They who drink the waters of
these seven streams, viz., Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Vitashtha, Sarayu,
Gomati, and Gandaki, are cleansed of all their sins. O Gandharva, this
sacred Ganga again, flowing through the celestial region is called there
the Alakananda. It hath again in the region of the Pitris become the
Vaitarani, difficult of being crossed by sinners, and, Krishna-Dwaipayana
himself hath said so. The auspicious and celestial river, capable of
leading to heaven (them that touch its waters), is free from all dangers.
Why dost thou then desire to bar us from it? This act of thine is not in
consonance with eternal virtue. Disregarding thy words, why shall we not
touch the sacred waters of the Bhagirathi free from all dangers and from
which none can bar us?'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of Arjuna, Angaraparna
became inflamed with wrath and drawing his bow to a circle began to shoot
his arrows like venomous snakes at the Pandavas. Then Dhananjaya, the son
of Pandu, wielding a good shield and the torch he held in his hand, warded
off all those arrows and addressing the Gandharva again said, 'O Gandharva,
seek not to terrify those that are skilled in weapons, for weapons hurled
at them vanish like froth. I think, O Gandharva, that ye are superior (in
prowess) to men; therefore shall I fight with thee, using celestial
weapons and not with any crooked means. This fiery weapon (that I shall
hurl at thee), Vrihaspati the revered preceptor of Indra, gave unto
Bharadwaja, from whom it was obtained by Agnivesya, and from Agnivesya by
my preceptor, that foremost of Brahmanas, Drona, who gave it away to me.
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