Bhima Kills Kirmira

Mahabharata Vanaparva Kirmiravadha parva section XI

Sri Sadgurubhyoh Namah

Dhritarashtra asks Vidura to narrate the account of Kirmira's death at the hands of Bhima. Kshatta (Vidura) narrates in detail how the mighty armed Bhima vanquished the cannibal Kirmira.

Kirmira is a Rakshasa and brother of Bakasura the cannibal.Bhima has killed Bakasura while in Ekachakrapuram. Pandavas after losing their kingdom leave the Hastinapur kingdom and reach the forest Kamyaka at midnight after travelling for three days and three nights. The kamyaka forest is full of cannibals, rakshasas, and man eating demons. They encounter a fearful rakshasa, who has red eyes, and spiked hair. He spreads an illusion of dreadful winds, dust, fearful cries which disturbs the forest animals at the night. Draupadi closes her eyes out of fear. The Guru of Pandavas, Dhaumya, then dispels the demonaic illusion through powerful Vedic mantras. The Rakshasa appears before them in dreadful form. Yudhistir addresses him and asks him "Who are you ? what do you want from us ? what can we do for you ? Who's son are you ?". The rakshasa says "I am Kirmira, brother of Baka, I am a cannibal and will defeat you and eat you up".

Then Yudhistir says "I am Yudhistir, son of Pandu, I lost my kingdom and along with my brothers Bhima, Arjuna has come to this forest to spend time here". Kirmira says "It is a great good fortune that I come accross Bhima who killed my brother Baka. I will kill Bhima, and with this blood will take revenge for the death of my brother. I have been searching for Bhima for a long time.". 

At the command of Yudhistir, Bhima engages in a fight with Kirmira. Bhima tears up a tree and smashes it on the head of Kirmira which gets shattered but the rakshasa is unaffected. Kirmira and Bhima trade blows with each other and they fight with trees, stones, and mace. Bhima sees that Kirmira is getting tired and picks him up and twirls him till Kirmira faints and throws him down. Bhima catches hold of head and legs of Kirmira and breaks his body in the middle.

Pandavas praise Bhima, and they stay in that forest after ridding it of that rakshasa. 

The blind king Dhritarashtra listens to this account of Kirmira's death at the hand of Bhima from Vidura and sighs sorrowfully and sits silently in deep thought.

My thoughts : I think Dhritarastra has purposefully setup this encounter between Kirmira and Bhima hoping that Kirmira will kill Pandavas and eat them up.