Vaisampayana said, "After all those illustrious ascetics had gone away,
that wielder of the _Pinaka_ and cleanser of all sins--the illustrious
Hara--assuming the form of a _Kirata_ resplendent as a golden tree, and
with a huge and stalwart form like a second _Meru_, and taking up a
handsome bow and a number of arrows resembling snakes of virulent poison,
and looking like an embodiment of fire, came quickly down on the breast
of Himavat. And the handsome god of gods was accompanied by Uma in the
guise of a Kirata woman, and also by a swarm of merry spirits of various
forms and attire, and by thousands of women in the form and attire of
Kiratas. And, O king, that region suddenly blazed up in beauty, in
consequence of the arrival of the god of gods in such company. And soon
enough a solemn stillness pervaded the place. The sounds of springs, and
water-courses, and of birds suddenly ceased. And as the god of gods
approached Pritha's son of blameless deeds, he beheld a wonderful sight,
even that of a Danava named Muka, seeking, in the form of a boar, to
slay Arjuna. Phalguna, at the sight of the enemy seeking to slay him,
took up the _Gandiva_ and a number of arrows resembling snakes of
virulent poison. And stringing his bow and filling the air with its
twang, he addressed the boar and said, 'I have come here but done thee
no injury. As thou seekest to slay me, I shall certainly send thee to
the abode of Yama.' And beholding that firm wielder of the
bow--Phalguna--about to slay the boar, Sankara in the guise of a
_Kirata_ suddenly bade him stop saying, 'The boar like the mountain of
_Indrakila_ in hue hath been aimed at by me first'; Phalguna, however,
disregarding these words, struck the boar. The _Kirata_ also blazing
splendour, let fly an arrow like flaming fire and resembling the
thunderbolt at the same object. And the arrows thus shot by both fell at
the same instant of time upon the wide body of Muka, hard as adamant.
And the two shafts fell upon the boar with a loud sound, even like that
of Indra's thunderbolt and the thunder of the clouds falling together
upon the breast of a mountain. And Muka, thus struck by two shafts which
produced numerous arrows resembling snakes of blazing mouths, yielded up
his life, assuming once more his terrible Rakshasa form. Jishnu--that
slayer of foes--then beheld before him that person, of form blazing as
god, and attired in the dress of a _Kirata_ and accompanied by many
women. And beholding him, the son of Kunti with a joyous heart addressed
him smilingly and said, 'Who art thou that thus wanderest in these
solitary woods, surrounded by women? thou of the splendour of gold, art
thou not afraid of this terrible forest? Why, again, didst thou shoot
the boar that was first aimed at by me? This _Rakshasa_ that came
hither, listlessly or with the object of slaying me, had been first
aimed at by me. Thou shalt not, therefore, escape from me with life. Thy
behaviour towards me is not consistent with the customs of the chase.
Therefore, O mountaineer, I will take thy life.' Thus addressed by the
son of Pandu, the _Kirata_, smiling, replied unto him capable of
wielding the bow with his left hand, in soft words, saying, 'O hero,
thou needst not be anxious on my account. This forest land is proper
abode for us who always dwell in the woods. Respecting thyself, however,
I may inquire, why thou hast selected thy abode here amid such
difficulties. We, O ascetic, have our habitation in these woods
abounding in animals of all kinds. Why dost thou, so delicate and
brought up in luxury and possessed of the splendour of fire, dwell alone
in such a solitary region?' Arjuna said, 'Depending on the _Gandiva_ and
arrows blazing like fire, I live in this great forest, like a second
_Pavaki_. Thou hast seen how this monster--this terrible
_Rakshasa_--that came hither in the form of an animal, hath been slain
by me.' The _Kirata_ replied, 'This _Rakshasa_, first struck with the
shot from my bow, was killed and sent to the regions of Yama by me. He
was first aimed at by me. And it is with my shot that he has been
deprived of life. Proud of thy strength, it behoveth thee not to impute
thy own fault to others. Thou art thyself in fault, O wretch, and,
therefore, shalt not escape from me with life. Stay thou: I will shoot
at thee shafts like thunderbolts. Strive thou also and shoot, to the
best of thy power, thy arrows at me.' Hearing these words of the
_Kirata_, Arjuna became angry, and attacked him with arrows. The
_Kirata_, however, with a glad heart received all those shafts upon
himself, repeatedly saying, 'Wretch, wretch, shoot thou best arrows
capable of piercing into the very vitals.' Thus addressed, Arjuna began
to shower his arrows on him. Both of them then became angry and,
engaging in fierce conflict, began to shoot at each other showers of
arrows, each resembling a snake of virulent poison. And Arjuna rained a
perfect shower of arrows on the _Kirata_. Sankara, however, bore that
downpour on him with a cheerful heart. But the wielder of the _Pinaka_,
having borne that shower of arrows for a moment, stood unwounded,
immovable like a hill. Dhananjaya, beholding his arrowy shower become
futile, wondered exceedingly, repeatedly saying, 'Excellent! Excellent!
