आश्वमेधिक पर्व — कृष्णको द्वारका जाने इच्छा

O best of the twice-borns, when the Pandavas had reconquered and pacified their kingdom, what did the two warriors Vasudeva and Dhananjaya do?

Vaishmpayana said. O king, Vasudeva and Dhananjaya were highly pleased when the Pandavas had succeeded in regaining and pacifying their kingdoms, and they deported themselves with great glcc, like Indra and his wife in the celestial regions, and amidst picturesque forest scenarios, and tablelands of mountains, and sacred places of pilgrimage, and lakes and rivers, they travelled with great pleasure like the two Ashvins in the Nandana garden of Indra.

And, O Bharata, the great Krishna and the son of Pandu (Dhananjaya) entering the beautiful hall of assembly at Indraprastha, passed their time in great merriment.

And there, O prince, they passed their time in describing the stirring incidents of the war, and the sufferings of their past lives.

And those two great ancient sages, pleased, recited the genealogy of the races of saints and gods.

Then Keshava, knowing thc full significance of all matters, addressed Partha in sweet and beautiful words of excellent style and meaning.

And then Janardana consoled the son of Pritha afflicted by the death of his sons, and thousands of other relatives.

And he of great ascetic merit and knowing the science of all things duly comforting him, rested for a while, as if a great burden had been removed from his own body.

Then Govinda (Krishna) comforting Arjuna with sweet speech, addressed these well reasoned words to himn.

Vasudeva said O Arjuna, the terror of your enemies, this cntire earth has been conquered by the king, the son of Dharma, depending on the power of your arms.

And, O best of men, the virtuous king Yudhishthira now enjoys the sovereignty of the earth without a rival, by the power of Bhimasena and the twin brothers.

Oyou, who know what virtue is, it was by virtue alone, that the king has been able to regain his kingdom shorn of all enemies, and it was by the action of virtue, that king Suyodhana has been slain in battle, and, O son of Pritha and pillar of the Kuru race, the wicked sons sons of Dhritarashtra, avaricious, always rude in speech, and bent upon a sinful course of conduct, having been rooted out with their followers, the king, the son of Dharma and lord of the earth, now peaceably enjoys the cntire kingdom of the earth with your help, and I too, O son of Pandu, have been pleasantly passing away my time in your company, amidst woodland scenes.

O terror of your enemies, what more need I tell you, but that where you and Pritha, and the king, the son of Dharma, and the powerful Bhimasena and the two sons of Madri are, there am I drawn with exquisite delight.

O descendant of Kuru, in these delightful and sacred and celestial halls of assembly, a long time has gone away in your company without my seeing Vasudeva, Baladeva and other leaders of the Vrishni race.

And now I am desirous of going to the city of Dvaravati. Do you, therefore, O most courageous of me, assent to my departure.

When king Yudhishthira was stricken heavily with sorrow, I with Bhishma, have recited to him many appropriate legends suited to the occasion with a view of dispelling his gricf, and the pliant and great Yudhishthira, though our sovereign, and versed in all learning, paid due heed to our words.

That son of Dharma honours truth, and is grateful and virtuous, therefore will his virtue, and good sense and the stability of his power always endure.

And now, O Arjuna, if it pleases you, do you go to that great prince and tell him of my desire to leave this place.

For, O you of mighty arms, even if death comes to ine, I am reluctant to do anything that may displease him, what to speak of my going to the city of Dvaravati, O son of Pritha, and descendant of Kuru, I now tell you truly desiring to do only what is good and agreeable to you, and there can be nothing equivocal in it many way, that the necessity for my staying here no longer exists, when, O Arjuna, that monarch the son of Dhritarashtra, has been killed with his armies and attendants, and the earth, my friend, with its belt of seas, and its mountains and woods and forest, and the kingdom of the Kuru king filled with various gems, have passed under the control of that wise son of Dharma. And, O foremost prince of Bharata's race, may that virtuous prince govern the entire kingdom of the earth in virtue, and with the respect and approbation of numerous grcat Siddhas, and having his praises always extolled by the panegyrists.

Do you, O pride of Kuru's race, accompany me today to the king, the great advancer of the Kuru race, and sound him of my intended return to Dwraka.

As Yudhishthira the great king of the Kurus, always commands my love and respect, I have, O son of Pritha, placed this my body and all the riches that I have in my house, at his disposal.

And, O prince, Partha (son of Pritha) when this earth has come under your control and that of the worshipful Yudhishthira of excellent character, there no longer remains any need for my staying here except for my love for you.

And, O king, when the redoubtable Arjuna had been thus addressed by the noble-hearted Janardana, he, showing all the honours due to him, sorrowfully replied by merely saying 'be it so'.