Vishvakarma

At a sacrifice performed by Vishvakarma, the Self-created One gives the entire earth to the sage Kashyapa. The earth, furious at being handed to a mortal, threatens to descend into the underworld — and only Kashyapa's austerities can bring her back.

Kubera arrives on the mountain summit with his yaksha and gandharva retinue. The Pandavas, knowing they have committed a crime, bow in obeisance. But Kubera is pleased. He tells Yudhishthira not to be angry at Bhima's deed — the rakshasas were already marked for death by destiny. Then he turns to Bhima: "You have freed me from a terrible curse. No crime attaches to you."

The maharshis and Shakra offer Skanda the position of Indra, praising his strength and asking him to become lord of the three worlds. Skanda refuses, declaring that Shakra alone should rule and that he will remain Shakra's servant — but when Shakra proposes he become general of the gods instead, Skanda accepts on one condition: that it be for destroying danavas and protecting cows and brahmanas.

Rama asks Sugriva how to cross the ocean. The monkeys propose leaping or building boats, but Rama rejects both — the army is too vast, and trade should not suffer. He decides to force the ocean god himself to yield a path, threatening to dry up the sea with celestial weapons. The ocean god appears in a dream and offers a solution: Nala, son of Vishvakarma, will build a bridge that the ocean will bear.

All four Pandava brothers lie dead by the lake. Yudhishthira, tormented, arises alone and enters the great forest. He walks through its beauty — past ruru deer and boar, under trees abuzz with bees — until he finds the pond, covered with a net of gold, as if created by Vishvakarma himself.