive struggle; and the forest crushed by tree trunks prefigures the coming crushing of Baka himself.