SECTION XXVII
Vaisampayana said,--"that heroic and foremost of the Pandavas endued with
great energy, crossing the White mountains, subjugated the country of the
Limpurushas ruled by Durmaputra, after a collision involving a great
slaughter of Kshatriyas, and brought the region under his complete sway.
Having reduced that country, the son of Indra (Arjuna) with a collected
mind marched at the head of his troops to the country called Harataka,
ruled by the Guhakas. Subjugating them by a policy of conciliation, the
Kuru prince beheld (in that region) that excellent of lakes called Manasa
and various other lakes and tanks sacred to the Rishis. And the exalted
prince having arrived at the lake Manasa conquered the regions ruled by
the Gandharvas that lay around the Harataka territories. Here the
conqueror took, as tribute from the country, numerous excellent horses
called Tittiri, Kalmasha, Manduka. At last the son of the slayer of Paka,
arriving in the country of North Harivarsha desired to conquer it.
Thereupon certain frontier-guards of huge bodies and endued with great
strength and energy, coming to him with gallant hearts, said, 'O son of
Pritha, this country can be never conquered by thee. If you seekest thy
good, return hence. He that entereth this region, if human, is sure to
perish. We have been gratified with thee; O hero, your conquests have been
enough. Nor is anything to be seen here, O Arjuna, that may be conquered
by thee. The Northern Kurus live here. There cannot be war here. Even if
thou enterest it, you will not be able to behold anything, for with
human eyes nothing can be seen here. If, however you seekest anything
else, O Bharata tell us, O tiger among men, so that we may do thy
bidding. Thus addressed by them, Arjuna smilingly addressing them,
said,--'I desire the acquisition of the imperial dignity by Yudhishthira
the just, of great intelligence. If your land is shut against human
beings, I shall not enter it. Let something be paid unto Yudhishthira by
ye as tribute. Hearing these words of Arjuna, they gave him as tribute
many cloths and ornaments of celestial make, silks of celestial texture
and skins of celestial origin.
"It was thus that tiger among men subjugated the countries that lay to
the North, having fought numberless battles with both Kshatriya and
robber tribes. And having vanquished the chiefs and brought them under
his sway he exacted from them much wealth, various gems and jewels, the
horses of the species called Tittiri and Kalmasha, as also those of the
colour of the parrot's wings and those that were like the peacocks in hue
and all endued with the speed of the wind. And surrounded, O king, by a
large army consisting of the four kinds of forces, the hero came back to
the excellent city of Sakraprastha. And Partha offered the whole of that
wealth, together with the animals he had brought, unto Yudhishthira the
just. And commanded by the monarch, the hero retired to a chamber of the
palace for rest."
--------------------END OF PARVA 2 : UPA-PARVA 27 ---------------------
