“Lomasa said, ’The celestials, O king, were well pleased with Arvavasu for his acts.  And they made him engaged as the chief priest in the sacrifice (of Vrihadyumna), and Paravasu to be dismissed from it.  Then Agni and the other celestials (of their own accord) bestowed boons on Arvavasu.  And they also prayed that his father might be restored to life.  He further prayed that his brother might be absolved from his sin; that his father might have no recollection of his having been slain; that Bharadwaja and Yavakri might both be restored to life; and that the solar revelation might attain celebrity (on earth).  Then the god said, ’So be it,’ and conferred on him other boons also.  Thereat, O Yudhishthira, all of these persons regained their life.  Yavakri now addressed Agni and the other deities, saying, ’I had obtained a knowledge of all the Vedas, and also practised penances.  How came it then, O chiefs of the immortals, that Raivya succeeded in killing me in that way?’ Thereupon the gods said, ’O Yavakri, never act again as those have done.  What thou askest about is quite possible, for thou hast learnt the Vedas without exertion, and without the help of a preceptor.  But this man (Raivya) bearing various troubles, had satisfied his preceptor by his conduct, and obtained (from the latter) the excellent Vedas through great exertions and in a long time.’

“Lomasa said, ’Having said this to Yavakri, and restored all those to life, the celestials with Indra at their head, ascended to heaven.  Here, O Yudhishthira, is the sacred hermitage of that sage embellished with trees bearing blossoms and fruits at all seasons.  O tiger among kings, dwelling at this spot, thou wilt be delivered from all thy sins.’”

SECTION CXXXIX

“Lomasa said, ’O descendant of Bharata, O king, now hast thou left behind the mountains Usiravija, Mainaka and Sweta, as well as the Kala hills, O son of Kunti, O bull among the descendants of Bharata, here flow before thee the seven Gangas.  This spot is pure and holy.  Here Agni blazeth forth without intermission.  No son of Manu is able to obtain a sight of this wonder.  Therefore, O son of Pandu, concentrate your mind in order that he may intently behold these tirthas.  Now wilt thou see the play-ground of the gods, marked with their footprints, as we have passed the mountain Kala.  We shall now ascend that white rock—­the mountain Mandara, inhabited by the Yakshas, Manibhadra and Kuvera, king of the Yakshas.  O king, at this place eighty thousand fleet Gandharvas, and four times as many Kimpurushas and Yakshas of various shapes and forms, holding various weapons, attend upon Manibhadra, king of the Yakshas.  In these regions their power is very great.  And in speed they are even as the wind.  They can, without doubt, displace even the lord of the celestials from his seat.  Protected by them, and also watched over by the Rakshasas, these mountains have been rendered inaccessible.  Therefore,