he passed over many uneven and dangerous spots, walking
night and day without fatigue. And having reached
Indrakila, Dhananjaya stopped for a moment.
And then he heard a voice in the skies, saying, ‘Stop!’
And hearing that voice, the son of Pandu cast his
glances all around. And Arjuna, capable of using
his left hand with skill equal to that of his right
hand, then beheld before him an ascetic under the
shade of a tree, blazing with Brahma brilliancy,
of a tawny colour, with matted locks, and thin.
And the mighty ascetic, beholding Arjuna stop at that
place, addressed him, saying, ’Who art thou,
O child, arrived hither with bow and arrows, and cased
in mail and accoutred in scabbard and gauntlet, and
(evidently) wedded to the customs of the Kshatriya?
There is no need of weapons here. This is the
abode of peaceful Brahmanas devoted to ascetic austerities
without anger or joy. There is no use for the
bow here, for there is no dispute in this place of
any kind. Therefore throw away, O child, this
bow of thine. Thou hast obtained a pure state
of life by coming here. O hero, there is no man
who is like thee in energy and prowess.’
That Brahmana thus addressed Arjuna, with a smiling
face, repeatedly. But he succeeded not in moving
Arjuna, firmly devoted to his purpose. The regenerate
one, glad at heart, smilingly addressed Arjuna once
more, saying, ’O slayer of foes, blest be thou!
I am Sakra: ask thou the boon thou desirest.’
Thus addressed, that perpetuator of the Kuru race,
the heroic Dhananjaya bending his head and joining
his hands, replied unto him of a thousand eyes, saying,
’Even this is the object of my wishes; grant
me this boon, O illustrious one. I desire to
learn from thee all the weapons.’ The chief
of the celestials then, smiling, replied unto him cheerfully,
saying, ’O Dhananjaya, when thou hast reached
this region, what need is there of weapons? Thou
hast already obtained a pure state of life. Ask
thou for the regions of bliss that thou desirest.’
Thus addressed, Dhananjaya replied unto him of a thousand
eyes, saying, ’I desire not regions of bliss,
nor objects of enjoyment, nor the state of a celestial;
what is this talk about happiness? O chief of
the celestials, I do not desire the prosperity of
all the gods. Having left my brothers behind
me in the forest, and without avenging myself on the
foe, shall I incur the opprobrium for all ages of
all the world?’ Thus addressed, the slayer of
Vritra, worshipped of the worlds, consoling him with
gentle words, spake unto the son of Pandu, saying,
’When thou art able to behold the three-eyed
trident-bearing Siva, the lord of all creatures, it
is then, O child, that I will give thee all the celestial
weapons. Therefore, strive thou to obtain the
sight of the highest of the gods; for it is only after
thou hast seen him, O son of Kunti, that thou wilt
obtain all thy wishes.’ Having spoken thus
unto Phalguna, Sakra disappeared then and there, and
Arjuna, devoting himself to asceticism, remained at
that spot.’”