being, those who are weak in fighting worship thee.  This Ganga, issuing out of the golden peaks of Himavat, falleth into the waters of the ocean, being distributed into seven streams.  They who drink the waters of these seven streams, viz., Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Vitashtha, Sarayu, Gomati, and Gandaki, are, cleansed of all their sins.  O Gandharva, this sacred Ganga again, flowing through the celestial region is called there the Alakananda, It hath again in the region of the Pitris become the Vaitarani, difficult of being crossed by sinners, and, Krishna-Dwaipayana himself hath said so.  The auspicious and celestial river, capable of leading to heaven (them that touch its waters), is free from all dangers.  Why dost thou then desire to bar us from it?  This act of thine is not in consonance with eternal virtue.  Disregarding thy words, why shall we not touch the sacred waters of the Bhagirathi free from all dangers and from which none can bar us?’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’Hearing these words of Arjuna, Angaraparna became inflamed with wrath and drawing his bow to a circle began to shoot his arrows like venomous snakes at the Pandavas.  Then Dhananjaya, the son of Pandu, wielding a good shield and the torch he held in his hand, warded off all those arrows and addressing the Gandharva again said, ’O Gandharva, seek not to terrify those that are skilled in weapons, for weapons hurled at them vanish like froth.  I think, O Gandharva, that ye are superior (in prowess) to men; therefore shall I fight with thee, using celestial weapons and not with any crooked means.  This fiery weapon (that I shall hurl at thee), Vrihaspati the revered preceptor of Indra, gave unto Bharadwaja, from whom it was obtained by Agnivesya, and from Agnivesya by my preceptor, that foremost of Brahmanas, Drona, who gave it away to me.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’Saying these words, the Pandava wrathfully hurled at the Gandharva that blazing weapon made of fire which burnt the Gandharva’s chariot in a trice.  Deprived of consciousness by the force of that weapon, the mighty Gandharva was falling, head downward, from his chariot.  Dhananjaya seized him by the hair of his head adorned with garlands of flowers and thus dragged the unconscious Gandharva towards his brothers.  Beholding this, that Gandharva’s wife Kumbhinasi, desirous of saving her husband, ran towards Yudhishthira and sought his protection.  The Gandharvi said, ’O exalted one, extend to me thy protection!  O, set my husband free!  O lord, I am Kumbhinasi by name, the wife of this Gandharva, who seeketh thy protection!’ Beholding her (so afflicted), the mighty Yudhishthira addressed Arjuna and said, ’O slayer of foes, O child, who would slay a foe who hath been vanquished in fight, who hath been deprived of fame, who is protected by a woman, and who hath no prowess?’ Arjuna replied, saying, ’Keep thou thy life, O Gandharva!  Go hence, and grieve not I Yudhishthira, the king of the Kurus, commandeth me to show thee mercy.’