also the slaughtered Yakshas of large eyes, with their bodies, eyes, arms and thighs smashed, and their heads crushed.  And on seeing the high-souled Bhima, standing on the shore of that lake in an angry mood, and with steadfast eyes, and biting his lip, and stationed on the shore of the lake with his mace upraised by his two hands, like unto Yama with his mace in his hand at the time of the universal dissolution.  Yudhishthira the just, embraced him again and again, and said in sweet words, ’O Kaunteya, what hast thou done?  Good betide thee!  If thou wishest to do good unto me, thou shouldst never again commit such a rash act, nor offend the gods.’  Having thus instructed the son of Kunti, and taken the flowers those god-like ones began to sport in that very lake.  At this instant, the huge-bodied warders of the gardens, equipped with rocks for weapons, presented themselves at the spot.  And seeing Yudhishthira the just and the great sage Lomasa and Nakula and Sahadeva and also the other foremost of Brahmanas, they all bowed themselves down in humility.  And being pacified by Yudhishthira the just, the Rakshasas became satisfied.  And with the knowledge of Kuvera, those foremost of Kurus for a short time dwelt pleasantly at that spot on the slopes of the Gandhamadana, expecting Arjuna.”

SECTION CLV

Vaisampayana said, “Once upon a time Yudhishthira, while living at that place, addressed Krishna, his brother, and the Brahmanas, saying, ’By us have been attentively seen one after another sacred and auspicious tirthas, and woods, delightful to beheld, which had ere this been visited by the celestials and the high-souled sages, and which had been worshipped by the Brahmanas.  And in various sacred asylums we have performed ablutions with Brahmanas, and have heard from them the lives and acts of many sages, and also of many royal sages of yore, and other pleasant stories.  And with flowers and water have the gods been worshipped by us.  And with offerings of fruits and roots as available at each place we have gratified the pitris.  And with the high-souled ones have we performed ablutions in all sacred and beautiful mountains and lakes, and also in the highly sacred ocean.  And with the Brahmanas we have bathed in the Ila, and in the Saraswati, and in the Sindhu, and in the Yamuna, and in the Narmada, and in various other romantic tirthas.  And having passed the source of the Ganga, we have seen many a lovely hill and the Himalaya mountains, inhabited by various species of birds, and also the jujube named Visala, where there is the hermitage of Nara and Narayana.  And (finally) we have beheld this unearthly lake, held in veneration by the Siddhas, the gods and the sages.  In fact, O foremost of Brahmanas, we have one by one carefully seen all celebrated and sacred spots in company with the high-souled Lomasa.  Now, O Bhima, how shall we repair to the sacred abode of Vaisravana, inhabited by the Siddhas?  Do thou think of the means of entering (the same).”