67 Santhanagopalam: Glory of the Supreme person (part I)

In Dwaraka, there was a brahmin. His wife gave birth to a child, but it was born dead. The grieving brahmin lays the body of the child at the royal palace gates and blames the vicious and avaricious acts of the ruler for his predicament. One after another eight child were thus born dead, and the brahmin leaves them all, one by one, at the palace portals and repeats the same accusations in a loud tone. When he repeats the complaint for his ninth child, Arjuna was sitting by the side of Krishna. He boastfully said: "O brahmin! Is there no one in Dwaraka who can wield a bow?  A ruler who cannot protect his subjects from loss of wealth, wife and children are mere actors in the role of the ruling clan, just filling their belly. I hereby vow to protect your next child, O brahmin -- failing which I shall enter the fire to atone for my sin."  The brahmin replies: "Arjuna! when Balarama, Krishna and other great warrior sons of Krishna have failed to protect my children, how do you dare to do so? It is simply childish to brag like this. How can we have faith in you." Arjuna continues in the same vein: "I am neither Balarama, nor Krishna, nor Krishna's son, O brahmin! I am Arjuna, the wielder of the famous Gandiva bow. Don't trivilialise my prowess, with which I have pleased even Lord Shankara. I shall conquer even Yama, the god of death and bring back your child."
Trusting Arjuna, the brahmin returned home. As the period of confinement of his wife drew near, the brahmin seeks the protection of Arjuna to save the life of the child. Arjuna bows to Lord Sankara and invokes the various weapons of supernatural efficacy. He strings his bow, Gandiva and cages the house of confinement with arrows on all sides for protection. The child was born and gave out cries but it disappeared through the sky. Now the brahmin censures Arjuna in Krishna's presence. "It was my folly to trust the futile boast of a eunuch. Who else is powerful enough to save one, whom Krishna, Balarama and the other great warriors like Aniruddha and Pradyumna could not protect? Fie upon Arjuna, who made empty boasts, and indulges in self-praise. The fool intends to bring back what has been snatched away by providence." Arjuna at once proceeded to Yama's abode to search for the child. He could not find the child there. Nor could he find it in Indra's abode, nor in the abode of any of the other gods (Agni, Vayu, Soma etc.). He could not find the child in higher regions nor in the Rasatala (netherworld). Having failed to redeem his promise, he decides to jump into the fire. Krishna deters Arjuna from doing so: "Arjuna, do not make light of yourself. I shall show you the children of the brahmin. The very men who reproach you now will then resuscitate our spotless glory." Thus consoling Arjuna, Krishna took him Westwards, riding his divine chariot bearing Garuda's flag.
They cross the seven islands, each containing seven mountain ranges, the seven oceans (dividing those islands) and the Lokaloka mountain situated beyond them all. He enters the region of thick darkness. The horses lose their way, and could not proceed any further. The Yogacharya Krishna, sends his discus Sudarshana ahead of him as a guide, illuminating the entire area with the brilliance of many suns. Following the path made by Sudarshana, the chariot reaches the end of the region of darkness. Beyond it shone the region of Supreme and all pervading light. Arjuna had to shut his eyes. (... continued in part II)