arted cheerfully with Lomasa,
bearing the Pandavas, and many of the Brahmanas. Having shortly reached
that spot, they saw that romantic lake covered with Saugandhika and other
lotuses and surrounded by beautiful woods. And on its shores they beheld
the high-souled and vehement Bhima, as also the slaughtered Yakshas of
large eyes, with their bodies, eyes, arms and thighs smashed, and their
heads crushed. And on seeing the high-souled Bhima, standing on the shore
of that lake in an angry mood, and with steadfast eyes, and biting his
lip, and stationed on the shore of the lake with his mace upraised by his
two hands, like unto Yama with his mace in his hand at the time of the
universal dissolution. Yudhishthira the just, embraced him again and
again, and said in sweet words, 'O Kaunteya, what hast thou done? Good
betide thee! If thou wishest to do good unto me, thou shouldst never
again commit such a rash act, nor offend the gods.' Having thus
instructed the son of Kunti, and taken the flowers those god-like ones
began to sport in that very lake. At this instant, the huge-bodied
warders of the gardens, equipped with rocks for weapons, presented
themselves at the spot. And seeing Yudhishthira the just and the great
sage Lomasa and Nakula and Sahadeva and also the other foremost of
Brahmanas, they all bowed themselves down in humility. And being pacified
by Yudhishthira the just, the Rakshasas became satisfied. And with the
knowledge of Kuvera, those foremost of Kurus for a short time dwelt
pleasantly at that spot on the slopes of the Gandhamadana, expecting
Arjuna."

SECTION CLV

Vaisampayana said, "Once upon a time Yudhishthira, while living at that
place, addressed Krishna, his brother, and the Brahmanas, saying, 'By us
have been attentively seen one after another sacred and auspicious
tirthas, and woods, delightful to beheld, which had ere this been visited
by the celestials and the high-souled sages, and which had been
worshipped by the Brahmanas. And in various sacred asylums we have
performed ablutions with Brahmanas, and have heard from them the lives
and acts of many sages, and also of many royal sages of yore, and other
pleasant stories. And with flowers and water have the gods been
worshipped by us. And with offerings of fruits and roots as available at
each place we have gratified the pitris. And with the high-souled ones
have we performed ablutions in all sacred and beautiful mountains and
lakes, and also