Kubera Meets the Pandavas and Forgives Bhima
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 Pandavas saw the lord of riches approach — great and pleasant to look at — and their body hair stood up. On seeing Pandu's maharatha (great warrior) sons, great in spirit, with their bows and swords in their hands, Kubera was also delighted. With great speed, they alighted on the peak of the mountain like birds and stood around the lord of riches, who was at the forefront.
On seeing that Kubera was delighted with the Pandavas, the yakshas and gandharvas stood around indifferently. The great-souled Pandavas — Nakula, Sahadeva and Dharma's son Yudhishthira, who was always devoted to dharma — bowed down in obeisance before the illustrious lord of riches. The maharathas knew in their hearts that they had committed a crime. Therefore, all of them surrounded the lord of riches, hands joined in salutation.
The handsome lord of riches was seated on his supreme Pushpaka (celestial chariot), constructed by Vishvakarma and coloured along the sides. Thousands of giant yakshas and rakshasas, swift in speed and with pointed ears, seated themselves below the seated one. Hundreds of gandharvas and masses of apsaras surrounded and waited on him, like Shatakratu (Indra) surrounded by the gods.
With a beautiful golden garland on his head and with arrows, sword and bow in his hand, Bhimasena looked at the lord of riches. Despite being wounded by the rakshasas, Bhima felt no fear or exhaustion. Even in that state, he looked at Kubera.
On seeing Bhima standing there, desiring to fight and with sharp arrows, Naravahana (Kubera) told Dharma's son: "O Partha! All the beings know that you have the welfare of beings in your heart. Therefore, with your relatives, live on this mountain without any fear. O Pandava! Nor should you be angry because of Bhimasena's deed. They had already been killed by destiny and your brother was only the instrument. Nor should you be ashamed at this violent deed of his. The destruction of the yakshas and the rakshasas had been determined by the gods earlier. O bull among the Bharata lineage! I am not angry with Bhimasena. I am pleased. I have already satisfied myself with this deed of Bhimasena's."
Having said this to the king, he spoke to Bhimasena: "O son! O supreme among the Kuru lineage! This will not prey on your mind. O Bhima! You have embarked on this act of violence for Krishna's sake. You have ignored me and the gods. You have destroyed the yakshas and the rakshasas, with the strength of your own arms. But even then, I am pleased with you. O Vrikodara! You have freed me from a terrible curse. Earlier, for some reason, I was cursed by the supreme rishi Agastya, because he had been angered. Because of your deed, I have now been freed from the curse following that transgression. O descendant of the Pandava lineage! O destroyer of enemies! Since I foresaw this grief, no crime attaches to you." Aranyaka Parva, Chapter 455