vow-observing Munis and Charanas of high fortune, and pure souls.  And those foremost of the Bharata race conversed with them on earthly topics.  And it came to pass that when several days has passed, Suparna all of a sudden carried off an exceedingly powerful and mighty Naga, living in the large lake.  And thereupon that mighty mountain began to tremble, and the gigantic trees, break.  And all the creatures and the Pandavas witnessed the wonder.  Then from the brow of that excellent mountain, the wind brought before the Pandavas various fragrant and fair blossoms.  And the Pandavas, and the illustrious Krishna, together with their friends, saw those unearthly blossoms of five hues.  And as the mighty-armed Bhimasena was seated at ease upon the mountain, Krishna addressed him, saying, ’O best of the Bharata race, in the presence of all the creatures, these flowers of five hues, carried by the force of the wind raised by Suparna, are falling in amain on the river Aswaratha.  In Khandava thy high-souled brother, firm in promise, had baffled Gandharvas and Nagas and Vasava himself, and slain fierce Rakshasas, and also obtained the bow Gandiva.  Thou also art of exceeding prowess and the might of thy arms is great, and irrepressible, and unbearable like unto the might of Sakra.  O Bhimasena, terrified with the force of thy arms, let all the Rakshasas betake themselves to the ten cardinal points, leaving the mountain.  Then will thy friends be freed from fear and affliction, and behold the auspicious summit of this excellent mountain furnished with variegated flowers.  O Bhima, I have for long cherished this thought in my mind,—­that protected by the might of thy arms, I shall see that summit.’

“Thereupon, like a high-mettled bull that hath been struck, Bhimasena, considering himself as censured by Draupadi, could not bear (that).  And that Pandava of the gait of a lion or a bull, and graceful, and generous, and having the splendour of gold, and intelligent, and strong, and proud, and sensitive, and heroic, and having red eyes, and broad shoulders, and gifted with the strength of mad elephants, and having leonine teeth and a broad neck, and tall like a young sala tree, and highsouled, and graceful in every limb, and of neck having the whorls of a shell and mighty-armed, took up his bow plaited at the back with gold, and also his sword.  And haughty like unto a lion, and resembling a maddened elephant, that strong one rushed towards that cliff, free from fear or affliction.  And all the creatures saw him equipped with bows and arrows, approaching like a lion or a maddened elephant.  And free from fear or affliction, the Pandava taking his mace, proceeded to that monarch of mountains causing the delight of Draupadi.  And neither exhaustion, nor fatigue, nor lassitude, nor the malice (of others), affected that son of Pritha and the Wind-god.  And having arrived at a rugged path affording passage to one individual only, that one of great strength ascended that terrible