Vaka

During the third age of Treta Yuga, there was a twon known as Ekachakra, where lived a Rakshasa from the netherworld by the name of Vaka. The king of that kingdom was weak and Vaka terrorized the kingdom. He ruled that kingdom and protected the kingdom from neighoring rival kingdoms, but the residents should send him a cart-load of food. He will eat the whole food including the human and the buffalos that drove the cart. One after another, the house-holders have to send him this food. The turn, however, cometh to a particular family at intervals of many long years. If there are any that seek to avoid it, the Rakshasa slayeth them with their children and wives and devoureth them all.

The mighty Pandavas, renowned for their strength and skill in battle, traveled from forest to forest in search of food. They hunted deer and other animals to sustain themselves during their exile. As they journeyed, they passed through many different lands, including the regions of the Matsyas, the Trigartas, the Panchalas, and the Kichakas. Along the way, they marveled at the stunning beauty of the forests, lakes, and landscapes that stretched before them.

Throughout their travels, the Pandava brothers lived in simplicity, adopting the lifestyle of ascetics. Their hair was matted and untamed, and they wore garments made from tree bark and the hides of animals. Despite their noble birth, they chose to embrace humility, surviving as hermits in the wilderness. Their thoughts were focused on survival, but they also held hope for a brighter future that lay ahead.

After a long journey, the brothers eventually arrived in Ekachakra, where a kind family offered them refuge. Grateful, the Pandavas settled in and found peace within this household. However, one fateful day, Kunti, their mother, overheard the anguished cries of the family. It was that time again—Vaka’s feast day—and the family's turn had come.

With heavy hearts, the family awaited the grim arrival of the terrifying Rakshasa. The homeowner’s teenage son, knowing it was his duty, bravely volunteered to take the cart to Vaka. The family, though filled with sorrow, knew they had no choice but to send him. Grief filled the house as they prepared for the inevitable.

Kunti, with a calm but resolute voice, said, "My second son is a great wrestler. He will go with the cart."

The homeowner, shocked by her words, immediately tried to dissuade her, his voice trembling with concern. "No, please, you must not! The task is too dangerous. You do not understand the horror of what is to come. It is a death sentence to anyone who goes."

Kunti said, "That son of mine possesses great strength and energy, and he is skilled in the use of mantras. He will faithfully deliver the food to the Rakshasa, but I am certain he will rescue himself. I have seen many mighty Rakshasas, fierce and huge, battle with my heroic son, and he has defeated them. But, O Brahmana, I ask you not to reveal this to anyone. If it becomes known, those who seek such power may come to my sons, troubling them out of curiosity."

When the night passed, Bhimasena, the son of Pandu, took the food meant for the Rakshasa and set out for the creature's lair. As the mighty son of Pandu approached the forest where the Rakshasa dwelled, he began to eat the food himself, all the while loudly calling out the Rakshasa’s name. Enraged by Bhima's audacity, the Rakshasa stormed out and made his way toward where Bhima stood.

The Rakshasa was a towering figure of immense strength, with fiery red eyes, a red beard, and hair to match. His very presence was terrifying, and each step he took left deep impressions in the earth. His mouth stretched from ear to ear, and his ears were straight and sharp like arrows. His grim face bore a forehead marked by three furrowed lines. When he saw Bhima eating his food, the Rakshasa advanced toward him, gnawing at his lower lip and glaring at Bhima with eyes wide in fury.

He growled at Bhima, "Who is this fool, seeking to reach Yama's realm, eating in my very sight the food meant for me?"

In response, Bhima, smiling with quiet disdain, ignored the Rakshasa's words and kept eating, turning his face away. Angered by this defiance, the Rakshasa let out a horrible yell, raising both arms to strike and running at Bhima, intent on killing him right there. Despite the threat, Bhima continued eating without so much as a glance at the enraged Rakshasa.

Enraged even further, the Rakshasa struck Bhima from behind with a powerful blow to his back. However, Bhima, unfazed by the blow and showing no reaction, continued his meal, still keeping his focus on the food. This only fueled the Rakshasa's fury, and with a roar, he uprooted a large tree and charged at Bhima again, determined to strike him down once more.

Meanwhile, the mighty Bhima, the bull among men, leisurely finished eating all of the food. After washing himself, he stood up, cheerful and ready for a fight. With a smile of derision, Bhima, filled with great energy, caught the tree the Rakshasa hurled at him with his left hand. In his fury, the Rakshasa tore up more trees and threw them at Bhima, and the Pandava retaliated by hurling just as many back at the Rakshasa. The battle of trees between the two became so intense that soon the entire area was stripped of its trees.

The Rakshasa, announcing himself as Vaka, then sprang upon Bhima, seizing him with his powerful arms. Bhima, undaunted, locked his own strong arms around the Rakshasa and, with great effort, began to drag him toward the ground. As they pulled against each other, the earth trembled from the force of their struggle, and mighty trees shattered from the power they both exerted.

Seeing the Rakshasa grow weary, Bhima pressed him down onto the ground with his knees and began to strike him with powerful blows. With one knee on the Rakshasa’s back, Bhima gripped the creature’s neck with his right hand and its waistcloth with his left. With a great heave, he bent the Rakshasa in half, applying immense force. The Rakshasa let out a terrifying roar as he began to vomit blood from the crushing pressure Bhima applied, his body broken over the Pandava’s knee.

Then, Vaka, as massive as a mountain, was broken on Bhima's knee and died, letting out terrifying yells. The fearsome sounds of his death sent a wave of terror through the Rakshasa's kin, who emerged with their attendants to investigate.

Bhima, the greatest of warriors, saw their fear and confusion and approached them with words of calm. He reassured them, saying, "Do not kill human beings again. If you do, you will meet the same fate as Vaka."

Upon hearing these words, the Rakshasas, realizing the truth in them, responded, "So be it," and vowed to abandon their cannibalistic ways.

From that day forward, the Rakshasas of the region were seen by the townspeople to be much more peaceful and no longer hostile toward mankind.

Afterward, Bhima, dragging Vaka's lifeless body, placed it at one of the town's gates. Then, unseen by anyone, he departed. Upon finding the slain Rakshasa, Vaka's relatives were filled with terror and scattered, fleeing in all directions.