ing through the sky, and of assuming any
shape at will, will together carry you all with the Brahmanas.'"

Vaisampayana said, "Saying this, Ghatotkacha carried Krishna in the
midst of the Pandavas, and the other (Rakshasas) also began to carry the
Pandavas. And by virtue of his native energy, Lomasa of incomparable
effulgence moved along the path of the Siddhas, like unto a second sun.
And at the command of the lord of the Rakshasas, those Rakshasas of
terrific prowess began to proceed, bearing all the other Brahmanas, and
beholding many a romantic wood. And they proceeded towards the gigantic
jujube tree. And carried by the Rakshasas of great speed, proceeding at
a rapid pace, the heroes passed over longextending ways quickly, as if
over short ones. And on their way they saw various tracts crowded with
_Mlechchha_ people, and containing mines of diverse gems. And they also
saw hillocks teeming with various minerals, thronged with Vidyadharas,
inhabited on all sides by monkeys and Kinnaras and Kimpurushas, and
Gandharvas, and filled with peacocks, and _chamaras_, and apes, and
_turus_, and bears, and gavayas, and buffaloes, intersected with a
network of rivulets, and inhabited by various birds and beasts, and
beautified by elephants, and abounding in trees and enraptured birds.
After having thus passed many countries, and also the Uttarakurus, they
saw that foremost of mountains, the Kailasa, containing many wonders.
And by the side of it, they beheld the hermitage of Nara and Narayana,
with celestial trees bearing flowers and fruits in all seasons. And they
also beheld that beautiful jujube of round trunk. And it was fresh; and
of deep shade; and of excellent beauty; and of thick, soft and sleek
foliage; and healthful; and having gigantic boughs; and wide-spreading;
and of incomparable lustre; and bearing full-grown, tasteful, and holy
fruits dropping honey. And this celestial tree was frequented by hosts
of mighty sages, and was always inhabited by various birds maddened with
animal spirits. And it grew at a spot devoid of mosquitoes and
gad-flies, and abounding in fruits and roots and water, and covered with
green grass, and inhabited by the celestials and the Gandharvas, and of
smooth surface, and naturally healthful, and beauteous and cool and of
delicate feel. Having reached that (tree) together with those bulls
among Brahmanas, the high-souled ones gently alighted from the shoulders
of the Rakshasas. Then in compa