omplexion, and endued with eyes resembling lotus petals. While the
Pandavas set out for the forest, a dog followed them.

"'Proceeding on, those heroes reached the sea of red waters. Dhananjaya
had not cast off his celestial bow Gandiva, nor his couple of
inexhaustible quivers, actuated, O king, by the cupidity that attaches
one to things of great value. The Pandavas there beheld the deity of fire
standing before them like a hill. Closing their way, the god stood there
in his embodied form. The deity of seven flames then addressed the
Pandavas, saying, "Ye heroic sons of Pandu, know me for the deity of fire.
O mighty-armed Yudhishthira, O Bhimasena that art a scorcher of foes, O
Arjuna, and ye twins of great courage, listen to what I say! Ye foremost
ones of Kuru's race, I am the god of fire. The forest of Khandava was
burnt by me, through the puissance of Arjuna and of Narayana himself. Let
your brother Phalguna proceed to the woods after casting off Gandiva,
that high weapon. He has no longer any need of it. That precious discus,
which was with the high-souled Krishna, has disappeared (from the world).
When the time again comes, it will come back into his hands. This
foremost of bows, Gandiva, was procured by me from Varuna for the use of
Partha. Let it be made over to Varuna himself."

"'At this, all the brothers urged Dhananjaya to do what the deity said. He
then threw into the waters (of the sea) both the bow and the couple of
inexhaustible quivers. After this, O chief of Bharata's race, the god of
the fire disappeared then and there. The heroic sons of Pandu next
proceeded with their faces turned towards the south. Then, by the
northern coast of the salt sea, those princes of Bharata's race proceeded
to the south-west. Turning next towards the west, they beheld the city of
Dwaraka covered by the ocean. Turning next to the north, those foremost
ones proceeded on. Observant of Yoga, they were desirous of making a
round of the whole Earth.'"

2

"Vaishampayana said: 'Those princes of restrained souls and devoted to
Yoga, proceeding to the north, beheld Himavat, that very large mountain.
Crossing the Himavat, they beheld a vast desert of sand. They then saw
the mighty mountain Meru, the foremost of all high-peaked mountains. As
those mighty ones were proceeding quickly, all rapt in Yoga, Yajnaseni,
falling of from Yoga, dropped down on the Earth. Beholding her fallen
down, Bhimasena of great strength addressed