Yudhishthira Decides to Journey to Gandhamadana
Four years of forest exile have passed. Yudhishthira remembers Arjuna's promise to return in the fifth year to the white-topped mountain peak. He assembles his brothers and Draupadi, announces the plan to go to Gandhamadana to meet Arjuna, and consults the brahmanas and ascetics, who approve the journey and bless it.
When the rakshasa had been killed, Yudhishthira returned to Narayana's hermitage and began to live there again.
One day, he assembled all his brothers, together with Draupadi. Remembering his brother Arjuna, he told them: "Pure in our ways, we have lived in the forest and four years have passed. Bibhatsu promised that in the fifth year, he would come to the king of the mountains, the supreme peak that is white at the top. In a desire to meet him, we should also go to that region. The immensely energetic Partha had decided on the time and had earlier made an agreement with me: 'I will live as a student for five years.' We will see Gandivadhanva, the destroyer of enemies, there, after he has returned from the world of the gods with the weapons he has obtained."
Having uttered these words, Yudhishthira consulted all the brahmanas and informed all the ascetics about the reasons. Having thus pleased the ones who were terrible in their austerities, he circumambulated them.
The brahmanas approved, because this was auspicious and would bring about welfare. "O bull among the Bharata lineage! These difficulties will soon be replaced by happiness. O one learned in dharma! After having traversed the road, you will protect the earth in accordance with the dharma of kshatriyas."
Then the king accepted the words of these ascetics. Aranyaka Parva, Chapter 452