प्रदीयमानं देवैस्तं देवदत्तं जलोद्भवम्। प्रत्यगृह्णां जयायैनं स्तूयमानस्तदाऽमरैः
When the gods gave me that Devadatta, born from water, I accepted it for victory, praised at that time by the immortals.
स शङ्खी कवची वाणी प्रगृहीतशरासनः। दानवालयमत्युग्रं प्रयातोस्मि युयुत्सया
Thus, bearing the conch, armor, arrows, and bow, I set out, eager for battle, toward the fierce abode of the Danavas.
ततोऽहं स्तूयमानस्तु तत्रतत्र सुरपिभिः। अपश्यमुदधिं भीममपांपतिमथाव्ययम्
Then, as I was praised here and there by the gods, I beheld the dreadful ocean, the lord of waters, unfathomable.
फेनवत्यः प्रकीर्णाश्च संहताश्च समुच्छिताः। ऊर्मयश्चात्र दृश्यन्ते चलन्तइव पर्वताः
There, waves appeared, scattered and clustered, rising up; mountains seemed to move within them.
नावः सहस्रशस्तत्र रत्नपूर्णाः समन्ततः। `नभसीव विमानानि विचरन्त्यो विरेजिरे
Thousands of ships filled with gems were seen everywhere, shining as they moved about like aerial chariots in the sky.
तिमिङ्गिलाः कच्छपाश् तथा तिमितिभिङ्गिलाः। मकराश्चात्र दृश्यन्ते जले मप्रा इवाद्रयः
There, timingilas, turtles, and timitibhingilas, as well as makaras, were seen in the water, like mountains afloat.
शङ्खानां च महबाणि मग्रान्यप्सु ममन्ततः। दृश्यन्ते स्म यथा रात्रौ तारास्तन्वभ्रमंवृताः
Great conches and pearls were visible in the waters all around, like stars at night surrounded by thin clouds.
तथा सहस्रशस्तत्ररत्नसङ्घाः प्लवन्त्युत। वायुश् घृर्णते भीमस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्
Likewise, thousands of clusters of gems floated there; the mighty wind churned, and it seemed wondrous.
तमतीत्य महावेगं सर्वाम्भोनिधिमुत्तमम्। अपश्यं दानवाकीर्णं तद्दैत्यपुरमन्तिकात्
Crossing that supreme ocean of great speed, I saw, near the city of the Daityas, a place filled with Danavas.
तत्रैव मातलिस्तृणं निपात्य पृथिवीतले। दानवान्रथघोपेण तन्पुरं समुपाद्रवत्
There, Matali set the chariot down upon the earth, and, with the chariot’s rumble, approached that city of the Danavas.
रथघोषं तु तं श्रुत्वा स्तनयित्नोग्विम्बरे। मन्वाना देवराजं मामाविग्ना दानवाऽभवन्
Hearing the chariot’s roar, like thunder in the sky, the Danavas, thinking me to be the king of the gods, became disturbed.
सर्वे संभ्रान्तमनसः शग्चापधराः स्थिताः। तथाऽसिशूलपरशुगदामुसलपाणयः
All stood with agitated minds, holding bows, swords, spears, axes, maces, and clubs in their hands.
ततो द्वाराणि पिदधुर्दानवास्त्रस्तचेतसः। संविधाय पुरे रक्षां न स्म कश्चन दृश्यते
Then, the Danavas, their hearts terrified, closed the gates, arranged the city’s defenses, and none could be seen.
ततः शङ्खमुपादाय देवदत्तं महास्वनम्। परमां मुदमाश्रित्य प्राधमं तं शनैरहम्
Then, taking up the Devadatta conch, resounding greatly, and filled with supreme joy, I blew it gently.
स तु शब्दो दिवं स्तब्ध्वा प्रतिशब्दमजीजनत्। वित्रेसुश्च निलिल्युश्च भूतानि सुमहान्त्यपि
That sound, filling the sky, produced echoes; even the great beings were frightened and hid.
