Vaisampayana said, "After some time, Yudhishthira the just, remembering
the command of the _Muni_ (Vyasa) and calling unto himself that bull
among men--Arjuna--possessed of great wisdom, addressed him in private.
Taking hold of Arjuna's hands, with a smiling face and in gentle
accents, that chastiser of foes--the virtuous Yudhishthira--apparently
after reflecting for a moment, spake these words in private unto
Dhananjaya, 'O Bharata, the whole science of arms dwelleth in Bhishma,
and Drona, and Kripa, and Karna, and Drona's son. They fully know all
sorts of _Brahma_ and celestial and human and _Vayavya_ weapons,
together with the modes of using and warding them off. All of them are
conciliated and honoured and gratified by Dhritarashtra's son who
behaveth unto them as one should behave unto his preceptor. Towards all
his warriors Dhritarashtra's son behaveth with great affection; and all
the chiefs honoured and gratified by him, seek his good in return. Thus
honoured by him, they will not fail to put forth their might. The whole
earth, besides, is now under Duryodhana's sway, with all the villages
and towns, O son of Pritha, and all the seas and woods and mines! Thou
alone art our sole refuge. On thee resteth a great burden. I shall,
therefore, O chastiser of all foes, tell thee what thou art to do now. I
have obtained a science from Krishna Dwaipayana. Used by thee, that
science will expose the whole universe to thee. O child, attentively
receive thou that science from me, and in due time (by its aid) attain
thou the grace of the celestials. And, O bull of the Bharata race,
devote thyself to fierce asceticism. Armed with the bow and sword, and
cased in mail, betake thyself to austerities and good vows, and go thou
northwards, O child, without giving way to anybody. O Dhananjaya, all
celestial weapons are with Indra. The celestials, from fear of Vritra,
imparted at the time all their might to Sakra. Gathered together in one
place, thou wilt obtain all weapons. Go thou unto Sakra, he will give
thee all his weapons. Taking the bow set thou out this very day in order
to behold Purandara.'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Having said this, the exalted Yudhishthira the
just, imparted that science unto Arjuna. And the elder brother having
communicated with due rites the Knowledge unto his heroic brother, with
speech and body and mind under perfect control, commanded him to depart.
And at the command of Yudhishthira, the strong-armed Arjuna, taking up
the _Gandiva_ as also his inexhaustible quivers, and accoutred in mail
and gauntlets and finger-protectors made of the skin of the guana, and
having poured oblations into the fire and made the Brahmanas to utter
benedictions after gifts, set out (from _Kamyaka_) with the objects of
beholding Indra. And armed with the bow, the hero, at the time of
setting out heaved a sigh and cast a look upwards for achieving the
death of Dhritarashtra's sons. And beholding Kunti's son thus armed and
about to set out, the Brahmanas and _Siddhas_ and invisible spirits
addressed him, saying, 'O son of Kunti, obtain thou soon what thou
wishest.' And the Brahmanas, also uttering benedictions said, 'Achieve
thou the object thou hast in view. Let victory be truly thine.' And
beholding the heroic Arjuna, of thighs stout as the trunks of the
_Sala_, about to set out taking away with him the hearts of all, Krishna
addressed him saying, 'O thou strong-armed one, let all that Kunti had
desired at thy birth, and let all that thou desirest, be accomplished, O
Dhananjaya! Let no one amongst us be ever again born in the order of
Kshatriyas. I always bow down unto the Brahmanas whose mode of living is
mendicancy. This is my great grief that the wretch Duryodhana beholding
me in the assembly of princes mockingly called me a _cow_! Besides this
he told me in the midst of that assembly many other hard things. But the
grief I experience at parting with thee is far greater than any I felt
at those insults. Certainly, in thy absence, thy brothers will while
away their waking hours in repeatedly talking of thy heroic deeds! If,
however, O son of Pritha, thou stayest away for any length of time, we
shall derive no pleasure from our enjoyments or from wealth. Nay, life
itself will be distasteful to us. O son of Pritha, our weal, and woe,
life and death, our kingdom and prosperity, are all dependent on thee. O
Bharata, I bless thee, let success be thine. O sinless one, thy
(present) task thou wilt be able to achieve even against powerful
enemies. O thou of great strength, go thou to win success with speed.
