overcoming that being, I fell down stupefied on the ground. Thereupon, O
mighty king, with a laugh, that wonderful being at my sight vanished at
that spot together with the women. Having accomplished this, O
illustrious monarch, that divine one assumed another and unearthly form
(clad in) wonderful raiment. And renouncing the form of a hunter, that
divine lord of the gods, resumed his own unearthly appearance and that
mighty god stood (there). Then appeared before me with _Uma_ that
manifest divine one, having the bull for his mark, wielding the
_Pinaka_, bearing serpents and cable of assuming many forms. And, O
repressor of foes, advancing towards me, standing even then in the field
ready for conflict, that wielder of the trident addressed me saying, "I
am well-pleased with thee." Then that divine one held up my bows and the
couple of quivers furnished with inexhaustible shafts and returned them
unto me saying, "Do thou ask some boon, O Kunti's son. I am well-pleased
with thee. Tell me, what I shall do for thee. And, O hero, express the
desire that dwelleth in thy heart. I will grant it. Except immortality
alone, tell me as to the desire that is in thy heart." Thereat with my
mind intent on the acquisition of arms, I only bowed down unto Siva and
said, "O divine one, if thou beest favourably disposed towards me, then
I wish to have this boon,--I wish to learn all the weapons that are with
thy god-head." Then the god _Tryamvaka_ said unto me, "I will give. O
Pandava, my own weapon _Raudra_ shall attend upon thee." Thereupon
_Mahadeva_, well-pleased, granted to me the mighty weapon, _Pasupata_.
And, having granted that eternal weapon, he also said unto me, "This
must never be hurled at mortals. If discharged at any person of small
energy, it would consume the universe. Shouldst thou (at any time) be
hard pressed, thou mayst discharge it. And when all thy weapons have
been completely baffled, thou mayst hurl it." Then when he having the
bull for his mark, had been thus gratified, there stood manifest by my
side that celestial weapon, of resistless force capable of baffling all