तान्दृष्ट्वा लोकपालांस्तु समेतान्गिरिमूर्धनि। जगाम विस्मयं धीमान्कुन्तीपुत्रो धनंजयः
Seeing the assembled guardians of the worlds gathered on the mountain peak, the wise son of Kunti, Dhananjaya, was filled with wonder.
ततोऽर्जुनो महातेजा लोकपालान्समागतान्। पूजयामास विधिवद्वाग्भिरद्भिः फलैरपि
Then Arjuna, of great splendor, honored the assembled guardians of the worlds with proper words, water, and fruits.
ततः प्रतिययुर्देवाः प्रतिपूज्य धनंजयम्। यथागतेन विबुधाः सर्वे कामं मनोजवाः
After duly honoring Dhananjaya, the gods departed as they had come, all the divine beings moving at will.
ततो ऽर्जुनो मुदं लेभे लब्धास्त्रः पुरुषर्पभः। कृतार्थमथ चात्मानं स मेने पूर्णमानसम्
Then Arjuna, best of men, rejoiced, having obtained the weapons; and, his purpose accomplished, he considered himself fulfilled and content.
गतेषु लोकपालेषु पार्थः शत्रुनिबर्हणः। चिन्तयामास राजेन्द्र देवराजरथागमम्
When the guardians of the worlds had departed, Partha, destroyer of foes, began to ponder, O king, the coming of the chariot of the king of the gods.
तस्य चिन्तयमानस्य गुडाकेशस्य धीमतः। रथो मातलिसंयुक्त आजगाम महाप्रभः
As the wise Gudakesha was thinking, the radiant chariot yoked by Matali arrived.
नभो वितिमिरं कुर्वञ्जलदान्पाटयन्निव। दिशः संपूरयन्नादैर्महामेघरवोपमैः
It darkened the sky, as if splitting the clouds, filling the directions with sounds like the roar of great thunderclouds.
असयः शक्तयो भीमा गदाश्चोग्रप्रदर्शनाः। दिव्यप्रभावाः प्रासाश्च विद्युतश्च महाप्रभाः
There were swords, mighty spears, fearsome maces, and dazzling javelins of divine power, and brilliant lightning bolts.
तथैवाशनयश्चैव चक्रयुक्तास्तुलागुडाः। वायुस्फोटाः सनिर्घाताः शङ्खमेघस्वनास्तथा
There were also thunderbolts with wheels, balances, wind-blasts with thunderclaps, and conch-shells sounding like clouds.
तत्रनागा महाकाया ज्वलितास्याः सुदारुणाः। सिताभ्रकूटप्रतिमाः संहताश्च यथोपलाः
There, great-bodied, terrifying serpents with blazing mouths, resembling masses of white clouds, were gathered together like hailstones.
दशवाजिसहस्राणि हरीणां वातरंहसाम्। वहन्ति यं नेत्रमुषं दिव्यं मायामयं रथम्
Ten thousand steeds, swift as the wind, bore that wondrous, magical chariot with a divine standard.
तत्रापश्यन्महानीलं वैजयन्तं महाप्रभम्। ध्वजमिन्दीवरश्यामं वंशं कनकभूषणम्
There Arjuna saw the great blue, resplendent Vaijayanta banner, dark as a blue lotus, with a staff adorned with gold.
तस्मिन्रथे स्थितं सूतं तप्तहेमविभूषितम्। दृष्ट्वा पार्थो महाबाहुर्देवराजमतर्कयत्
On that chariot stood the charioteer, adorned with burnished gold; seeing him, mighty-armed Partha thought of the king of the gods.
तथा तर्कयतस्तस्य फल्गुनस्याथ मातलिः। सन्नतः प्रस्थितो भूत्वा वाक्यमर्जुनमब्रवीत्
As Phalguna thus pondered, Matali, bowing and ready to depart, addressed Arjuna with these words.
भोभो शक्रात्मज श्रीमञ्शक्रस्त्वां द्रष्टुमिच्छति। आरोहतु भवाञ्शीघ्रं रथमिन्द्रस्य संभतम्
O illustrious son of Shakra, Shakra himself wishes to see you. Please ascend quickly the chariot prepared by Indra.
