Vishvavasu

Arjuna descends from his chariot and sees his father Indra seated on the throne of heaven. He bows his head. Indra embraces him, lifts him onto his lap, and then seats him on the sacred throne itself — a sign of acceptance that makes the assembly hall shine like the sun and moon together.

As Yudhishthira journeys through the wilderness, the sage Lomasha begins describing the sacred sites that lie ahead — places where gods performed austerities, rivers served a rishi, and the Ganga herself splintered a mountain. Each spot carries its own history, and together they form a path that might lead the anxious king to peace.

Yudhishthira asks the sage Lomasha about his travels. Lomasha is pleased to reply — he has been sent by Indra himself with news of Arjuna. He tells Yudhishthira that he saw Arjuna seated on half of Indra's throne, that Arjuna has obtained the Brahmashira weapon from Rudra and other divine weapons from the guardians of the world, and that he has mastered the gandharva veda. Then Lomasha delivers Indra's message: Arjuna will return after accomplishing a great task for the gods, Yudhishthira should devote himself to austerities, his fear of Karna will be dispelled, and he should accept Lomasha's guidance on tirthas.

Renuka, rigid in her vows, goes to bathe while her sons gather fruit. She sees King Chitraratha sporting in the water with his wives, garlanded with lotuses — and is filled with desire. She loses her chastity and her senses. When Jamadagni discovers this, he commands each of his four eldest sons to kill their mother. They refuse. In great anger, he curses them to lose their minds and behave like animals or inanimate objects.

Arjuna enters Amaravati and stands before Indra with joined hands. The king of the gods is delighted, offers him half his throne, and honours him. For the sake of weapons and learning, Arjuna begins to dwell in heaven — where Vishvavasu's son Chitrasena becomes his friend and teaches him everything the gandharvas know.

Rama and Lakshmana encounter Kabandha, a rakshasa like a cloud or a mountain with a single eye on his chest and a giant mouth on a giant belly. He seizes Lakshmana in his arms. Lakshmana despairs, lamenting their misfortunes — Sita abducted, Rama exiled, their father dead — but Rama remains undaunted. He commands Lakshmana to slice off Kabandha's right arm while he severs the left, and they hack at the rakshasa until he falls dead. From his body emerges the gandharva Vishvavasu, freed from Brahma's curse, who tells Rama that Ravana took Sita to Lanka and advises him to seek Sugriva's help at Lake Pampa near Mount Rishyamukha.