Chapter 158

Vaisampayana continued, “Having approached that one, whose sins had beenconsumed by asceticism, Yudhishthira announced his name, and gladlygreeted him, bending his head. And then Krishna, and Bhima, and thedevout twins, having bowed down their heads unto the royal sage, stood(there) surrounding him. And that priest of the Pandavas, the virtuousDhaumya, also duly approached that vow-observing sage. And by hisprophetic eye that virtuous Muni had already known (the identity of)those foremost of the Kurus, the sons of Pandu. And he said unto them.’Be ye seated.’ And that one of rigid austerities, after having dulyreceived that chief of the Kurus, when the latter with his brothers hadseated himself enquired after his welfare saying, ‘Dost thou not turn thyinclination upon untruth? And art thou intent upon virtue? And. O Partha,hath not thy attention to thy father and thy mother diminished? Are allthy superiors, and the aged, and those versed in the Vedas, honoured bythee? And O Pritha’s son, dost thou not turn thy inclination unto sinfulacts? And dost thou, O best of the Kurus, properly know how to performmeritorious acts, and to eschew wicked deeds? Dost thou not exaltthyself? And are pious men gratified, being honoured by thee? And evendwelling in the woods, dost thou follow virtue alone? And, O Partha, dothnot Dhaumya grieve at thy conduct? Dost thou follow the customs of thyancestors, by charity, and religious observances, and asceticism, andpurity, and candour, and forgiveness? And dost thou go along the waytaken by the royal sages? On the birth of a son in their (respective)lines, the Pitris in their regions, both laugh and grieve, thinking–Willthe sinful acts of this son of ours harm us, or will meritorious deedsconduce to our welfare? He conquereth both the worlds that payeth homageunto his father, and mother, and preceptor, and Agni, and fifthly, thesoul.’ Yudhishthira said, ‘O worshipful one, those duties have beenmentioned by thee as excellent. To the best of my power I duly andproperly discharge them.’

Arshtishena said, ‘During the Parvas sages subsisting on air and watercome unto this best of the mountains ranging through the air. And on thesummits of the mountain are seen amorous Kimpurushas with theirparamours, mutually attached unto each other; as also, O Partha, manyGandharvas and Apsaras clad in white silk vestments; and lovely-lookingVidyadharas, wearing garlands; and mighty Nagas, and Suparnas, andUragas, and others. And on the summits of the mountain are heard, duringthe Parvas, sounds of kettle-drums, and tabors, shells and mridangas. Oforemost of the Bharatas, even by staying here, ye shall hear thosesounds; do ye by no means feel inclined to repair thither. Further, Obest of the Bharata race, it is impossible, to proceed beyond this. Thatplace is the sporting-region of the celestials. There is no accessthither for mortals. O Bharata, at this place all creatures bear ill-willto, and the Rakshasas chastise, that man who committeth aggression, be itever so little. Beyond the summit of this Kailasa cliff, is seen the pathof the celestial sages. If any one through impudence goeth beyond this,the Rakshasas slay him with iron darts and other weapons. There, O child,during the Parvas, he that goeth about on the shoulders of men, evenVaisravana is seen in pomp and grandeur surrounded by the Apsaras. Andwhen that lord of all the Rakshasas is seated on the summit, allcreatures behold him like unto the sun arisen, O best of Bharatas, thatsummit is the sporting-garden of the celestials, and the Danavas, and theSiddhas, and Vaisravana. And during the Parvas, as Tumburu entertaineththe Lord of treasures, the sweet notes of his song are heard all over theGandhamadana. O child, O Yudhishthira, here during the Parvas, allcreatures see and hear marvels like this. O Pandavas, till ye meet withArjuna, do ye stay here, partaking of luscious fruits, and the food ofthe Munis. O child as thou hast come hither, do thou not betray anyimpertinence. And, O child, after living here at thy will and divertingthyself as thou listest, thou wilt at length rule the earth, havingconquered it by the force of thy arms.'”