to behold the regions that lay in that direction.
That foremost one of Kuru’s race saw many regions
of sacred waters one after another. And beholding
in the forest of Naimisha the delightful river Utpalini
(full of lotuses) and the Nanda and the Apara Nanda,
the far-famed Kausiki, and the mighty rivers Gaya and
Ganga, and all the regions of sacred water, he purified
himself, O Bharata, (with the usual rites), and gave
away many cows unto Brahmanas. Whatever regions
of sacred waters and whatever other holy palaces there
were in Vanga and Kalinga, Arjuna visited all of them.
Seeing them all and performing proper ceremonies,
he gave away much wealth. Then, O Bharata, all
those Brahmanas following the son of Pandu, bade him
farewell at the gate of the kingdom of Kalinga and
desisted from proceeding with him any further.
The brave Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, obtaining their
leave, went towards the ocean, accompanied by only
a few attendants. Crossing the country of the
Kalingas, the mighty one proceeded, seeing on his way
diverse countries and sacred spots and diverse delightful
mansions and houses. Beholding the Mahendra mountain
adorned with the ascetics (residing there), he went
to Manipura, proceeding slowly along the sea-shore.
Beholding all the sacred waters and other holy places
in that province, the strong-armed son of Pandu at
last went, O king, to the virtuous Chitravahana, the
ruler of Manipura. The king of Manipura had a
daughter of great beauty named Chitrangada. And
it so happened that Arjuna beheld her in her father’s
palace roving at pleasure. Beholding the handsome
daughter of Chitravahana, Arjuna desired to possess
her. Going unto the king (her father), he represented
unto him what he sought. He said. ’Give
away unto me thy daughter, O king! I am an illustrious
Kshatriya’s son.’ Hearing this, the
king asked him, ‘Whose son art thou?’
Arjuna replied, ‘I am Dhananjaya, the son of
Pandu and Kunti.’ The king, hearing this,
spoke unto him these words in sweet accents, ’There
was in our race a king of the name of Prabhanjana,
who was childless. To obtain a child, he underwent
severe ascetic penances. By his severe asceticism,
O Partha, he gratified that god of gods, Mahadeva,
the husband of Uma, that supreme Lord holding (the
mighty bow called) Pinaka. The illustrious Lord
granted him the boon that each successive descendant
of his race should have one child only. In consequence
of that boon only one child is born unto every successive
descendant of this race. All my ancestors (one
after another) had each a male child. I, however,
have only a daughter to perpetuate my race. But,
O bull amongst men, I ever look upon this daughter
of mine as my son. O bull of Bharata’s race,
I have duly made her a Putrika. Therefore, one
amongst the sons that may be begotten upon her by
thee, O Bharata, shall be the perpetuator of my race.
That son is the dower for which I may give away my
daughter. O son of Pandu, if them choosest, thou