Let dangers be not thine. I bow to _Dhatri_ and _Vidhatri_! I bless
thee. Let prosperity be thine. And, O Dhananjaya, let _Hri, Sree, Kirti,
Dhriti, Pushti, Uma, Lakshmi, Saraswati_, all protect thee on thy way,
for thou ever worshippest thy elder brother and ever obeyest his
commands. And, O bull of the Bharata race, I bow to the Vasus, the
Rudras and Adityas, the Manilas, the Viswadevas, and the Sadhyas, for
procuring thy welfare. And, O Bharata, be thou safe from all spirits of
mischief belonging to the sky, the earth, and the heaven, and from such
other spirits generally.'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Krishna, the daughter of Yajnasena, having
uttered these benedictions, ceased. The strong-armed son of Pandu then,
having walked round his brothers and round Dhaumya also, and taking up
his handsome bow, set out. And all creatures began to leave the way that
Arjuna of great energy and prowess, urged by the desire of beholding
Indra, took. And that slayer of foes passed over many mountains
inhabited by ascetics, and then reached the sacred Himavat, the resort
of the celestials. And the high-souled one reached the sacred mountain
in one day, for like the winds he was gifted with the speed of the mind,
in consequence of his ascetic austerities. And having crossed the
Himavat, as also the Gandhamadana, he passed over many uneven and
dangerous spots, walking night and day without fatigue. And having
reached _Indrakila_, Dhananjaya stopped for a moment. And then he heard
a voice in the skies, saying, 'Stop!' And hearing that voice, the son of
Pandu cast his glances all around. And Arjuna, capable of using his left
hand with skill equal to that of his right hand, then beheld before him
an ascetic under the shade of a tree, blazing with _Brahma_ brilliancy,
of a tawny colour, with matted locks, and thin. And the mighty ascetic,
beholding Arjuna stop at that place, addressed him, saying, 'Who art
thou, O child, arrived hither with bow and arrows, and cased in mail and
accoutred in scabbard and gauntlet, and (evidently) wedded to the
customs of the Kshatriya? There is no need of weapons here. This is the
abode of peaceful Brahmanas devoted to ascetic austerities without anger
or joy. There is no use for the bow here, for there is no dispute in
this place of any kind. Therefore throw away, O child, this bow of
thine. Thou hast obtained a pure state of life by coming here. O hero,
there is no man who is like thee in energy and prowess.' That Brahmana
thus addressed Arjuna, with a smiling face, repeatedly. But he succeeded
not in moving Arjuna, firmly devoted to his purpose. The regenerate one,
glad at heart, smilingly addressed Arjuna once more, saying, 'O slayer
of foes, blest be thou! I am Sakra: ask thou the boon thou desirest.'
Thus addressed, that perpetuator of the Kuru race, the heroic Dhananjaya
bending his head and joining his hands, replied unto him of a thousand
eyes, saying, 'Even this is the object of my wishes; grant me this boon,
O illustrious one. I desire to learn from thee all the weapons.' The
chief of the celestials then, smiling, replied unto him cheerfully,
saying, 'O Dhananjaya, when thou hast reached this region, what need is
there of weapons? Thou hast already obtained a pure state of life. Ask
thou for the regions of bliss that thou desirest.' Thus addressed,
Dhananjaya replied unto him of a thousand eyes, saying, 'I desire not
regions of bliss, nor objects of enjoyment, nor the state of a
celestial; what is this talk about happiness? O chief of the celestials,
I do not desire the prosperity of all the gods. Having left my brothers
behind me in the forest, and without avenging myself on the foe, shall I
incur the opprobrium for all ages of all the world?' Thus addressed, the
slayer of Vritra, worshipped of the worlds, consoling him with gentle
words, spake unto the son of Pandu, saying, 'When thou art able to
behold the three-eyed trident-bearing Siva, the lord of all creatures,
it is then, O child, that I will give thee all the celestial weapons.
Therefore, strive thou to obtain the sight of the highest of the gods;
for it is only after thou hast seen him, O son of Kunti, that thou wilt
obtain all thy wishes.' Having spoken thus unto Phalguna, Sakra
disappeared then and there, and Arjuna, devoting himself to asceticism,
remained at that spot.'"