Alas, this mountaineer of delicate limbs, dwelling on the heights of the
Himavat, beareth, without wavering, the shafts shot from the _Gandiva_!
Who is he? Is he Rudra himself, or some other god, or a Yaksha, or an
Asura? The gods sometimes do descend on the heights of the Himavat.
Except the god who wieldeth the _Pinaka_, there is none rise that can
bear the impetuosity of the thousands of arrows shot by me from the
_Gandiva_. Whether he is a god or a Yaksha, in fact, anybody except
Rudra, I shall soon send him, with my shafts, to the regions of Yama.'
Thus thinking, Arjuna, with a cheerful heart, began, O king, to shoot
arrows by hundreds, resembling in splendour the rays of the sun. That
downpour of shafts, however, the illustrious Creator of the worlds--the
wielder of the trident--bore with a glad heart, like a mountain bearing
a shower of rocks. Soon, however, the arrows of Phalguna were exhausted.
And noticing this fact, Arjuna became greatly alarmed. And the son of
Pandu then began to think of the illustrious god Agni who had before,
during the burning of the _Khandava_, given him a couple of
inexhaustible quivers. And he began to think, 'Alas, my arrows are all
exhausted. What shall I shoot now from my bow? Who is this person that
swalloweth my arrows? Slaying him with the end of my bow, as elephants
are killed with lances, I shall send him to the domains of the
mace-bearing Yama.' The illustrious Arjuna then, taking up his bow and
dragging the _Kirata_ with his bow-string, struck him some fierce blows
that descended like thunderbolts. When, however, that slayer of hostile
heroes--the son of Kunti--commenced the conflict with the end of the
bow, the mountaineer snatched from his hands that celestial bow. And
beholding his bow snatched from him, Arjuna took up his sword, and
wishing to end the conflict, rushed at his foe. And then the Kuru
prince, with the whole might of his arms, struck that sharp weapon upon
the head of the _Kirata_, a weapon that was incapable of being resisted
even by solid rocks. But that first of swords, at touch of the
_Kirata's_ crown, broke into pieces. Phalguna then commenced the
conflict with trees and stones. The illustrious god in the form of the
huge-bodied _Kirata_, however, bore that shower of trees and rocks with
patience. The mighty son of Pritha then, his mouth smoking with wrath,
struck the invincible god in the form of a Kirata, with his clenched
fists, blows that descended like thunderbolts. The god in the _Kirata_
form returned Phalguna's blows with fierce blows resembling the
thunderbolts of Indra. And in consequence of that conflict of blows
between the son of Pandu and the _Kirata_, there arose in that place
loud and frightful sounds. That terrible conflict of blows, resembling
the conflict of yore between Vritra and Vasava, lasted but for a moment.
