If it is unknown to thee (now), adore within thy heart
the god having the bull for his mark. Thinking
of that god in thy mind, remember him, O Dhananjaya!
Thou art his devotee. Through his grace thou
shalt obtain that rich possession.’ Hearing
these words of Krishna, Dhananjaya, having touched
water, sat on the earth with concentrated mind and
thought of the god Bhava. After he had thus sat
with rapt mind at that hour called Brahma of auspicious
indications, Arjuna saw himself journeying through
the sky with Kesava. And Partha, possessed of
the speed of the mind, seemed to reach, with Kesava,
the sacred foot of Himavat and the Manimat mountain
abounding in many brilliant gems and frequented by
Siddhas and Charanas. And the lord Kesava seemed
to have caught hold of his left arm. And he seemed
to see many wonderful sights as he reached (those
place). And Arjuna of righteous soul then seemed
to arrive at the White mountain on the north.
And then he beheld, in the pleasure-gardens of Kuvera
the beautiful lake decked with lotuses. And he
also saw that foremost of rivers, viz., the Ganga
full of water. And then he arrived at the regions
about the Mandara mountains. Those regions were
covered with trees that always bore blossoms and fruits.
And they abounded with stones lying scattered about,
that were all transparent crystal. And they were
inhabited by lions and tigers and abounded with animals
of diverse kinds. And they were adorned with many
beautiful retreats of ascetics, echoing with the sweet
notes of delightful warblers. And they resounded
also with the songs of Kinnaras. Graced with
many golden and silver peaks, they were illumined with
diverse herbs and plants. And many Mandara trees
with their pretty loads of flowers, adorned them.
And then Arjuna reached the mountains called Kala that
looked like a mound of antimony. And then he reached
the summit called Brahmatunga, and then many rivers,
and then many inhabited provinces. And he arrived
at Satasinga, and the woods known by the name of Sharyati.
And then he beheld the sacred spot known as the Horse-head,
and then the region of Atharvana. And then he
beheld that prince of mountains called Vrishadansa,
and the great Mandara, abounding in Apsaras, and graced
with the presence of the Kinnaras. And roaming
on that mountain, Partha, with Krishna, beheld a spot
of earth adorned with excellent fountains, decked
with golden mineral, and possessed of the splendour
of the lunar rays, and having many cities and towns.
And he also beheld many seas of wonderful forms and
diverse mines of wealth. And thus going through
the sky and firmament and the earth, he reached the
spot called Vishnupada. And wandering, with Krishna
in his company, he came down with great velocity,
like a shaft shot (from a bow). And soon Partha
beheld a blazing mountain whose splendour equalled
that of the planets, the constellations, or fire.
And arrived at that mountain, he beheld on its top,
the high-souled god having the bull for his mark, and