Chapter 25

Vaisampayana said,–Arjuna, having obtained that best of bows and thatcouple of inexhaustible quivers and that car and flag-staff, as also thatassembly-house, addressing Yudhisthira said,–Bow, weapons, great energy,allies, territory, fame, army-those, O king, difficult of acquisitionhowever desirable, have all been obtained by me.

I think, therefore, thatwhat should now be done is for the swelling up of our treasury. I desire,O best of monarchs, to make the kings (of the earth) pay tributes to us.I desire to set out, in an auspicious moment of a holy day of the moonunder a favourable constellation for the conquest of the direction thatis presided over by the Lord of treasures (viz. the North).”

Vaisampayana continued,–“King Yudhisthira the just, hearing these wordsof Dhananjaya, replied unto him in a grave and collected tone, saying,–Obull of the Bharata race, set thou out, having made holy Brahmanas utterbenedictions on thee, to plunge thy enemies in sorrow and to fill thyfriend with joy. Victory, O son of Pritha, will surely be thine, and thouwilt surely obtain thy desires fulfilled.

“Thus addressed, Arjuna, surrounded by a large host, set out in thatcelestial car of wonderful achievements he had obtained from Agni. AndBhimasena also, and those bull among men, the twins, dismissed withaffection by Yudhishthira the just set out, each at the head of a largearmy. And Arjuna, the son of the chastiser of Paka then brought undersubjugation that direction (the North) which was presided over by theLord of treasures. And Bhimasena overcome by force the East and Sahadevathe South, and Nakula, O king, acquainted with all the weapons, conqueredthe West. Thus while his brothers were so employed, the exalted kingYudishthira the just stayed within Khandavaprastha in the enjoyment ofgreat affluence in the midst of friends and relatives.”

“Bhagadatta, hearing this, said,–‘O thou who hast Kunto for thy mother,as thou art to me, so is Yudhishthira also. I shall do all this. Tell me,what else I may do for thee.”