“Yudhishthira said, ‘O Vrikodara, there are mighty and powerful invisible
spirits at this place. We shall, however, pass it, through the merit of
our asceticism and Agnihotra sacrifices. O son of Kunti, do thou
therefore, restrain thy hunger and thirst by collecting thy energies, and
also, O Vrikodara have recourse to thy strength and cleverness. O Kunti’s
son, thou hast heard what the sage (Lomasa) had said regarding mount
Kailasa. Ascertain, therefore, after deliberation, how Krishna will pass
the spot. Or, O mighty Bhima of large eyes, do return from hence, taking
with thee Sahadeva, and all our charioteers, cooks, servants, cars,
horses, and Brahmanas worn out with travel, while I together with Nakula
and the sage Lomasa of severe austerities proceed, subsisting on the
lightest fare and observing vows. Do thou in expectation of my return,
cautiously wait at the source of the Ganga, protecting Draupadi till I
come back.’
“Bhima replied, ‘O descendant of Bharata, although this blessed princess
hath been sore afflicted by toil and distress, yet she easily proceedeth,
in the hope of beholding him of the white steeds (Arjuna). Thy dejection
also is already very great at not seeing the high-souled Arjuna, who
never retreateth from fight. O Bharata, it is superfluous then to say
that if thou seest neither myself nor Sahadeva nor Krishna, thy dejection
will certainly increase. The Brahmanas had better return with our
servants, charioteers cooks and whomsoever else thou mayst command. I
never shall leave thee in these rugged and inaccessible mountainous
regions, infested by Rakshasas. And, O tiger among men, also this
princess of high fortune, ever devoted to her lords, desireth not to
return without thee. Sahadeva is always devoted to thee; he too will
never retrace his steps. His disposition is known to me. O king, O mighty
monarch, we are all eager to behold Savyasachin, and therefore, will we
all go together. If we are unable to go over this mountain in our cars,
abounding as it doth in defiles, well, we would go on foot. Trouble
thyself not, O king, I shall carry Panchala’s daughter wherever she will
be incapable of walking. O king, I have decided upon this. Therefore let
not thy mind be distracted. I shall also carry over inaccessible tracts
those tender-bodied heroes, the twins, the delight of their mother,
wherever they will be incapable of proceeding.’
“Yudhishthira said, ‘May thy strength increase, O Bhima, as thou speakest
thus, and as thou boldly undertakest to carry the illustrious Panchali
and these twins. Blessed be thou! Such courage dwelleth not in any other
individual. May thy strength, fame, merit, and reputation increase! O
long-armed one, as thou offerest to carry Krishna and our brothers the
twins, exhaustion and defeat never be thine!”
Vaisampayana said, “Then the charming Krishna said with a smile, ‘O
descendant of Bharata, I shall be able to go, and, therefore, be thou not
anxious on my account.’
“Lomasa said, ‘Access to the mountain, Gandhamadana, is only to be
obtained by dint of asceticism. Therefore, O son of Kunti, shall we all
practise austerities, O king, Nakula, Sahadeva, Bhimasena, thou and
myself shall then see him of the white steeds, O Kunti’s son.’”
Vaisampayana said, “O king, thus conversing together, they saw with
delight the extensive domains of Suvahu, situated on the Himalayas
abounding in horses and elephants, densely inhabited by the Kiratas and
the Tanganas, crowded by hundreds of Pulindas, frequented by the
celestials, and rife with wonders. King Suvahu, the lord of the Pulindas,
cheerfully received them at the frontiers of his dominions, paying them
proper respect. Having been thus received with honour, and having dwelt
comfortably at this place, they started for the mountain Himalaya, when
the sun shone brightly in the firmament. And, O king, having entrusted to
the care of the lord of the Pulindas, all their servants--Indrasena and
the others,--and the cooks and the stewards, and Draupadi’s
accoutrements, and every thing else, those mighty charioteers, the son of
the Kurus, endued with great prowess, set out from that country, and
began to proceed cautiously with Krishna,--all of them cheerful in the
expectation of beholding Arjuna.”
