“Lomasa said, ‘O descendant of Bharata, O king, now hast thou left behind
the mountains Usiravija, Mainaka and Sweta, as well as the Kala hills, O
son of Kunti, O bull among the descendants of Bharata, here flow before
thee the seven Gangas. This spot is pure and holy. Here Agni blazeth
forth without intermission. No son of Manu is able to obtain a sight of
this wonder. Therefore, O son of Pandu, concentrate your mind in order
that he may intently behold these tirthas. Now wilt thou see the
play-ground of the gods, marked with their footprints, as we have passed
the mountain Kala. We shall now ascend that white rock--the mountain
Mandara, inhabited by the Yakshas, Manibhadra and Kuvera, king of the
Yakshas. O king, at this place eighty thousand fleet Gandharvas, and four
times as many Kimpurushas and Yakshas of various shapes and forms,
holding various weapons, attend upon Manibhadra, king of the Yakshas. In
these regions their power is very great. And in speed they are even as
the wind. They can, without doubt, displace even the lord of the
celestials from his seat. Protected by them, and also watched over by the
Rakshasas, these mountains have been rendered inaccessible. Therefore, O
son of Pritha, do thou concentrate thy thoughts. Besides these, O son of
Kunti, here are fierce ministers of Kuvera and his Rakshasa kindred. We
shall have to meet them, and, therefore, O Kunti’s son, gather up thy
energies. O king the mountain Kailasa is six yojanas in height. It
contains a gigantic jujube tree. And, O son of Kunti, numberless gods and
Yakshas and Rakshasas and Kinnaras and Nagas and Suparnas and Gandharvas
pass this way, in going towards Kuvera’s palace. O king, protected by me,
as well as by the might of Bhimasena, and also in virtue of thy own
asceticism and self-command, do thou to-day mix with them. May king
Varuna and Yama, conqueror of battles, and Ganga, and Yamuna, and this
mountain, and the Maruts and the twin Aswins, and all rivers and lakes,
vouchsafe thy safety. And, O effulgent one, mayst thou have safety from
all the celestials and the Asuras, and the Vasus. O Goddess Ganga, I hear
thy roar from this golden mountain, sacred to Indra. O Goddess of high
fortune, in these mountainous regions, protect the king, worshipped by
all of the Ajamidha race. O daughter of the mountain (Himalaya), this
king is about to enter into these mountainous regions. Do thou,
therefore, confer protection upon him.’
“Having thus addressed the river, Lomasa bade Yudhishthira, saying, ‘Be
thou careful.’”
“Yudhishthira said, This confusion of Lomasa is unprecedented. Therefore,
protect ye Krishna, and be not careless. Lomasa knows this place to be
certainly difficult of access. Therefore, do ye practise here the utmost
cleanliness.”
“Vaisampayana said, “He next addressed his brother Bhima of vast prowess,
saying, ‘O Bhimasena, do thou protect Krishna carefully. Whether Arjuna
be near or away, Krishna in times of danger ever seeketh protection from
thee alone.’”
“Then the high-souled monarch approached the twins, Nakula and Sahadeva,
and after smelling their heads, and rubbing their persons, with tears
said unto them, ‘Do not fear. Proceed, however, with caution.”’