तत्रापि च महाराज सविशेषमहं ततः। अस्त्रपूगेन महता रणे भूतमवाकिरम्
There, O great king, I then especially assailed that being in battle with a mighty array of weapons.
स्थूणाकर्णमथो जालं शरवर्षं शरोल्वणम्। शलभास्त्रमश्मवर्षं समास्थायाहमभ्ययाम्
Then, employing the Sthuna-karna, the Jala, a fierce shower of arrows, the Shalabha, and the Ashma-varsha weapons, I advanced.
जग्रास प्रसभं तानि सर्वाण्यस्त्राणि मे नृप। तेषु सर्वेषु जग्धेषु ब्रह्मास्त्रं महदादिशम्
O king, that being forcibly devoured all my weapons; when all of them were consumed, I invoked the great Brahma weapon.
ततः प्रज्वलितैर्बाणैः सर्वतश्चोपचीयत। उपचीयमानश्च तदा महास्त्रेण व्यवर्धत
Then, as blazing arrows gathered from all sides, that being increased in strength as it was assailed by the mighty weapon.
ततः संतापिता लोका मत्प्रसूतेन तेजसा। क्षणएन हि दिशः स्वं च सर्वतो हि विदीपितं
Then, the worlds were scorched by the energy that arose from me; in a moment, all directions and my own self were illuminated.
तदप्यस्त्रं महातेजाः क्षणेनैव व्यशामयत्। ब्र्हमास्त्रे तु हते राजन्भयं मां महदाविशत्
Yet that being of great brilliance extinguished even that weapon in an instant; O king, when the Brahma weapon was destroyed, great fear seized me.
ततोऽहं धनुरादाय तथाऽक्षय्ये महेषुधी। सहसाऽभ्यहनं भूतं तान्यप्यस्त्राण्यभक्षयत्
Then, taking up my bow and inexhaustible quivers, I suddenly struck that being, but it devoured those weapons as well.
एतेष्वस्त्रेषु भूतेन भक्षितेष्वायुधेषु च। मम तस् च भूतस्य बाहुयुद्धमवर्तत
When that being had consumed these weapons and arms, a hand-to-hand combat ensued between me and that being.
व्यायामं मुष्टिभिः कृत्वा तलैरभिसमाहतौ। अपायच्च तद्भूतमहं चापातयं महीम्
Exerting ourselves with fists and striking with open hands, I brought that being down and hurled it to the ground.
ततः प्रहस्य तद्भूतं तत्रैवान्तरधीयत। सह स्त्रीभिर्महाराज पश्यतो मेऽद्भुतोपमम्
Then, laughing, that being vanished right there, together with its women, O great king, before my very eyes, in a most wondrous manner.
मुख्यं कृत्वा स भगवांस्ततोऽन्यद्रूपमात्मनः। दिव्यमेव महाराज वरानोऽद्भुतमम्बरम्
Then that blessed one, making himself manifest, assumed another divine and wondrous form in the sky, O great king.
हित्वा किरातरूपं च भगवांस्त्रिदशेश्वरः। स्वरूपं दिव्यमास्थाय तस्यौ महेश्वरः
Abandoning the form of a Kirata, the blessed Lord of the gods assumed his own divine form there, O king.
सोऽदृश्यत ततः साक्षाद्भगवान्गोवृषध्वजः। धनुर्गृह्यतदा पाणौ बहुरूपः पिनाकधृत्
Then, the blessed Lord, the bull-bannered one, was seen directly, holding his bow in hand, the many-formed bearer of Pinaka.
स मामभ्येत्य समरे तथैवाभिमुखं स्थितम्। शूलपाणिरथोवाच तुष्टोस्मीति परंतप
He approached me in battle as I stood facing him, and, holding the trident, spoke: 'I am pleased with you, O scorcher of foes.'
ततस्तद्धनुरादाय तूणौ चाक्षय्यसायकौ। प्रादान्ममैव भगवान्वरयस्वेति चाब्रवीत्
Then, taking up that bow and inexhaustible quivers, the blessed Lord gave them to me and said, 'Choose a boon.'
