Then with his down standing erect, the nobleminded Bhima, joining his hands, replied unto Hanuman saying (there), 'O lord, by me have been beheld the vast dimensions of thy body. Do thou (now), O highly powerful one, decrease thyself by thy own
power. Surely I cannot look at thee, like unto the sun risen, and of immeasurable (power), and
irrepressible, and resembling the mountain Mainaka. O hero, to-day this wonder of my heart is very
great, that thou remaining by his side, Rama should have encountered Ravana personally.

Depending on the strength of thy arms, thou wert capable of instantly destroying Lanka, with its warriors, and horses,
elephants and chariots. Surely, O son of the wind-god, there is nothing that is incapable of being
achieved by thee; and in fight, Ravana together with his followers was no match for thee single-handed."

Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed by Bhima, Hanuman, the chief of monkeys, answered in
affectionate words uttered in solemn accents. "O mighty-armed one, O Bharata, it is even as thou sayest.
O Bhimasena, that worst of Rakshasas was no match for me. But if I had slain Ravana--that thorn of the
worlds--the glory of Raghu's son would have been obscured;--and for this it is that I left him alone. By
slaying that lord of the Rakshasas together with his followers, and bringing back Sita unto his own city,
that hero hath established his fame among men.

Vana Parva: Section 145