The mighty Jishnu clasping the _Kirata_ began to press him with his
breast, but the _Kirata_, possessed of great strength pressed the
insensible son of Pandu with force. And in consequence of the pressure
of their arms and of their breasts, their bodies began to emit smoke
like charcoal in fire. The great god then, smiting the already smitten
son of Pandu, and attacking him in anger with his full might, deprived
him of his senses. Then, O Bharata, Phalguna, thus pressed by the god of
the gods, with limbs, besides, bruised and mangled, became incapable of
motion and was almost reduced to a ball of flesh. And struck by the
illustrious god, he became breathless and, falling down on earth without
power of moving, looked like one that was dead. Soon, however, he
regained consciousness, and, rising from his prostrate position, with
body covered with blood, became filled with grief. Mentally prostrating
himself before the gracious god of gods, and making a clay image of that
deity, he worshipped it, with offerings of floral garlands. Beholding,
however, the garland that he had offered to the clay image of Bhava,
decking the crown of the _Kirata_, that best of Pandu's sons became
filled with joy and regained his ease. And he prostrated himself
thereupon at the feet of Bhava, and the god also was pleased with him.
And Hara, beholding the wonder of Arjuna and seeing that his body had
been emaciated with ascetic austerities, spake unto him in a voice deep
as the roaring of the clouds, saying, 'O Phalguna, I have been pleased
with thee for thy act is without a parallel. There is no Kshatriya who
is equal to thee in courage, and patience. And, O sinless one, thy
strength and prowess are almost equal to mine. O mighty-armed one, I
have been pleased with thee. Behold me, O bull of the Bharata race! O
large-eyed one! I will grant thee eyes (to see me in my true form). Thou
wert a Rishi before. Thou wilt vanquish all thy foes, even the dwellers
of heaven; I will as I have been pleased with thee, grant thee an
irresistible weapon. Soon shall thou be able to wield that weapon of
mine.'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Phalguna then beheld him--Mahadeva--that god of
blazing splendour--that wielder of the Pinaka--that one who had his
abode on the mountains (of Kailasa)--accompanied by Uma. Bending down on
his knee and bowing with his head, that conqueror of hostile cities--the
son of Pritha--worshipped Hara and inclined him to grace. And Arjuna
said, 'O _Kapardin_, O chief of all gods, O destroyer of the eyes of
Bhaga, O god of gods, O Mahadeva, O thou of blue throat, O thou of
matted locks, I know thee as the Cause of all causes. O thou of three
eyes, O lord of all! Thou art the refuge of all the gods! This universe
hath sprung from thee. Thou art incapable of being vanquished by the
three worlds of the celestials, the Asuras, and men. Thou art Siva in
the form of Vishnu, and Vishnu in the form of Siva. Thou destroyedest of
old the great sacrifice of Daksha. O Hari, O Rudra, I bow to thee. Thou
hast an eye on thy forehead. O Sarva, O thou that rainest objects of
desire, O bearer of the trident, O wielder of the Pinaka, O Surya, O
thou of pure body, O Creator of all, I bow to thee. O lord of all
created things, I worship thee to obtain thy grace. Thou art the lord of
the _Ganas_, the source of universal blessing, the Cause of the causes
of the universe. Thou art beyond the foremost of male beings, thou art
the highest, thou art the subtlest, O Hara! O illustrious Sankara, it
behoveth thee to pardon my fault. It was even to obtain a sight of
thyself that I came to this great mountain, which is dear to thee and
which is the excellent abode of ascetics. Thou art worshipped of all
worlds. O lord, I worship thee to obtain thy grace. Let not this
rashness of mine be regarded as a fault--this combat in which I was
engaged with thee from ignorance. O Sankara, I seek thy protection.
Pardon me all I have done.'"
Vaisampayana continued, "Endued with great might, the god whose sign was
the bull, taking into his the handsome hands of Arjuna, smilingly
replied unto him, saying, 'I have pardoned thee.' And the illustrious
Hara, cheerfully clasping Arjuna with his arms, once more consoling
Arjuna said as follows."