तुष्टोस्मि तव कौन्तेय ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते। मनोगतं वीर यत्ते तद्ब्रूहि वितराम्यहम्। अमरत्वमपाहाय ब्रूहि यत्ते मनोगतम्
'I am pleased with you, son of Kunti. Tell me, what shall I do for you? Speak your heart's desire, O hero, and I shall grant it. Except for immortality, tell me whatever is in your mind.'
ततः प्राञ्डलिरेवाहमस्त्रेषु कृतमानसः। प्रणम्य शिरसा शर्वं ततो वचनमाददे
Then, folding my hands and with my mind set on weapons, I bowed my head to Sharva and spoke these words.
भगवानमे प्रसन्नश्चेदीप्सितोऽयं वरो मम। अस्त्राणीच्छाम्यहं ज्ञातुं यानि देवेषु कानिचित्
'If you, O blessed one, are pleased with me, this is the boon I desire: I wish to know those weapons which are possessed by the gods.'
ददानीत्येव भगवानब्रवीत्र्यम्बकश्च माम्। रौद्रमस्त्रं मदीयं त्वामुपस्थास्यति पाण्डव
Then the blessed Tryambaka said to me, 'I shall give it,' and the Rudra weapon of mine will come to you, O Pandava.
प्रददौ च मम प्रीतः सोऽस्त्रं पाशुपतं प्रभुः। उवाच च महादेवो दत्त्वा मेऽस्त्रं सनातनम्
Pleased, the Lord gave me the Pashupata weapon, and after granting me that eternal missile, Mahadeva spoke.
न प्रयोज्यंभवेदेतन्मानुषेषु कथंचन। [जगद्विनिर्दहेदेवमल्पतेजसि पातितम्
'This must never be used among men under any circumstances; if cast upon one of little power, it would consume the world.'
पीड्यमानन बलवत्प्रयोज्यंस्याद्धनंजय। अस्त्राणां प्रतिघाते च सर्वथैव प्रयोजयेः
'When you are beset by mighty foes, O Dhananjaya, or to counter other weapons, then and only then may you employ it.'
ततोऽप्रतिहतं दिव्यं सर्वास्त्रप्रतिषेधनम्। मूर्तिमन्मे स्थितं पार्श्वे प्रसन्ने गोवृषध्वजे
Then, the divine, irresistible weapon, which counters all missiles, took form and stood at my side as the Bull-bannered God looked on with favor.
उत्सादनममित्राणां परसेनानिकर्तनम्। दुरासदं दुष्प्रसहं सुरदानवराक्षसैः
It is for the destruction of enemies, the cutting down of hostile armies, unconquerable and insurmountable even by gods, asuras, or rakshasas.
अनुज्ञातस्त्वहं तेन तत्रैव समुपाविशम्। प्रेक्षतश्चैवमे देवस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत
Having been permitted by him, I sat down right there, and as I watched, the God vanished on the spot.
ततस्तामवसं प्रीतो रजनीं तत्र भारत। प्रसादाद्देवदेवस्यत्र्यम्बकस्य महात्मनः
Then, O Bharata, delighted, I spent that night there by the grace of the great-souled Tryambaka, Lord of gods.
व्युषितो रजनीं चाहंकृत्वापौर्वाह्णिकीः क्रियाः। अपश्यं तं द्विजश्रेष्ठं दृष्टवानस्मि यं पुरा
Having passed the night and performed the morning rites, I saw again that best of twice-born whom I had seen before.
तस्मै चाहं यथावृत्तं सर्वमेव न्यवेदयम्। भगवन्तं महादेवं समेतोस्मीति भारत
To him I recounted everything as it had happened, telling him, 'I have met the blessed Mahadeva,' O Bharata.
स मामुवाच राजेन्द्र प्रीयमाणो द्विजोत्तमः। दृष्टस्त्वया महादेवो यथा नान्येन केनचित्
That best of Brahmins, pleased, said to me, 'You have seen Mahadeva as no one else ever has.'
समेतं लोकपालैस्तु सर्वैर्वैवस्वतादिभिः। द्रष्टास्यनघ देवेन्द्रं स च तेऽस्त्राणि दास्यति
'You will see Indra, Lord of the gods, surrounded by all the guardians of the worlds, including Vaivasvata, and he will give you weapons.'