“Vaisampayana continued, ’Varga then addressing Arjuna, finished her discourse, saying, ’Hearing these words of the Brahmana, we saluted him with reverence and walked round him.  Leaving that region we came away with heavy hearts, thinking as we proceeded, ’Where shall we all soon meet with that man who will give us back our own shapes (after our transformation)?’ As we were thinking of it, in almost a moment, O Bharata, we beheld even the eminent celestial Rishi Narada.  Beholding that Rishi of immeasurable energy, our hearts were filled with joy.  Saluting him with reverence, O Partha, we stood before him, with blushing faces.  He asked of us the cause of our sorrow and we told him all.  Hearing what had happened the Rishi said, ’In the low-lands bordering on the southern ocean, there are five regions of sacred water.  They are delightful and eminently holy.  Go ye thither without delay.  That tiger among men, Dhananjaya, the son of Pandu of pure soul, will soon deliver you, without doubt, from this sad plight.’  O hero, hearing the Rishi’s words, all of us came hither.  O sinless one, true it is that I have today been delivered by thee.  But those four friends of mine are still within the other waters here.  O hero, do a good deed by delivering them also.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’Then, O monarch, that foremost of the Pandavas, endued with great prowess, cheerfully delivered all of them from that curse.  Rising from the waters they all regained their own forms.  Those Apsaras then, O king, all looked as before.  Freeing those sacred waters (from the danger for which they had been notorious), and giving the Apsaras leave to go where they chose, Arjuna became desirous of once more beholding Chitrangada.  He, therefore, proceeded towards the city of Manipura.  Arrived there, he beheld on the throne the son he had begotten upon Chitrangada, and who was called by the name of Vabhruvahana.  Seeing Chitrangada once more, Arjuna proceeded, O monarch, towards the spot called Gokarna.’”

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 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