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.
शिशुर्यथा पितुश्चाङ्के सुखं शेते तटे तथा। मया तवाङ्के ललितं शैलराज महाप्रभो
Just as a child happily sleeps in his father's lap, so have I, O great and illustrious king of mountains, delighted in your embrace.
अप्सरोगणसंकीर्णए ब्रह्मघोषानुनादिते। सुखमस्म्युषितः शैल तव सानुषु नित्यदा
Amidst the throngs of Apsarases and the resounding chants of Brahman, I have always dwelt happily on your slopes, O mountain.
एवमुक्त्वार्जुनः शैलमामन्त्र्य परवीरहा। आरुरोह रथं दिव्यं द्योतयन्निव भास्करः
Having spoken thus, Arjuna, the slayer of enemy heroes, took leave of the mountain and ascended the divine chariot, shining like the sun.
स तेनादित्यरूपेण दिव्येनाद्भुतकर्मणा। ऊर्ध्वमाचक्रमे धीमान्प्रहृष्टः कुरुनन्दनः
Then, with that divine, wondrously acting form of the sun, the wise and delighted son of the Kurus rose upward.
सोऽदर्शनपथं यातो मर्त्यानां धर्मचारिणाम्। ददर्शाद्भुतरूपाणि विमानानि सहस्रशः
He entered a path unseen by mortals who follow righteousness, and saw thousands of wondrously shaped aerial cars.
न तत्र सूर्यः सोमो वा द्योतते न च पावकः। स्वयैव प्रभया तत्र द्योतन्ते पुण्यलब्धया
There, neither sun nor moon nor fire shines; by their own merit-gained radiance, they shine forth there.
तारारूपाणि यानीह दृश्यन्ते द्युतिमन्ति वै। आकाशे विप्रकृष्टत्वात्तनूनि सुमहान्त्यपि
Those forms that appear here as shining stars, vast yet distant in the sky, are seen there in their true, immense forms.
तानि तत्र प्रभास्वन्ति रूपवन्ति च पाण्डवः। ददर्श स्वेषु धिष्ण्येषु दीप्तिमन्ति स्वयाऽर्चिषा
There, O son of Pandu, he saw those radiant and beautiful forms, each in their own seats, shining with their own brilliance.
तत्र राजर्षयः सिद्धा वीराश्च निहता युधि। तपसा च जितं स्वर्गं संपेतुः शतसङ्घशः
There, royal sages, perfected beings, and heroes slain in battle, and those who have won heaven through austerity, gathered in hundreds of groups.
गन्धर्वाणां सहस्राणि मूर्यज्वलिततेजसाम्। गुह्यकारनामृषीणां च तथैवाप्सरसां गणान्
Thousands of Gandharvas, blazing with fiery splendor, and hosts of Guhyakas, Kinnaras, and Apsarases were also there.
लोकानात्मप्रभान्पश्यन्फल्गुनो विस्मयान्वितः। पप्रच्छ मातलिं प्रीत्या स चाप्येनमुवाच ह
Beholding those worlds shining with their own radiance, Phalguna, filled with wonder, questioned Matali with affection, and he replied to him.
एते सुकृतिनः पार्थ स्वेषु धिष्ण्येष्ववस्थिताः। तान्दृष्टवानसि विभो तारारूपाणि भूतले
These, O Partha, are the virtuous, established in their own seats; you have seen them, O mighty one, those star-like forms upon the earth.
ततोऽपश्यत्स्थितं द्वारि मत्तं विजयिनं गजम्। ऐरावतं चतुर्दन्तं कैलासमिव शृङ्गिणम्
Then he saw at the gate a victorious, intoxicated elephant—Airavata, four-tusked, towering like Kailasa with its peaks.
स सिद्धमार्गमाक्रम्य कुरुपाण्डवसत्तमः। व्यरोचत यथापूर्वं मान्धाता पार्थिवोत्तमः
Having entered the path of the perfected, the best of the Kurus and Pandavas shone as Mandhata, the foremost of kings, did before.
अभिचक्राम लोकान्स राज्ञां राजीवलोचनः
That lotus-eyed one proceeded through the worlds of kings.
[एवं स संक्रमंस्तत्र स्वर्गलोके महायशाः ।] ततो ददर्श शक्रस्य पुरीं ताममरावतीम्
Thus, in that passage in the world of the gods, the illustrious one then beheld the city of Shakra, that Amaravati.
ददर्श स पुरीं रम्यां सिद्धचारणसेविताम्। सर्वर्तुकुसुमैः पुण्यैः पादपैरुपशोभिताम्
He beheld that delightful city, frequented by perfected beings and celestial bards, adorned with auspicious trees blooming in all seasons.
तत्र सौगन्धिकानां च पुष्पाणां पुण्यगन्धिनाम्। उपवीज्यमानो मिश्रेण वायुना पुण्यगन्धिना
There, fanned by a gentle, fragrant wind mingled with the sacred scent of Saugandhika flowers, he was refreshed.
नन्दनं च वनं दिव्यमप्सरोगणसेवितम्। ददर्श दिव्यकुसुमैराह्वयद्भिरिव द्रुमैः
He saw the divine Nandana grove, attended by hosts of Apsarases, with celestial trees inviting with their heavenly blossoms.
नातप्ततपसा शक्यो द्रष्टुं नानाहिताग्निना। स लोकः पुण्यकर्तॄणां नापि युद्धे पराङ्युखैः
That world of the virtuous cannot be seen by one who has not performed austerities, nor by one who has not offered sacred fires, nor by those who turn away in battle.