Vaisampayana continued, "Dwelling in that best of mountains those
high-souled ones observing excellent vows, felt themselves attracted (to
that place), and diverted themselves, eager to behold Arjuna. And
multitudes of _Gandharvas_ and _Maharshis_ gladly visited those
energetic ones, possessing prowess, of chaste desires and being the
foremost of those endued with truth and fortitude. And having arrived at
that excellent mountain furnished with trees bearing blossoms, those
mighty charioteers were exceedingly delighted, even as the _Marutas_, on
arriving at the celestial regions. And experiencing great exhilaration,
they lived (there), seeing the slopes and summits of that mighty
mountain, filled with flowers, and resonant with the cries of peacocks
and cranes. And on that beautiful mountain they beheld lakes filled with
lotuses, and having their shores covered with trees, and frequented by
darkness, and _karandavas_ and swans. And the flourishing
sporting-regions, graceful on account of the various flowers, and
abounding in gems, was capable of captivating that king, the dispenser
of wealth (_Kuvera_). And always ranging (there), those foremost of
ascetics (the Pandavas) were incapable of conceiving (the significance
of) that Summit, furnished with mighty trees, and masses of
wide-spreading clouds. And, O great hero, owing to its native splendour,
and also on account of the brilliance of the annual plants, there was no
difference there between night and day. And staying in the mountain,
remaining in which the Sun of unrivalled energy cherisheth the mobile
and immobile things, those heroes and foremost of men beheld the rising
and the setting of the Sun. And having seen the rising and the setting
points of the Sun and the rising and the setting mountain, and all the
cardinal points, as well as the intervening spaces ever blazing with the
rays of the Dispeller of darkness, those heroes, in expectation 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, and abiding by the truth.
And saying, 'Let us even here experience delight by joining without
delay Arjuna accomplished in arms,' those highly blessed Parthas became
engaged in the practice of _Yoga_. And beholding romantic woods on that
mountain, as they always thought of _Kiriti_, every day and night
appeared unto them even as a year. From that very moment joy had taken
leave of them when, with Dhaumya's permission, the high-souled _Jishnu_,
matting his hair, departed (for the woods). So, how could they, absorbed
in his contemplation, experience happiness there? They had become
overwhelmed with grief ever since the moment when at the command of his
brother, Yudhishthira, _Jishnu_ of the tread of a mad elephant had
departed from the _Kamyaka_ forest. O Bharata, in this way, on that
mountain those descendants of Bharata passed a month with difficulty,
thinking of him of the white steeds, who had gone to _Vasava's_ abode
for learning arms. And Arjuna, having dwelt for five years in the abode
of him of a thousand eyes, and having from that lord of celestials
obtained all the celestial weapons,--such as those of _Agni_, of
_Varuna_, of _Soma_, of _Vayu_, of _Vishnu_, of _Indra_, of _Pasupati_,
of _Brahma_, of _Parameshthi_, of _Prajapati_, of _Yama_, of _Dhata_, of
_Savita_, of _Tvashta_, and of _Vaisravana_; and having bowed down to
and gone round him of a hundred sacrifices, and taken his (Indra's)
permission, cheerfully came to the Gandhamadana."