know that,
skilled in fierce conflict, he hath not his rival in battle; that he is
a mighty bowman, a hero deft in the use of fierce weapons and cased in
the best of mail. Well do I know that that exalted son of Aditya
resembleth the son of Maheswara himself. Well do I also know the high
natural prowess of the broad-shouldered Arjuna. In battle Karna is not
equal unto even a sixteenth part of Pritha's son. And as for the fear of
Karna which is in thy heart, O repressor of foes, I shall dispel when
Savyasachin will have left heaven. And as regards thy purpose, O hero,
to set out on a pilgrimage to _tirthas_, the great Rishi Lomasa will,
without doubt, speak unto thee. And whatever that regenerate Rishi will
relate unto thee touching the merits of asceticism and _tirthas_, thou
shouldst receive with respect and not otherwise!"'"

SECTION XCII

"Lomasa continued, 'Listen now, O Yudhishthira, to what Dhananjaya hath
said: "Cause my brother Yudhishthira to attend to the practice of virtue
which leadeth to prosperity. Endued with wealth of asceticism, thou art
conversant with the highest morality, with ascetic austerities of every
kind, with the eternal duties of kings blessed with prosperity, and the
high and sanctifying merit that men obtain from _tirthas_. Persuade thou
the sons of Pandu to acquire the merit attaching to _tirthas_. Do thou
with thy whole soul persuade the king to visit the _tirthas_ and give
away kine." This is what Arjuna said unto me. Indeed he also said, "Let
him visit all the _tirthas_ protected by thee. Thou wilt also protect
him from Rakshasas, and watch over him in inaccessible regions and
rugged mountain breasts. And as Dadhichi had protected Indra, and
Angiras had protected the Sun, so do thou, O best of regenerate ones,
protect the sons of Kunti from Rakshasas. Along the way are many
Rakshasas, huge as mountain-cliffs. But protected by thee these will not
be able to approach the sons of Kunti." Obedient to the words of Indra
and at the request of Arjuna also protecting thee from dangers, I shall
wander with thee. Before this, O son of the Kuru race, I have twice
visited the _tirthas_. With thee I shall repair to them for the third
time. O Yudhishthira, Manu and other royal _Rishis_ of meritorious deeds
had undertaken journeys to _tirthas_. Indeed, a trip to them is capable
of dispelling all fear, O king! They that are crooked-minded, they that
have not their souls under control, they that are