uge frames
and some ears resembling pegs, and hundreds of Gandharvas and hosts of
Apsaras sat in the presence of that one seated, even as the celestials
sit surrounding him of a hundred sacrifices and wearing a beautiful
golden garland on his head and holding in his hands his noose and sword
and bow, Bhima stood, gazing at the lord of wealth. And Bhimasena did
not feel depressed either on having been wounded by the Rakshasas, or
even in that plight seeing Kuvera arrive.

"And that one going about on the shoulders of men, on seeing Bhima stand
desirous of fighting with sharpened shafts, said unto Dharma's son, 'O
Partha, all the creatures know thee as engaged in their good. Do thou,
therefore, with thy brothers fearlessly dwell on this summit of the
mountain. And, O Pandava, be thou not angry with Bhima. These Yakshas
and Rakshasas had already been slain by Destiny: thy brother hath been
the instrument merely. And it is not necessary to feel shame for the act
of impudence that hath been committed. This destruction of the Rakshasas
had been foreseen by the gods. I entertain no anger towards Bhimasena.
Rather, O foremost of the Bharata race, I am pleased with him;
nay,--even before coming here, I had been gratified with this deed of
Bhima.'"

Vaisampayana said, "Having spoken thus unto the king, (Kuvera) said unto
Bhimasena, 'O child, O best of the Kurus, I do not mind this, O Bhima,
as in order to please Krishna, thou hast, disregarding the gods and me
also, committed this rash act, namely, the destruction of the Yakshas
and the Rakshasas, depending on the strength of thy arms, I am
well-pleased with thee. O Vrikodara, to-day I have been freed from a
terrible curse. For some offence, that great Rishi, Agastya, had cursed
me in anger. Thou hast delivered me by this act (of thine). O Pandu's
son, my disgrace had ere this been fated. No offence, therefore, in any
way, attaches unto thee, O Pandava.'

"Yudhishthira said, 'O divine one, why wast thou cursed by the
high-souled Agastya? O god, I am curious to hear about the occasion of
that imprecation. I wonder that at that very moment, thou together with
thy forces and attendants wast not consumed by the ire of that
intelligent one.'

"Thereupon the lord of treasures said, 'At Kusasthali, O king, once
there was held a conclave of the gods. And surrounded by grimvisaged
Yakshas, numbering three hundred maha-padmas, carrying various weapons,
I was going to that place. And o