“Yudhishthira said, ‘O Bhimasena, O Panchali, and ye twins, hearken unto
my words. The acts done (by a person) in a former birth do not perish,
(without producing their effects). Behold! Even we have become rangers of
the wilderness. Even to see Dhananjaya, exhausted and distressed as we
are, we have to bear each other, and pass through impassable places. This
burneth me even as fire doth a heap of cotton. O hero, I do not see
Dhananjaya at my side. I reside in the wood with my younger brothers,
anxious for beholding him. This thought, as also the memory of that grave
insult offered to Yajanaseni, consumes me. O Vrikodara, I do not see the
invincible Partha of strong bow and incomparable energy, and who is the
immediate elder to Nakula. For this, O Vrikodara, I am miserable. In
order to see that hero, Dhananjaya, firm in promise, for these five years
have I been wandering in various tirthas, and beautiful forests and lakes
and yet I do meet with him. For this, O Vrikodara, I am miserable. I do
not see the long-armed Gudakesa, of dark blue hue, and leonine gait. For
this, O Vrikodara, I am miserable. I do not see that foremost of Kurus,
accomplished in arms, skilful in fight, and matchless among bowmen. For
this, O Vrikodara, I am miserable. Distressed for I am I do not see that
son of Pritha, Dhananjaya, born under the influence of the star Phalguni;
ranging amidst foes even like Yama at the time of the universal
dissolution; possessed of the prowess of an elephant with the temporal
juice trickling down; endued with leonine shoulders; not inferior to
Sakra himself in prowess and energy; elder in years to the twins; of
white steeds; unrivalled in heroism; invincible; and wielding a strong
bow. For this, O Vrikodara, I am miserable. And he is always of a
forgiving temper,--even when insulted by the meanest individual. And he
conferreth benefit and protection to the righteous; but to that tortuous
person who by craft attempts to do him mischief, Dhananjaya is like unto
virulent poison, albeit that one were Sakra himself. And the mighty
Vibhatsu of immeasurable soul and possessing great strength, showeth
mercy and extendeth protection even to a foe when fallen. And he is the
refuge of us all and he crusheth his foes in fight. And he hath the power
to collect any treasure whatever, and he ministereth unto our happiness.
It was through his prowess that I had owned formerly measureless precious
jewels of various kinds which at present Syodhana hath usurped. It was by
his might, O hero, that I had possessed before that palatial amphitheatre
embellished with all manner of jewels, and celebrated throughout the
three worlds. O Pandu’s son, in prowess, Phalguni is like unto Vasudeva,
and in fight he is invincible and unrivalled, even like unto Kartavirya.
Alas! I see him not, O Bhima. In might, that conqueror of foes goeth in
the wake of the invincible and most powerful Sankarshana (Valarama) and
Vasudeva. In strength of arms, and spirit, he is like unto Purandara
himself. And in swiftness, he is even as the wind, and in grace, as the
moon, and in ire, he is the eternal Death himself. O mighty-armed one,
with the object of beholding that war-like tiger among men, shall we
repair to the Gandhamadana mountain, where lies the hermitage of Nara and
Narayana at the site of the celebrated jujube tree, and which is
inhabited by the Yakshas. We shall see that best of mountains. And,
practising severe austerities only on foot we shall go to Kuvera’s
beautiful lake guarded by Rakshasas. That place cannot be reached by
vehicles, O Vrikodara. Neither can cruel or avaricious, or irascible
people attain to that spot, O Bharata’s son. O Bhima, in order to see
Arjuna, thither shall we repair, in company, with Brahmanas of strict
vows, girding on our swords, and wielding our bows. Those only that are
impure, meet with flies gad-flies, mosquitoes, tigers, lions, and
reptiles, but the pure never come across them. Therefore, regulating our
fare, and restraining our senses, we shall go to the Gandhamadana,
desirous of seeing Dhananjaya.’”