Vaisampayana continued, "O son of the Kuru race, while Dhaumya was
speaking thus, there arrived at the spot the Rishi Lomasa of great
energy. And the king, who was the eldest of Pandu's sons, with his
followers and those Brahmanas sat round the highly righteous one, like
celestials in heaven sitting round Sakra. And having received him duly,
Yudhishthira the just enquired after the reason of his arrival, and the
object also of his wanderings. Thus asked by Pandu's son, the
illustrious ascetic, well-pleased, replied in sweet words delighting the
Pandayas, 'Travelling at will, O Kaunteya, over all the regions, I came
to Sakra's abode, and saw there the lord of the celestials. There, I saw
thy heroic brother capable of wielding the bow with his left hand,
seated on the same seat with Sakra. And beholding Partha on that seat I
was greatly astonished, O tiger among men! And the lord of the
celestials then said unto me, "_Go thou unto the sons of Pandu_." At the
request, therefore, of Indra as also of the high-souled son of Pritha
have I come hither with speed, desiring to see thee with thy younger
brothers. O child, I will relate what will please thee highly, O son of
Pandu! Do thou listen to it, O king, with Krishna and the Rishis that
are with thee. O bull of the Bharata race, Partha hath obtained from
Rudra that incomparable weapon for the acquisition of which thou hadst
sent him to heaven. That fierce weapon, known by the name of
_Brahma-sira_ which arose after _Amrila_, and which Rudra had obtained
by means of ascetic austerities, hath been acquired by Arjuna together
with the _Mantras_ for hurling and withdrawing it, and the rites of
expiation and revival. And, O Yudhishthira, Arjuna of immeasurable
prowess hath also acquired Vajras and _Dandas_ and other celestial
weapons from Yama and Kuvera and Varuna and Indra, O son of the Kuru
race! And he hath also thoroughly learnt music, both vocal and
instrumental, and dancing and proper recitation of the _Saman_ (Veda)
from Vishwavasu's son. And having thus acquired weapons and mastered the
_Gandhama Veda_, thy third brother Vibhatsu liveth happily (in heaven).
Listen to me, O Yudhishthira, for I shall now deliver to thee the
message of that foremost of celestials. He hath commanded me saying,
"Thou wilt, no doubt, go to the world of men. O best of Brahmanas, tell
thou Yudhishthira these words of mine. Soon will thy brother Arjuna come
to thee, having acquired arms and accomplished a great deed for the
celestials that is incapable of being accomplished by themselves. Do
thou meanwhile devote thyself to ascetic austerities, with thy brothers.
There is nothing superior to asceticism, and it is by asceticism that a
person achieveth great results. And, O bull of the Bharata race, well do
I know that Karna is endued with great ardour and energy and strength
and prowess that is incapable of being baffled. Well do I know that,
skilled in fierce conflict, he hath not his rival in battle; that he is
a mighty bowman, a hero deft in the use of fierce weapons and cased in
the best of mail. Well do I know that that exalted son of Aditya
resembleth the son of Maheswara himself. Well do I also know the high
natural prowess of the broad-shouldered Arjuna. In battle Karna is not
equal unto even a sixteenth part of Pritha's son. And as for the fear of
Karna which is in thy heart, O repressor of foes, I shall dispel when
Savyasachin will have left heaven. And as regards thy purpose, O hero,
to set out on a pilgrimage to _tirthas_, the great Rishi Lomasa will,
without doubt, speak unto thee. And whatever that regenerate Rishi will
relate unto thee touching the merits of asceticism and _tirthas_, thou
shouldst receive with respect and not otherwise!"'"