(Arjuna-vanavasa Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then Arjuna of immeasurable prowess saw, one after
another, all the sacred waters and other holy places that were on the
shores of the western ocean. Vibhatsu reached the sacred spot called
Prabhasa. When the invincible Arjuna arrived at that sacred and delightful
region, the slayer of Madhu (Krishna) heard of it. Madhava soon went there
to see his friend, the son of Kunti. Krishna and Arjuna met together and
embracing each other enquired after each other's welfare. Those dear
friends, who were none else than the Rishis Nara and Narayana of old, sat
down. Vasudeva asked Arjuna about his travels, saying, "Why, O Pandava art
thou wandering over the earth, beholding all the sacred waters and other
holy places?" Then Arjuna told him everything that had happened. Hearing
everything, that mighty hero of Vrishni's race said, "This is as it should
be." And Krishna and Arjuna having sported as they liked, for some time at
Prabhasa, went to the Raivataka mountain to pass some days there. Before
they arrived at Raivataka, that mountain had, at the command of Krishna
been well-adorned by many artificers. Much food also had, at Krishna's
command, been collected there. Enjoying everything that had been collected
there for him, Arjuna sat with Vasudeva to see the performances of the
actors and the dancers. Then the high-souled Pandava, dismissing them all
with proper respect, laid himself down on a well-adorned and excellent bed.
As the strong-armed one lay on that excellent bed, he described unto
Krishna everything about the sacred waters, the lakes and the mountains,
the rivers and the forests he had seen. While he was speaking of these,
stretched upon that celestial bed, sleep, O Janamejaya, stole upon him. He
rose in the morning, awakened, by sweet songs and melodious notes of the
Vina (guitar) and the panegyrics and benedictions of the bards. After he
had gone through the necessary acts and ceremonies, he was affectionately
accosted by him of the Vrishni race. Riding upon a golden car, the hero
then set out for Dwaraka, the capital of the Yadavas. And, O Janamejaya,
for honouring the son of Kunti, the city of Dwaraka, was well-adorned,
even all the gardens and houses within it. The citizens of Dwaraka,
desirous of beholding the son of Kunti, began to pour eagerly into the
public thoroughfares by hundreds of thousands. In the public squares and
thoroughfares, hundreds and thousands of women, mixing with the men,
swelled the great crowd of the Bhojas, the Vrishnis, and the Andhakas,
that had collected there. Arjuna was welcomed with respect by all the sons
of Bhojas, the Vrishnis, and the Andhakas. And he, in his turn, worshipped
those that deserved his worship, receiving their blessings. The hero was
welcomed with affectionate reception by all the young men of the Yadava
tribe. He repeatedly embraced all that were equal to him in age. Wending
then to the delightful mansion of Krishna that was filled with gems and
every article of enjoyment, he took up his abode there with Krishna for
many days.'"