en those heroes of the
worlds dwelt (there)? O excellent one, do thou relate all about this. Do
thou describe the prowess of Bhimasena, and what that mighty-armed one
did in the mountain Himalayan. Surely, O best of Brahmanas, he did not
fight again with the Yakshas. And did they meet with Vaisravana? Surely,
as Arshtishena said, the lord of wealth cometh thither. All this, O thou
of ascetic wealth, I desire to hear in detail. Surely, I have not yet
been fully satisfied by hearing about their acts."

Vaisampayana continued, "Having heard from that one of incomparable
energy, (Arshtishena), that advice conducive to their welfare, those
foremost of the Bharatas, began to behave always accordingly. Those best
of men, the Pandavas, dwelt upon the Himavan, partaking of the food eaten
by the Munis, and luscious fruit, and the flesh of deer killed with
unpoisoned shafts and various kinds of pure honey. Living thus, they
passed the fifth year, hearing to various stories told by Lomasa. O lord,
saying, 'I shall be present when occasion ariseth,' Ghatotkacha, together
with all the Rakshasas, had ere this already gone away. Those magnanimous
ones passed many months in the hermitage of Arshtishena, witnessing many
marvels. And as the Pandavas were sporting there pleasantly, there came
to see them some complacent vow-observing Munis and Charanas of high
fortune, and pure souls. And those foremost of the Bharata race conversed
with them on earthly topics. And it came to pass that when several days
has passed, Suparna all of a sudden carried off an exceedingly powerful
and mighty Naga, living in the large lake. And thereupon that mighty
mountain began to tremble, and the gigantic trees, break. And all the
creatures and the Pandavas witnessed the wonder. Then from the brow of
that excellent mountain, the wind brought before the Pandavas various
fragrant and fair blossoms. And the Pandavas, and the illustrious
Krishna, together with their friends, saw those unearthly blossoms of
five hues. And as the mighty-armed Bhimasena was seated at ease upon the
mountain, Krishna addressed him, saying, 'O best of the Bharata race, in
the presence of all the creatures, these flowers of five hues, carried by
the force of the wind raised by Suparna, are falling in amain on the
river Aswaratha. In Khandava thy high-souled brother, firm in promise,
had baffled Gandharvas and Nagas and Vasava himself, and slain fierce
Rakshasas, and also obtained the bow