e refuge of all the gods! This universe
hath sprung from thee. Thou art incapable of being vanquished by the
three worlds of the celestials, the Asuras, and men. Thou art Siva in
the form of Vishnu, and Vishnu in the form of Siva. Thou destroyedest of
old the great sacrifice of Daksha. O Hari, O Rudra, I bow to thee. Thou
hast an eye on thy forehead. O Sarva, O thou that rainest objects of
desire, O bearer of the trident, O wielder of the Pinaka, O Surya, O
thou of pure body, O Creator of all, I bow to thee. O lord of all
created things, I worship thee to obtain thy grace. Thou art the lord of
the _Ganas_, the source of universal blessing, the Cause of the causes
of the universe. Thou art beyond the foremost of male beings, thou art
the highest, thou art the subtlest, O Hara! O illustrious Sankara, it
behoveth thee to pardon my fault. It was even to obtain a sight of
thyself that I came to this great mountain, which is dear to thee and
which is the excellent abode of ascetics. Thou art worshipped of all
worlds. O lord, I worship thee to obtain thy grace. Let not this
rashness of mine be regarded as a fault--this combat in which I was
engaged with thee from ignorance. O Sankara, I seek thy protection.
Pardon me all I have done.'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Endued with great might, the god whose sign was
the bull, taking into his the handsome hands of Arjuna, smilingly
replied unto him, saying, 'I have pardoned thee.' And the illustrious
Hara, cheerfully clasping Arjuna with his arms, once more consoling
Arjuna said as follows."

SECTION XL

"Mahadeva said, 'Thou wert in thy former life Nara, the friend of
Narayana. In Vadari wert thou engaged in fierce ascetic austerities for
several thousands of years. In thee as well as in Vishnu--that first of
male beings--dwelleth great might. Ye both, by your might, hold the
universe; O lord, taking up that fierce bow whose twang resembled the
deep roar of the clouds, thou, as well as Krishna, chastisedest the
Danavas during the coronation of Indra. Even this _Gandiva_ is that bow,
O son of Pritha, fit for thy hands. O foremost of male beings, I
snatched it from thee, helped by my powers of illusion. This couple of
quivers, fit for thee, will again be inexhaustible, O son of Pritha!
And, O son of the Kuru race, thy body will be free from pain and
disease. Thy prowess is incapable of being baffled. I have been pleased
with thee. And, O first of male beings, ask thou of me the boo