Vaisampayana said,--"that heroic and foremost of the Pandavas endued
with great energy, crossing the White mountains, subjugated the country
of the Limpurushas ruled by Durmaputra, after a collision involving a
great slaughter of Kshatriyas, and brought the region under his
complete sway. Having reduced that country, the son of Indra (Arjuna)
with a collected mind marched at the head of his troops to the country
called Harataka, ruled by the Guhakas. Subjugating them by a policy of
conciliation, the Kuru prince beheld (in that region) that excellent of
lakes called Manasa and various other lakes and tanks sacred to the
Rishis. And the exalted prince having arrived at the lake Manasa
conquered the regions ruled by the Gandharvas that lay around the
Harataka territories. Here the conqueror took, as tribute from the
country, numerous excellent horses called Tittiri, Kalmasha, Manduka.
At last the son of the slayer of Paka, arriving in the country of North
Harivarsha desired to conquer it. Thereupon certain frontier-guards of
huge bodies and endued with great strength and energy, coming to him
with gallant hearts, said, 'O son of Pritha, this country can be never
conquered by thee. If thou seekest thy good, return hence. He that
entereth this region, if human, is sure to perish. We have been
gratified with thee; O hero, thy conquests have been enough. Nor is
anything to be seen here, O Arjuna, that may be conquered by thee. The
Northern Kurus live here. There cannot be war here. Even if thou
enterest it, thou will not be able to behold anything, for with human
eyes nothing can be seen here. If, however thou seekest anything else,
O Bharata tell us, O tiger among men, so that we may do thy bidding.'
Thus addressed by them, Arjuna smilingly addressing them, said,--'I
desire the acquisition of the imperial dignity by Yudhishthira the
just, of great intelligence. If your land is shut against human beings,
I shall not enter it. Let something be paid unto Yudhishthira by ye as
tribute.' Hearing these words of Arjuna, they gave him as tribute many
cloths and ornaments of celestial make, silks of celestial texture and
skins of celestial origin.
"It was thus that tiger among men subjugated the countries that lay to
the North, having fought numberless battles with both Kshatriya and
robber tribes. And having vanquished the chiefs and brought them under
his sway he exacted from them much wealth, various gems and jewels, the
horses of the species called Tittiri and Kalmasha, as also those of the
colour of the parrot's wings and those that were like the peacocks in
hue and all endued with the speed of the wind. And surrounded, O king,
by a large army consisting of the four kinds of forces, the hero came
back to the excellent city of Sakraprastha. And Partha offered the
whole of that wealth, together with the animals he had brought, unto
Yudhishthira the just. And commanded by the monarch, the hero retired
to a chamber of the palace for rest."