and seas and forests
and villages and towns and mines, trembled. And the sounds of conchs and
drums and trumpets by thousands began to be heard. And at that moment
hurricanes and whirlwinds began to blow. And the gods and the Danavas
beheld that terrible weapon in its embodied form stay by the side of
Arjuna of immeasurable energy. And whatever of evil there had been in
the body of Phalguna of immeasurable energy was all dispelled by the
touch of the three-eyed deity. And the three eyed god then commanded
Arjuna, saying, 'Go thou into heaven.' Arjuna then, O king, worshipping
the god with bent head, gazed at him, with joined hands. Then the lord
of all the dwellers of heaven, the deity of blazing splendour having his
abode on mountain-breasts, the husband of Uma, the god of passions under
complete control, the source of all blessings, Bhava gave unto Arjuna,
that foremost of men, the great bow called _Gandiva_, destructive of
Danavas and Pisachas. And the god of gods, then leaving that blessed
mountain with snowy plateaus and vales and caves, favourite resort of
sky-ranging great Rishis, went up, accompanied by Uma into the skies, in
the sight of that foremost of men."

SECTION XLI

Vaisampayana said, "The wielder of the Pinaka, having the bull for his
sign, thus disappeared in the very sight of the gazing son of Pandu,
like the sun setting in the sight of the world. Arjuna, that slayer of
hostile heroes, wondered much at this, saying, 'O, I have seen the great
god of gods. Fortunate, indeed I am, and much favoured, for I have both
beheld and touched with my hand the three-eyed Hara the wielder of the
Pinaka, in his boon-giving form. I shall win success. I am already
great. My enemies have already been vanquished by me. My purposes have
been already achieved.' And while the son of Pritha, endued with
immeasurable energy, was thinking thus, there came to that place Varuna
the god of waters, handsome and of the splendour of the _lapis lazuri_
accompanied by all kinds of aquatic creatures, and filling all the
points of the horizon with a blazing effulgence. And accompanied by
Rivers both male and female, and Nagas, and Daityas and Sadhyas and
inferior deities, Varuna, the controller and lord of all aquatic
creatures, arrived at that spot. There came also the lord Kuvera of body
resembling pure gold, seated on his car of great splendour, and
accompanied by numerous Yakshas. And the lord of treasures, possessed of
great