is the Yamuna of an exhaustless
spring. Krishna here engaged himself in a life of penances, O Pandu's
son. O thou that draggest the dead bodies of thy foes! the twin
brothers, and Bhimasena and Krishna and all of us will accompany thee to
this spot. O lord of men, this is the holy spring that belongeth to
Indra. Here the creative and the dispensing deity, and Varuna also rose
upwards, and here too they dwelt, O king! observing forbearance, and
possessed of the highest faith. This excellent and propitious hill is
fit for persons of a kindly and candid disposition. This is that
celebrated Yamuna, O king! frequented by hosts of mighty saints, the
scene of diverse religious rites, holy, and destructive of the dread of
sin. Here did Mandhata himself, of a mighty bow, perform sacrificial
rites for the gods; and so did Somaka, O Kunti's son! who was the son of
Sahadeva, and a most excellent maker of gifts.'"

SECTION CXXVI

"Yudhishthira said, 'O great Brahmana, how was that tiger among kings,
Mandhata, Yuvanaswa's son, born,--even he who was the best of monarchs,
and celebrated over the three worlds? And how did he of unmeasured
lustre attain the very height of real power, since all the three worlds
were as much under his subjection, as they are under that of Vishnu of
mighty soul? I am desirous of hearing all this in connection with the
life and achievements of that sagacious monarch. I should also like to
hear how his name of Mandhata originated, belonging as it did to him who
rivalled in lustre Indra himself: and also how he of unrivalled strength
was born, for thou art skilled in the art of narrating events.'

"Lomasa said, 'Hear with attention, O king! how the name of Mandhata
belonging to that monarch of mighty soul hath come to be celebrated
throughout all the worlds. Yuvanaswa, the ruler of the earth, was sprung
from Ikshvaku's race. That protector of the earth performed many
sacrificial rites noted for magnificent gifts. And the most excellent
of all virtuous men performed a thousand times the ceremony of
sacrificing a horse. And he also performed other sacrifices of the
highest order, wherein he made abundant gifts. But that saintly king had
no son. And he of mighty soul and rigid vows made over to his ministers
the duties of the state, and became a constant resident of the woods.
And he of cultured soul devoted himself to the pursuits enjoined in the
sacred writ. And once upon a time, that protector of men, O k