thy path. Let fear nowhere inspire thee. When he returns we shall behold
him, for it is certain that he will come back." The high-souled Arjuna
repeatedly heard these and similar other sweet words of men and women, O
chief of the Bharatas. A disciple of Yajnavalkya, who was well-versed in
all sacrificial rites and who was a complete master of the Vedas,
proceeded with Partha for performing auspicious rites in favour of the
hero. Many Brahmanas also, O king, all well-conversant with the Vedas,
and many Kshatriyas too, followed the high-souled hero, at the command, O
monarch, of Yudhishthira the just. The horse then roamed, O foremost of
men, wherever he liked over the Earth already conquered by Pandavas with
the energy of their weapons. In course of the horse's wanderings, O king,
many great and wonderful battles were fought between Arjuna and many
kings. These I shall describe to thee. The horse, O king, roamed over the
whole Earth. Know, O monarch, that from the north it turned towards the
East. Grinding the kingdoms of many monarchs that excellent horse
wandered. And it was followed slowly by the great car-warrior Arjuna of
white steeds. Countless, O monarch, was the fete of Kshatriyas,--of kings
in myriads--who fought with Arjuna on that occasion, for having lost
their kinsmen on the field of Kurukshetra. Innumerable Kiratas also, O
king, and Yavanas, all excellent bowmen, and diverse tribes of Mlechcchas
too, who had been discomfited before (by the Pandavas on the field of
Kurukshetra), and many Aryan kings, possessed of soldiers and animals
endued with great alacrity, and all irresistible in fight encountered the
son of Pandu in battle. Thus occurred innumerable battles in diverse
countries, O monarch, between Arjuna and the rulers of diverse realms who
came to encounter him. I shall, O sinless king, narrate to thee those
battles only which raged with great fury and which were the principal
ones among all he fought.'"

SECTION LXXIV

"Vaisampayana said. 'A battle took place between the diadem-decked
(Arjuna) and the sons and grandsons of the Trigartas whose hostility the
Pandavas has incurred before and all of whom were well-known as mighty
car-warriors. Having learnt that that foremost of steeds, which was
intended for the sacrifice, had come to their realm, these heroes, casing
themselves in mail, surrounded Arjuna. Mounted on their cars, drawn by
excellent and well-decked horses, and with quivers on their