सुरकार्यार्थसिद्ध्यर्थं दृष्टवानसि शंकरम्। अस्मत्तोऽपि गृहाण त्वमस्त्राणीति समन्ततः
For the accomplishment of the gods’ purpose, you have seen Śaṅkara; now, from us as well, receive weapons on every side.
ततोऽहं प्रयतो भूत्वा प्रणिपत्य सुरर्षभान्। प्रत्यगृह्णां तदाऽस्त्राणि महान्ति विविधानि च
Then, having purified myself, I bowed to those foremost of the gods and received from them, at that time, great and various weapons.
गृहीतास्त्रस्ततो देवैरनुज्ञातोस्मि भारत। अथ देवा ययुः सर्वेयथागतमरिंदम
Having received the weapons from the gods, I was granted their permission, O Bhārata; then all the gods departed as they had come, O subduer of foes.
मघवानपि मां देवो रथमारोप्य सुप्रभम्। उवाच भगवान्वाक्यं स्मयन्निव महायशाः
Then the illustrious god Maghavan, smiling slightly, had me ascend his radiant chariot and spoke these words to me.
पुरैवागमनादस्माद्वेदाहं त्वां धनंजय। अतः परं त्वहं वै त्वां दर्शये भरत्रषभ
Even before you came here, O Dhanañjaya, I knew you; therefore, O bull among the Bharatas, I now reveal myself to you.
त्वया हि तीर्थेषु पुरा समाप्लावः कृतोऽसकृत्। तपश्चेदं महत्त्प्तं स्वर्गं गन्तासि पाण्डव
For you have often performed ablutions at holy places, and this great austerity of yours is fulfilled, O Pāṇḍava; you will attain heaven.
भूयश्चैव च तप्तव्यं तपश्चरणमुत्तमम्। `दुश्चरं घोरमस्त्राणां तपोबलकरं तव
Yet again, you must undertake supreme and arduous austerity, difficult and fearsome, which will grant you the power of weapons.
स्वर्गस्त्ववश्यं गन्तव्यस्त्वया शत्रुनिषूदन। मातलिर्मन्नियोगात्त्वां त्रिदिवं प्रापयिष्यति
You must certainly attain heaven, O destroyer of foes; by my command, Mātali will bring you to the celestial realm.
विदितस्त्वंहि देवानां मुनीनां च महात्मनाम्। `इहस्थः पाण्डवश्रेष्ठ तपः कुर्वन्सुदुष्करम्
For you are known among the gods and the great sages, O best of the Pāṇḍavas, as one who, standing here, performs exceedingly difficult austerity.
ततोऽहमब्रुवं शक्रं प्रसीद भगवन्मम। आचार्यं वरयेऽहं त्वामस्त्रार्थं त्रिदशेश्वर
Then I said to Śakra: 'Be gracious to me, lord; I choose you as my teacher for the sake of weapons, O lord of the gods.'
क्रूरकर्माऽस्त्रवित्तात भविष्यसि परंतप। यदर्थमस्त्राणीप्सुस्त्वं तं कामं पाण्डवाप्नुहि
He said: 'You will become skilled in weapons, O scorcher of foes, and whatever desire you have for weapons, O Pāṇḍava, may you obtain it.'
ततोऽहमब्रुवं नाहं दिव्यान्यस्त्राणि शत्रुहन्। मानुषेषु प्रयोक्ष्यामि विनाऽस्त्रप्रतिघातनात्
Then I said: 'O slayer of enemies, I shall not use these divine weapons among men, except in countering other weapons.'
तानि दिव्यानि मेऽस्त्राणि प्रयच्छ विबुधाधिप। लेकांश्चास्त्रजितान्पश्चाल्लभेयं सुरपुङ्गव
Grant me those divine weapons, O lord of the wise; later, O best of the gods, may I obtain the weapons that conquer the hosts.
परीक्षार्थं मयैतत्ते वाक्यमुक्तं धनंजय। ममात्मजस्य वचनं सूपपन्नमिदं तव
For the sake of testing you, O Dhanañjaya, I spoke those words; this request of yours is indeed fitting, as my own son has said.
शिक्ष मे भवनं गत्वासर्वाण्यस्त्राणि भारत। वायोरग्नेर्वसुभ्योऽपि वरुणात्समरुद्गणात्
Learn from me, O Bhārata, after going to my abode, all the weapons—even those of the Wind, Fire, the Vasus, Varuṇa, and the Maruts.
