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.
शतं शतास्ते हरयस्तस्मिन्युक्ता महारथे। तदा मातलिना यथ्ता व्यचरन्नल्पका इव
The hundred horses yoked to that great chariot, guided by Mātali, moved about as if they were but a few.
तेषां चरणपातेन रथनेमिस्वनेन च। मम बाणनिपातैश्च हतास्ते शतशोऽसुराः
By the trampling of their hooves, the noise of the chariot wheels, and the fall of my arrows, hundreds of Asuras were slain.
गतासवस्तथैवान्ये दानवाः पाण्डवर्षभ। हतसारथयस्तत्र व्यकृष्यन्त तुरंगमैः
Other Dānavas, O bull of the Pāṇḍavas, their life-breath gone, with their charioteers slain, were dragged away by their horses.
ते दिशो विदिशः सर्वे प्रतिरुध्य प्रहारिणः। अभ्यघ्नन्विविधैः शस्त्रैस्ततो मे व्यथितं मनः
Blocking all the directions and quarters, those assailants attacked me with various weapons; then my mind was troubled.
ततोऽहं मातलेर्वीर्यमद्भुतं समदर्शयम्। अश्वांस्तथा वेगवतो यदयत्नादधारयत्
Then I showed Mātali my own wondrous strength, restraining those swift horses with no effort at all.
ततोऽहं लघुभिश्चित्रैरस्त्रैस्तानसुरान्रणे। चिच्छेद सायुधान्राजञ्छतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
Then, O King, with light and varied weapons, I cut down those armed asuras in battle by the hundreds and thousands.
एवं मे चरतस्तत्र सर्वयत्नेन शत्रुहन्। प्रीतिमानभवद्वीरो मातलिः शक्रसारथिः
Thus, as I moved there with all my might, slaying the enemies, the heroic charioteer Mātali, Indra’s driver, became pleased.
वध्यमानास्ततस्तैस्तु हयैस्तेन रथेन च। अगमन्प्रक्षयं केचिन्न्यवर्तन्त तथाऽपरे
Then, struck down by those horses and that chariot, some of them perished, while others turned back.
स्पर्धमाना इवास्माभिर्निवातकवचा रणे। शरवर्षैः शरार्तं मां महद्भिः प्रत्यवारयन्
The Nivātakavacas, as if competing with us in battle, blocked me, who was afflicted by their great showers of arrows, with torrents of shafts.
शरवेगैर्निहत्याहमस्त्रैः शरविघातिभिः। ज्वलद्भिः परमैः शीघ्रैस्तानविध्यं सहस्रशः
With arrows that countered their missiles, blazing, supreme, and swift, I struck down thousands of them, destroying their arrow attacks.