all the celestial weapons with their fullness and life.  Alone he is equal, I think, unto them all.  Otherwise it is impossible (for us) to vanquish in fight all those foes, who have attained to eminent success in all their purposes.  We shall behold Arjuna, that repressor of foes, fully equipped with celestial weapons, for Vibhatsu having once undertaken a task, never droopeth under its weight.  Without that hero, however, that best of men, ourselves, with Krishna, cannot be at rest in Kamyaka.  Therefore, do thou mention some other wood that is sacred and delightful, and abounds in food and fruits, and that is inhabited by men of pious practices:—­where we may pass some time, expecting the warlike Arjuna of unbaffled prowess, like the Chataka in expectation of gathering clouds.  Do thou tell us of some asylums open to the regenerate ones, and lakes and streams and beautiful mountains.  O Brahmana, deprived of Arjuna, I do not like to stay in this wood of Kamyaka.  We wish to go somewhere else.’”

SECTION LXXXVII

Vaisampayana said, “Beholding the Pandavas afflicted with anxiety and depressed in spirits, Dhaumya, who resembled Vrihaspati, spake thus, comforting them, ’O bull of the Bharata race, O sinless one, listen to me as I mention certain sacred asylums and regions and tirthas and mountains that are approved of by Brahmanas.  O king, listen to me as I speak, thyself with the daughter of Drupada and thy brothers, wilt, O lord of men, be relieved from grief.  And, O son of Pandu, by hearing only of these places, thou wilt acquire merit.  And by visiting them thou wilt obtain merit a hundred times greater, O best of men!  First, O king, I will, so far as I recollect, speak of the beautiful eastern country, much regarded, O Yudhishthira, by royal Rishis.  In that direction, O Bharata is a place called Naimisha which is regarded by the celestials.  There in that region are several sacred tirthas belonging to the gods.  There also is the sacred and beautiful Gomati which is adored by celestial Rishis and there also is the sacrificial region of the gods and the sacrificial stake of Surya.  In that quarter also is that best of hills called Gaya, which is sacred and much regarded by royal ascetics.  There on that hill, is the auspicious lake called Brahmasara which is adored by celestial Rishis.  It is for this that the ancients say that one should wish for many sons, so that even one among them may visit Gaya, celebrate the horse-sacrifice or give away a nila bull, and thereby deliver ten generations of his race up and down.  There, O monarch, is a great river, and spot called Gayasira.  In Gayasira is a banian, which is called by the Brahmanas the Eternal banian, for the food that is offered there to the Pitris becometh eternal, O exalted one!  The great river that floweth by the place is known by the name of Phalgu, and its waters are all sacred.  And,