साध्यं पैतामहं चैव गन्धर्वोरगरक्षसाम्। वैष्णवानि च सर्वाणि नैर्ऋतानि तथैव च
And also those of the Sādhyas, the grandsire, the Gandharvas, serpents, and Rākṣasas; all the weapons of Viṣṇu, and likewise those of Nairṛta.
मद्गतानि च जानीहि सर्वास्त्राणि कुरूद्वह। एवमुक्त्वा तु मां शक्रस्तत्रैवान्तरधीयत
Know also, O joy of the Kurus, all the weapons that are with me; having spoken thus, Śakra vanished there itself.
अथापश्यं हरियुजं रथमैन्द्रमुपस्थितम्। दिव्यं मायामयं पुण्यं यत्तं मातलिना नृप
Then I saw the Indra-chariot, yoked with celestial horses, present before me—divine, wondrous, meritorious, fashioned by Mātaḷi, O King.
लोकपालेषु यातेषु मामुवाचाथ मातलिः। द्रष्टुमिच्छति शक्रस्त्वां देवराजो महाद्युते
When the guardians of the worlds had departed, Mātaḷi spoke to me: 'Śakra, the king of the gods, O radiant one, wishes to see you.'
संसिद्धस्त्वं महाबाहो कुरु कार्यमनुत्तमम्। पश्य पुण्यकृतां लोकान्सशरीरो दिवं व्रज
'You are accomplished, O mighty-armed one; perform the supreme task. Behold the worlds of the virtuous—ascend to heaven in your own body.'
देवराजः सहस्राक्षस्त्वां दिदृक्षति भारत। इत्युक्तोऽहं मातलिना गिरिमामन्त्र्य शैशिरम्
'The king of the gods, thousand-eyed, desires to see you, O Bhārata.' Thus addressed by Mātaḷi, I saluted the Śaiśira mountain.
प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत्य समारोहं रथोत्तमम्। चोदयामास स हयान्मनोमारुतरंहसः
Circumambulating it, I ascended the excellent chariot; he urged on the horses, swift as thought and wind.
[मातलिर्हयतत्त्वज्ञो यथावद्भूरिदक्षिणः। अवैक्षत च मे वक्रृंस्तितस्याथ ससारथिः। तथा भ्रान्ते रथे राजन्विस्मितश्चेदमब्रवीत्
[Mātaḷi, expert in the lore of horses, skillful and attentive, observed my posture as I stood; then the charioteer, as the chariot moved, astonished, spoke these words:]
अत्यद्भुतमिदं त्वद्यविचित्रं प्रतिभाति मे। यदास्थितो रथं दिव्यं पदान्न चलितः पदम् ।।]
'This is truly wondrous and marvelous to me today, that though you have mounted this divine chariot, your foot has not shifted a step.'
देवराजोऽपिहि मया नित्यमत्रोपलक्षितः। विचलन्प्रथमोत्पाते हयानां भरतर्षभ
'The king of the gods, O Bhārata, I have always seen here, moving at the first leap of the horses.'
त्वं पुनः स्थित एवात्ररथे भ्रान्ते कुरूद्वह। अतिशक्रमिदं सर्वं तवेति प्रतिभाति मे
'But you, O joy of the Kurus, remain steady here even as the chariot moves; all this seems to surpass even Śakra, in my view.'
इत्युक्त्वाऽऽकाशमाविश्य मातलिर्विबुधालयान्। दर्शयामास मे राजन्विमानानि च भारत
Having spoken thus, Mātaḷi entered the sky and showed me, O King, the abodes of the gods and their aerial mansions.
[स रथो हरिभिर्युक्तो ह्यूर्ध्वमाचक्रमे ततः। ऋषयो देवताश्चैव पूजयन्ति नरोत्तम
[That chariot, yoked with celestial steeds, then ascended upward; sages and gods worshipped you, O best of men.]
ततः कामगमाँल्लोकानपश्यं वै सुरर्षिणाम्। गन्धर्वाप्सरसां चैव प्रभावममितौजसाम् ।।]
Then I beheld the worlds, attainable at will, of the divine sages, and the splendor of the Gandharvas and Apsarases of immeasurable might.
नन्दनादीनि देवानां वनान्युपवनानि च। दर्शयामास मे शीघ्रं मातलिः शक्रसारथिः
Mātaḷi, charioteer of Śakra, swiftly showed me the Nandana and other forests and groves of the gods.