ny grief on account of Phalguna! Return ye all
cheerfully and with alacrity to the places whence ye have come. I know
the desire that is in Arjuna's heart. His wish is not for heaven, nor for
prosperity, nor for long life. And I will accomplish, even, this day, all
that is desired by him.'"

Vaisampayana continued, "The truth-speaking Rishis, having heard these
words of Mahadeva, became delighted, and returned to their respective
abodes."

SECTION XXXIX

Vaisampayana said, "After all those illustrious ascetics had gone away,
that wielder of the Pinaka and cleanser of all sins--the illustrious
Hara--assuming the form of a Kirata resplendent as a golden tree, and
with a huge and stalwart form like a second Meru, and taking up a hand
some bow and a number of arrows resembling snakes of virulent poison, and
looking like an embodiment of fire, came quickly down on the breast of
Himavat. And the handsome god of gods was accompanied by Uma in the guise
of a Kirata woman, and also by a swarm of merry spirits of various forms
and attire, and by thousands of women in the form and attire of Kiratas.
And, O king, that region suddenly blazed up in beauty, in consequence of
the arrival of the god of gods in such company. And soon enough a solemn
stillness pervaded the place. The sounds of springs, and water-courses,
and of birds suddenly ceased. And as the god of gods approached Pritha's
son of blameless deeds, he beheld a wonderful sight, even that of a
Danava named Muka, seeking, in the form of a boar, to slay Arjuna.
Phalguna, at the sight of the enemy seeking to slay him, took up the
Gandiva and a number of arrows resembling snakes of virulent poison. And
stringing his bow and filling the air with its twang, he addressed the
boar and said, 'I have come here but done thee no injury. As thou seekest
to slay me, I shall certainly send thee to the abode of Yama.' And
beholding that firm wielder of the bow--Phalguna--about to slay the boar,
Sankara in the guise of a Kirata suddenly bade him stop saying, 'The boar
like the mountain of Indrakila in hue hath been aimed at by me first';
Phalguna, however, disregarding these words, struck the boar. The Kirata
also blazing splendour, let fly an arrow like flaming fire and resembling
the thunderbolt at the same object. And the arrows thus shot by both fell
at the same instant of time upon the wide body of Muka, hard as adamant.
And the two shafts fell upon the boar with a loud sound, e