SECTION CCXX
(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 invisible 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 are you 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.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 1 : UPA-PARVA 220 ---------------------