आह माममरश्रेष्ठः पिता तव शतक्रतुः। कुन्तीसुतमिह प्राप्तं पश्यन्तु त्रिदशालयाः
The foremost of immortals, your father Shatakratu, said to me: 'Let the lords of the three worlds see the son of Kunti who has arrived here.'
एष शक्रः परिवृतो देवैर्ऋषिगणैस्तथा। गन्धर्वैरप्सरोभिश्च त्वां दिदृक्षुः प्रतीक्षते
Here is Shakra, surrounded by the gods, hosts of sages, Gandharvas, and Apsarases; desiring to see you, he awaits you.
अस्माल्लोकाद्देवलोकं पाकशासनशासनात्। मारोह त्वं मया सार्धं लब्धास्त्रः पुनरेष्यसि
By the command of the wielder of the thunderbolt, ascend with me from this world to the world of the gods; having obtained weapons, you shall return again.
मातले गच्छ शीघ्रं त्वमारोहस्व रथोत्तमम्। राजसूयाश्वमेधानां शतैरपि सुदुर्लभम्
Matali, go swiftly and ascend the excellent chariot, which is exceedingly difficult to obtain even by hundreds of Rajasuya and Ashvamedha sacrifices.
पार्थिवैः सुमहाभागैर्यज्वभिर्भूरिदक्षिणैः। दैवतैर्वा दुरारोहं दानवैर्वा रथोत्तमम्
This supreme chariot is hard to ascend for even the most fortunate kings, great sacrificers, and generous donors, or for the gods and the Danavas.
नातप्ततपसा शक्य एष दिव्यो महारथः। द्रष्टुं वाऽप्यथवा स्प्रष्टुमारोढुं कुत एव च
This divine great chariot cannot be seen, touched, or mounted by one who has not performed severe austerities.
त्वयि मतिष्ठिते साधो रथस्थे स्थिरवाजिनि। पश्चादहमथारोक्ष्ये मुकृती सत्पथं यथा
O noble one, when you, steadfast in mind and firm in the chariot, have mounted, then I shall ascend after you, following the right path.
तस्यतद्वचनं श्रुत्वा मातलिः शक्रसारथिः। आरुरोह रथं शीघ्रं हयाञ्जग्राह रश्मिभिः
Hearing those words, Matali, the charioteer of Shakra, swiftly mounted the chariot and took hold of the reins of the horses.
ततोऽर्जुनो हृष्टमना गङ्गायामाप्लुतः शुचिः। जजाप जप्यं कौन्तेयो विधिवत्कुरुनन्दनः
Then Arjuna, his mind elated, having bathed in the Ganga and purified himself, recited the prescribed prayers according to the proper rite, O joy of the Kurus.
ततः पितृन्यथान्यायं तर्पयित्वा यथाविधि। मन्दरं शैलराजं तमाप्रष्टुमुपचक्रमे
Then, having duly offered libations to the ancestors as prescribed, he began to take leave of that king of mountains, Mandara.
साधूनां पुण्यशीलानां मुनीनां पुण्यकर्मणाम्। त्वं सदा संश्रयः शैल स्वर्गमार्गाभिकाङ्क्षिणाम्
O mountain, you are always the refuge of the virtuous, the pure-hearted, and the sages who perform holy deeds, and of those who seek the path to heaven.
त्वत्प्रसादात्सदा शैल ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया विशः। स्वर्गं प्राप्ताश्चरन्ति स्म देवैः सह गतव्यथाः
By your grace, O mountain, Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas have attained heaven and moved about with the gods, free from sorrow.
अद्रिराज महाशैल मुनिसंश्रय तीर्थवन्। गच्छाम्यामन्त्रयित्वा त्वां सुखमस्म्युषितस्त्वयि
O king of mountains, great and holy, refuge of sages, abounding in sacred fords, I go after taking leave of you, having dwelt happily with you.
तव सानूनि कुञ्जाश्च नद्यः प्रस्रवणानि च। तीर्थानि च सुपुण्यानि मया दृष्टान्यनेकशः
Your slopes, thickets, rivers, springs, and the most sacred fords have been seen by me many times.
सुसुगन्धाश्च वैर्योघास्त्वच्छरीरविनिःसृताः। अमृतास्वादसृशाः पीताः प्रस्रवणोदकाः
The fragrant airs that flow from your body have been inhaled, and the waters of your springs, tasting like nectar, have been drunk.