When Arjuna, having subdued the race of Nivātakavachas, journeyed back toward the radiant Amarāvati, his eyes beheld a serene hermitage surrounded by tranquil beauty and a golden city shining afar. Wondering at such splendour, he turned to Mātali and asked whose capital this glorious place might be. The charioteer, wise and devoted, replied that in ancient times two demonesses, Pulomā and Kālakā, had performed long austerities, propitiating Brahmā for a thousand years. Pleased with their penance, the Creator granted them a boon—that their sons, dwelling in this city of gold, should never be conquered by gods. Thus arose the mighty realm of Hiraṇyapura, home to the sixty thousand sons of Kālakā and Pulomā, known as the Kālakeyas, fierce beyond endurance, cruel toward gods and sages, and unapproachable to the celestials. Aroused by curiosity and righteous anger, Arjuna resolved to destroy their wicked might and commanded Mātali to drive the chariot forward.
Then Mātali, filled with divine zeal, urged the steeds swift as the tempest until they reached the gate of that dread fortress. The demon legions, mistaking Arjuna for Indra himself, surrounded him with sixty thousand chariots, their weapons flashing like fire. Arjuna loosed celestial missiles, hurling rocks and trees upon their path. The demons resorted to dark sorceries, taking flight through the skies; but Arjuna, wielding divine astras, drew them down again to earth. Knowing their powers and the art of their destruction, he invoked the terrible Pāśupata—the irresistible weapon of Śiva, the Lord crowned with the crescent, garlanded by serpents, and bearing the trident. From that divine energy issued forms of lions with eight legs, winged tigers, tuskers, yakṣas, rākṣasas, serpents, and spirits, all terrible to behold, devouring the race of Kālakeyas and breaking the enchantments of Pulomā’s dark arts. Their might was crushed, and their souls were driven to the abode of Yama.
When the hosts of Hiraṇyapura were thus destroyed, Arjuna bowed before Indra, who spoke with joy: “O son of Pāṇḍu, thou hast favoured the gods and art now their beloved. None in battle shall conquer thee. Even as the elephant cannot vanquish the lion, so no warrior shall prevail against thee. In the war to come, thy weapons shall overcome Drona, his son Aśvatthāman, the great Bhīṣma born of Ganga, and Karṇa, lord of Aṅga.” Arjuna, having sought the blessings of Indra, returned to his brothers. Yudhiṣṭhira rejoiced greatly, for he saw in this the promise of evil’s downfall and the dawn of righteous rule.
At his brother’s request, Arjuna displayed the divine astras—their invocation, direction, and recall. Each weapon shone with its own sacred mechanism and splendour. As he demonstrated, the earth trembled, the oceans rose in tumult, beasts fled in terror, and even the brilliance of the sun grew dim. The winds subsided, and the fires of sages wavered; the gods and the trinity looked on in awe. Then Nārada descended and cried, “O son of Pāṇḍu, if these weapons be loosed without a target, they shall consume the three worlds!” Hearing this, Arjuna at once withdrew the astras in their due order, and peace returned to the universe. Nārada, contented, returned to heaven to tell the gods of what had transpired.
For ten months, the Pāṇḍavas dwelt in that hermitage. One day, the sisters of the gods visited them, blessing Arjuna: “Ye shall live twelve years in the forest and one in exile, free from hindrance. Thereafter ye shall win the great war, and Yudhiṣṭhira shall reign as monarch of earth, luminous as Rāma of the Raghus.” With these words, they departed, well pleased by the honours of the Pāṇḍavas. Soon after, the sage Romasa, having discoursed on virtue, returned to the celestial realms. The brothers, aided by Ghaṭotkacha and his host, journeyed through forests and sacred hermitages, passing a night in Bādārīvana before parting from their Rakṣasa kin.
One day, while hunting in the Himalayan slopes, Bhīma, son of Vāyu, weary and thirsty, encountered a monstrous python whose body coiled like a living mountain. Its breath raised dust that dimmed the flowers and greenery; its eyes gleamed like twin moons, and its fangs curved like crescents. With crushing strength, it seized Bhīma, binding him fast. Astonished, Bhīma spoke: “I am Bhīma, son of Pāṇḍu, brother to Yudhiṣṭhira. I have conquered yakṣas and rākṣasas; I can slay lions and elephants with my fists—yet thou hast subdued me! Tell me, whence comes thy strength?” The serpent, remembering its former life, replied, “This power is born of divine grace. Once I was Indra himself, king of gods, but pride made me insult a holy sage, and Agastya cursed me to become as I am. Yet he granted memory of my past and decreed that whoso could answer my questions should release me.”
Meanwhile, Yudhiṣṭhira, alarmed by omens, followed Bhīma’s trail and found him bound in the coils of the serpent. He addressed the creature: “O mighty one, release this warrior. I shall feed thee to thy content.” The serpent answered, “O king of virtue, I am thy ancestor Nahusha, fallen from heaven by pride. If thou canst answer my questions on righteousness, I shall free thy brother.”
Then Nahusha inquired, “What makes one a Brāhmin?” Yudhiṣṭhira replied, “Truth, wisdom, control of the senses, purity, compassion, sacrifice, and steadfastness—these, not birth, mark the true Brāhmin.” “But,” asked the serpent, “if these virtues dwell in one of humble birth, is he also Brāhmin?” Yudhiṣṭhira said, “Indeed, virtue, not lineage, defines a man. When conduct is pure, it uplifts even the low-born; but high birth without conduct is but vanity. Conduct is greater than wealth, for it preserves the essence of being.”
Nahusha continued: “If one harms many yet abstains from violence, how may he reach higher worlds?” Yudhiṣṭhira replied, “Charity, truth, compassion, and non-violence are paths of righteousness; yet non-violence is supreme. Those who practice it ascend to divine forms, while the violent fall into beastly births. Thus is non-violence the highest virtue.”
Satisfied by these words of wisdom, Nahusha released Bhīma and regained his celestial form, blessing Yudhiṣṭhira with deeper knowledge of virtue. Then the Pāṇḍava brothers returned to their dwelling, knowing that wisdom, self-restraint, and balance of mind are the true equals of strength, divine favour, and the gifts of nature.
