SRIMAD MAHABHARATA - AADI PARVA - ARJUNA VANAVAASA (UPA) PARVA - PART 220

“Vaishampaayana said, ‘Then Arjuna of immeasurable prowess saw, one after another, all the sacred waters and other holy places that were on the shores of the western ocean. Bibhatsu (Arjuna) reached the sacred spot called Prabhasa (possibly Prabhas Patan, Gir Somnath district, Gujarat, India). When the invincible Arjuna arrived at that sacred and delightful region, Madhusudana (Sri Krishna) heard of it. Maadhava (Sri Krishna) soon went there to see his friend, the son of Kunti (Arjuna). (Sri) Krishna and Arjuna met together and embracing each other enquired after each other’s welfare. Those dear friends, who were none else than the Rishis Nara and Narayana of ancient times, sat down.

“Vaasudeva (Sri Krishna) asked Arjuna about his travels, saying, ‘Why, O Pandava (Arjuna), are you wandering over the earth, seeing all the sacred waters and other holy places?’ Then Arjuna told him everything that had happened. Hearing everything, that mighty hero (Veera in Sanskrit) of Vrishni’s race (Sri Krishna) said, ‘This is as it should be.’ (Sri) Krishna and Arjuna having sported as they liked, for some time at Prabhasa, went to the Raivataka mountain (present-day Mount Girnar in the Junagadh district, Gujarat, India) to pass some days there. Before they arrived at Raivataka, that mountain had, at the command of (Sri) Krishna been well-adorned by many craftsmen. Much food also had, at (Sri) Krishna’s command, been collected there. Enjoying everything that had been collected there for him, Arjuna sat with Vaasudeva (Sri Krishna) to see the performances of the actors and the dancers.

“Then the high-souled Pandava (Arjuna), dismissing them all with proper respect, laid himself down on a well-adorned and excellent bed. As the strong-armed one (Arjuna) lay on that excellent bed, he described to (Sri) Krishna everything about the sacred waters (Teertha in Sanskrit), the lakes and the mountains, the rivers and the forests he had seen. O Janamejaya, while he was speaking of these, stretched upon that divine bed, sleep stole upon him. He (Arjuna) rose in the morning, awakened, by sweet songs and melodious notes of the Veena and the praises and blessing of the poets. After he had gone through the necessary acts and ceremonies, he (Arjuna) was affectionately approached by him of the Vrishni race (Sri Krishna).

“Riding upon a golden chariot, the hero then set out for Dwaraka, the capital of the Yadavas. O Janamejaya, for honouring the son of Kunti (Arjuna), the city of Dwaraka, was well-adorned, all the gardens and houses within it. The citizens of Dwaraka, desirous of seeing the son of Kunti (Arjuna), began to pour eagerly into the public road by hundreds of thousands. In the public squares and roads, hundreds and thousands of women, mixing with the men, swelled the great crowd of the Bhojas, the Vrishnis, and the Andhakas, that had collected there. Arjuna was welcomed with respect by all the sons of Bhojas, the Vrishnis, and the Andhakas. He (Arjuna), in his turn, worshipped those that deserved his worship, receiving their blessings. The hero (Arjuna) was welcomed with affectionate reception by all the young men of the Yadava tribe (kula in Sanskrit). He repeatedly embraced all that were equal to him in age. Proceeding then to the delightful mansion (Bhavana in Sanskrit) of (Sri) Krishna that was filled with gems and every article of enjoyment, he took up his abode there with (Sri) Krishna for many days.’”