Page:The Mahabharata (Kishori Mohan Gangopadhyay, First Edition) Volume 17.djvu/16

4 diva nor his couple of inexhaustible quivers, actuated, O king, by the cupidity that attaches one to things of great value. The Pāndavas there beheld the deity of fire standing before them like a hill. Closing their way, the god stood there in his embodied form. The deity of seven flames then addressed the Pāndavas, saying,'Ye heroic sons of Pāndu, know me for the deity of fire. O mighty-armed Yudhishthira, O Bhimasena that art a scorcher of foes, O Arjuna, and ye twins of great courage, listen to what I say! Ye foremost ones of Kuru's race, I am the god of fire. The forest of Khāndava was burnt by me, through the puissance of Arjuna and of Nārāyana himself. Let your brother, Phālguna proceed to the woods after casting off Gāndiva, that high weapon. He has no longer any need of it. That precious discus, which was with the high-souled Krishna, has disappeared (from the world). When the time again comes, it will come back into his hands. This foremost of bows, viz., Gāndiva, was procured by me from Varuna for the use of Pārtha. Let it be made over to Varuna himself.' At this, all the brothers urged Dhananjaya to do what the deity said. He then threw into the waters (of the sea) both the bow and the couple of inexhaustible quivers. After this, O chief of Bharata's race, the god of fire disappeared then and there. The heroic sons of Pāndu next proceeded with their faces turned towards the south. Then, by the northern coast of the salt sea, those princes of Bharata's race proceeded to the south-west. Turning next towards the west, they beheld the city of Dwārakā covered by the ocean. Turning next to the north, those foremost ones proceeded on. Observant of Yoga, they were desirous of making a round of the whole Earth."

Vaiçampāyana said,"Those princes of restrained souls and devoted to Yoga, proceeding to the north, beheld Himavat, that very large mountain. Crossing the Himavat, they beheld a vast desert of sand. They then saw the mighty