bow, set out. And all creatures began to leave the way that
Arjuna of great energy and prowess, urged by the desire of beholding
Indra, took. And that slayer of foes passed over many mountains
inhabited by ascetics, and then reached the sacred Himavat, the resort
of the celestials. And the high-souled one reached the sacred mountain
in one day, for like the winds he was gifted with the speed of the mind,
in consequence of his ascetic austerities. And having crossed the
Himavat, as also the Gandhamadana, he passed over many uneven and
dangerous spots, walking night and day without fatigue. And having
reached _Indrakila_, Dhananjaya stopped for a moment. And then he heard
a voice in the skies, saying, 'Stop!' And hearing that voice, the son of
Pandu cast his glances all around. And Arjuna, capable of using his left
hand with skill equal to that of his right hand, then beheld before him
an ascetic under the shade of a tree, blazing with _Brahma_ brilliancy,
of a tawny colour, with matted locks, and thin. And the mighty ascetic,
beholding Arjuna stop at that place, addressed him, saying, 'Who art
thou, O child, arrived hither with bow and arrows, and cased in mail and
accoutred in scabbard and gauntlet, and (evidently) wedded to the
customs of the Kshatriya? There is no need of weapons here. This is the
abode of peaceful Brahmanas devoted to ascetic austerities without anger
or joy. There is no use for the bow here, for there is no dispute in
this place of any kind. Therefore throw away, O child, this bow of
thine. Thou hast obtained a pure state of life by coming here. O hero,
there is no man who is like thee in energy and prowess.' That Brahmana
thus addressed Arjuna, with a smiling face, repeatedly. But he succeeded
not in moving Arjuna, firmly devoted to his purpose. The regenerate one,
glad at heart, smilingly addressed Arjuna once more, saying, 'O slayer
of foes, blest be thou! I am Sakra: ask thou the boon thou desirest.'
Thus addressed, that perpetuator of the Kuru race, the heroic Dhananjaya
bending his head and joining his hands, replied unto him of a thousand
eyes, saying, 'Even this is the object of my wishes; grant me this boon,
O illustrious one. I desire to learn from thee all the weapons.' The
chief of the celestials then, smiling, replied unto him cheerfully,
saying, 'O Dhananjaya, when thou hast reached this region, what need is
there of weapons? Thou hast already obtained a pure state of life. Ask
thou for