Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (Volume 1).pdf/404

390 Bhagirathi? Know that I am Angaraparna the Gandharva, ever relying on my own strength! I am proud and haughty and am the friend of Kuvera. This my forest on the banks of the Ganges, where I sport to gratify all my senses, is called Angaraparna after my own name. Here neither gods, nor Kapalikas, nor Gandharvas nor Yakshas, can come. How dare ye approach me who am the brightest jewel on the diadem of Kuvera?'

"Hearing these words of the Gandharva, Arjuna said, 'Block-head, whether it be day, night, or twilight, who can bar others from the ocean, the sides of the Himalayas, and this river? Oranger of the skies, whether the stomach be empty or full, whether it is night or day, there is no special time for anybody to come to the Ganga-that foremost of all rivers ! As regards ourselves endued with might, we care not when we disturb thee I Wicked being, those who are weak in fighting worship you! 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 consonant 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 bis 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 Gandhdrva, 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 celescial weapons and not with any crooked means. This fiery weapon (that I shall hurl at thee), Vrihaspati the reverend preceptor of Indra, gave unto Bharadwaja, from whom it was obtained by Agnivesya, and from Agnivesya by my preceptor, chat foremost of Brahmanas, Drona, who gave it away to me!