ततो निवातकवचाः सर्व एव समन्ततः। दंशिता विविधैस्त्राणैर्विचित्रायुपाणयः
Then, all the Nivatakavachas, from every side, armed with various shields and bearing wondrous weapons, assembled.
आयसैश्र महाशूलैर्गदाभिर्मुसलैरपि। पट्टसैः करवालैश्च रथचक्रैश्च भारत
With iron spears, great pikes, maces, clubs, swords, sabres, and even chariot wheels, O Bhārata—
शतघ्नीभिर्भुशुण्डीभिः खङ्गैश्चित्रैः स्वलंकृतैः। प्रगृहीतैर्दितेः पुत्राः प्रादुरासन्सहस्रशः
With engines that hurled a hundred missiles, with maces, with splendidly adorned swords in hand, the sons of Diti appeared by the thousands.
ततो विचार्य बहुशो रथमार्गेषु तान्हयान्। प्राचोदयत्समे देशे मातलिर्भरतर्षभ
Then, considering carefully, Mātali urged the horses along the chariot paths, in a suitable place, O bull of the Bhāratas.
तेन तेषां प्रणुन्नानासाशुत्वाच्छीघ्रगामिनाम्। नान्वपश्यत्तदा कश्रित्तन्मेऽद्भुतमिवाभवत्
Driven on by him, those swift-moving horses sped so quickly that no one could see them at that moment; to me, it seemed a marvel.
ततस्ते दानवास्तत्रयोधवातान्यनेकशः। विकृतस्वररूपाणि भृशं सर्वाण्यचोदयन्
Then the Dānavas there, in countless numbers, unleashed fierce winds of battle, changing their voices and forms in terrifying ways.
तेन शब्देन सहसा समुद्रे पर्वतोपमाः। आप्लवन्त गतैः सत्वैर्मत्स्याः शतसहस्रशः
At that sudden sound, fish by the hundred thousand, as large as mountains, leapt in the sea, fleeing in terror.
ततो निवातकवचाः सर्वेवेगेन भारत। अभ्यद्रवन्मां सहिताः प्रगृहीतायुधा रणे
Then all the Nivātakavacas, O Bhārata, rushed at me together in battle, weapons in hand, with great speed.
आच्छाद्य रथपन्थानमुत्क्रोशन्तो महारथाः। अवृत्य सर्वतस्ते मां शरवर्षैरवाकिरन्
Covering the path of my chariot, those mighty warriors shouted aloud, and from all sides showered me with volleys of arrows.
ततोऽपरे महावीर्याः शूलपट्टसपाणयः। शूलानि च भुशुण्डीश्च मुमुचुर्दानवा मयि
Then others of great valor, holding pikes and sabres, hurled pikes and maces at me, those Dānavas.
सुमहत्तुमुलं वर्षं गदाशक्तिसमाकुलम्। अनिशं सृज्यमानं तैरपतन्मद्रथोपरि
A great and tumultuous rain of maces and spears, ceaselessly cast by them, fell upon my chariot.
अन्ये मामभ्यधावन्त निवातकवचा सुधि। शितशस्त्रायुधा रौद्राः कालरूपाः प्रहारिणः
Other wise Nivātakavacas, fierce and dreadful, armed with sharp weapons, resembling Death itself, charged at me.
तानहं विविधैर्बाणैर्वेगवद्भिरजिह्मगैः। गाण्डीवमुक्तैरभ्यघ्नमेकैकं दशभिर्मृधे
I struck each of them in battle with ten swift, straight-flying arrows, released from the Gāṇḍīva.
ते कृता विमुखाः सर्वे मत्प्रयुक्तैः शिलाशितैः। ततो मातलिना तूर्णं हयास्ते संप्रयोदिताः
All of them were turned back by the stone-tipped arrows I shot; then, Mātali swiftly urged the horses onward.
अथ मार्गान्बहूस्तत्र विचेरुर्वातरंहसः। सुसंयता मातलिना प्रामथ्नन्त दितेःसुतान्
Then, in that place, the well-controlled horses, driven by Mātali, roamed many paths with the speed of the wind, crushing the sons of Diti.