Chapter 163

Vaisampayana continued, “Dwelling in that best of mountains thosehigh-souled ones observing excellent vows, felt themselves attracted (tothat place), and diverted themselves, eager to behold Arjuna. Andmultitudes of Gandharvas and Maharshis gladly visited those energeticones, possessing prowess, of chaste desires and being the foremost ofthose endued with truth and fortitude. And having arrived at thatexcellent mountain furnished with trees bearing blossoms, those mightycharioteers were exceedingly delighted, even as the Marutas, on arrivingat the celestial regions. And experiencing great exhilaration, they lived(there), seeing the slopes and summits of that mighty mountain, filledwith flowers, and resonant with the cries of peacocks and cranes. And onthat beautiful mountain they beheld lakes filled with lotuses, and havingtheir shores covered with trees, and frequented by darkness, andkarandavas and swans. And the flourishing sporting-regions, graceful onaccount of the various flowers, and abounding in gems, was capable ofcaptivating that king, the dispenser of wealth (Kuvera). And alwaysranging (there), those foremost of ascetics (the Pandavas) were incapableof conceiving (the significance of) that Summit, furnished with mightytrees, and masses of wide-spreading clouds. And, O great hero, owing toits native splendour, and also on account of the brilliance of the annualplants, there was no difference there between night and day. And stayingin the mountain, remaining in which the Sun of unrivalled energycherisheth the mobile and immobile things, those heroes and foremost ofmen beheld the rising and the setting of the Sun. And having seen therising and the setting points of the Sun and the rising and the settingmountain, and all the cardinal points, as well as the intervening spacesever blazing with the rays of the Dispeller of darkness, those heroes, inexpectation of the arrival of that mighty charioteer firm in truth,became engaged in reciting the Vedas, practising the daily rituals,chiefly discharging the religious duties, exercising sacred vows, andabiding by the truth. And saying, ‘Let us even here experience delight byjoining without delay Arjuna accomplished in arms,’ those highly blessedParthas became engaged in the practice of Yoga. And beholding romanticwoods on that mountain, as they always thought of Kiriti, every day andnight appeared unto them even as a year. From that very moment joy hadtaken leave of them when, with Dhaumya’s permission, the high-souledJishnu, matting his hair, departed (for the woods). So, how could they,absorbed in his contemplation, experience happiness there? They hadbecome overwhelmed with grief ever since the moment when at the commandof his brother, Yudhishthira, Jishnu of the tread of a mad elephant haddeparted from the Kamyaka forest. O Bharata, in this way, on thatmountain those descendants of Bharata passed a month with difficulty,thinking of him of the white steeds, who had gone to Vasava’s abode forlearning arms. And Arjuna, having dwelt for five years in the abode ofhim of a thousand eyes, and having from that lord of celestials obtainedall the celestial weapons,–such as those of Agni, of Varuna, of Soma, ofVayu, of Vishnu, of Indra, of Pasupati, of Brahma, of Parameshthi, ofPrajapati, of Yama, of Dhata, of Savita, of Tvashta, and of Vaisravana;and having bowed down to and gone round him of a hundred sacrifices, andtaken his (Indra’s) permission, cheerfully came to the Gandhamadana.”