Chapter 220

“Vaisampayana said, ‘Then Arjuna of immeasurable prowess saw, one afteranother, all the sacred waters and other holy places that were on theshores of the western ocean. Vibhatsu reached the sacred spot calledPrabhasa.

When the invisible Arjuna arrived at that sacred and delightfulregion, the slayer of Madhu (Krishna) heard of it. Madhava soon wentthere to see his friend, the son of Kunti. Krishna and Arjuna mettogether and embracing each other enquired after each other’s welfare.Those dear friends, who were none else than the Rishis Nara and Narayanaof old, sat down. Vasudeva asked Arjuna about his travels, saying, ‘Why,O Pandava art thou wandering over the earth, beholding all the sacredwaters and other holy places?’ Then Arjuna told him everything that hadhappened. Hearing everything, that mighty hero of Vrishni’s race said,’This is as it should be.’ And Krishna and Arjuna having sported as theyliked, for some time at Prabhasa, went to the Raivataka mountain to passsome days there. Before they arrived at Raivataka, that mountain had, atthe command of Krishna been well-adorned by many artificers. Much foodalso had, at Krishna’s command, been collected there. Enjoying everythingthat had been collected there for him, Arjuna sat with Vasudeva to seethe performances of the actors and the dancers. Then the high-souledPandava, dismissing them all with proper respect, laid himself down on awell-adorned and excellent bed. As the strong-armed one lay on thatexcellent bed, he described unto Krishna everything about the sacredwaters, the lakes and the mountains, the rivers and the forests he hadseen. While he was speaking of these, stretched upon that celestial bed,sleep, O Janamejaya, stole upon him. He rose in the morning, awakened, bysweet songs and melodious notes of the Vina (guitar) and the panegyricsand benedictions of the bards. After he had gone through the necessaryacts and ceremonies, he was affectionately accosted by him of the Vrishnirace. Riding upon a golden car, the hero then set out for Dwaraka, thecapital of the Yadavas. And, O Janamejaya, for honouring the son ofKunti, the city of Dwaraka, was well-adorned, even all the gardens andhouses within it. The citizens of Dwaraka, desirous of beholding the sonof Kunti, began to pour eagerly into the public thoroughfares by hundredsof thousands. In the public squares and thoroughfares, hundreds andthousands of women, mixing with the men, swelled the great crowd of theBhojas, the Vrishnis, and the Andhakas, that had collected there. Arjunawas welcomed with respect by all the sons of Bhojas, the Vrishnis, andthe Andhakas. And he, in his turn, worshipped those that deserved hisworship, receiving their blessings. The hero was welcomed withaffectionate reception by all the young men of the Yadava tribe. Herepeatedly embraced all that were equal to him in age. Wending then tothe delightful mansion of Krishna that was filled with gems and everyarticle of enjoyment, he took up his abode there with Krishna for manydays.'”