शतधा भिन्नदेहास्ते क्षीणप्रहरणौजसः। ततो निवातकवचा मामयुध्यन्त मायया
Their bodies split in a hundred places, their weapons and strength exhausted, the Nivātakavacas then fought me with illusions.
ततोऽश्मवर्षं सुमहत्प्रादुरासीत्समन्ततः। नगमात्रैः शिलाखण्डैस्तन्मां दृढमपीडयत्
Then a great shower of stones appeared all around, and with mountain-sized fragments, they pressed me hard.
तदहं वज्रसंकाशैः शरैरिनद्रास्त्रचोदितैः। अचूर्णयं वेगवद्भिः शतधैकैकमाहवे
Then, with arrows as hard as thunderbolts, charged with Indra's weapons, I shattered each stone, swiftly, into a hundred pieces in that battle.
चूर्ण्यमानेऽश्मवर्षे तु यावकः समजायत। तत्राश्मचूर्णा न्यपतन्पावकप्रकरा इव
As the rain of stones was crushed, a powder like flour arose; there, the fragments of stone fell down like sparks of fire.
ततोऽश्मवर्षे विहते जलवर्षं महत्तरम्। धाराभिरक्षमात्राभिः प्रादुरासीनममान्तिके
Then, when the stone-rain was destroyed, a greater rain of water appeared, with streams as thick as the trunks of elephants, falling nearby.
नभस प्रच्युता धारास्तिग्मवीर्याः सहस्रशः। आवृण्वन्सर्वतो व्योम दिशश्चोपदिशस्तथा
Streams, fierce and countless, fell from the sky, covering all the heavens and every direction.
धाराणां च निपातेन वायोर्विष्फूर्जितेन च। गर्जितेन च मेघानां न प्राज्ञायत किंचन
Because of the downpour of streams, the roaring of the wind, and the thunder of the clouds, nothing could be seen or known.
धारा दिवि च संबद्धा वसुधायां च सर्वशः। व्यामोहयन्त मां तत्रनिपतन्त्योऽनिशं भुवि
The streams, joined in the sky and everywhere on the earth, bewildered me as they fell ceaselessly to the ground.
तत्रोपदिष्टमिन्द्रेण दिव्यमस्त्रं विशोषणम्। दीप्तं प्राहिणवं घोरमशुप्यत्तेन तज्जलम्
Then, as instructed by Indra, I released a divine, blazing, and terrible weapon of drying, and with it I dried up that water.
हतेऽश्मवर्षे च मया जलवर्षे च शोषिते। मुमुचुर्दानवा मायामग्निं वायुं च भारत
When I had destroyed the rain of stones and dried up the rain of water, the Dānavas unleashed their illusion: fire and wind, O Bhārata.
ततोऽहमग्निं व्यधमं सलिलास्त्रेण सर्वशः। शैलेन च महास्त्रेण वायोरवेगमधारयम्
Then I extinguished the fire completely with the water-weapon, and with a great mountain-weapon I restrained the force of the wind.
तस्यां प्रतिहतायां ते दानवा युद्धदुर्मदाः। प्राकुर्वन्विविधां मायां यौगपद्येन भारत
When that too was repelled, those Dānavas, mad for battle, created many illusions at once, O Bhārata.
ततो वर्षं प्रादुरभूत्सुमहद्रोमहर्षणम्। अस्त्राणां घोररूपाणामग्नेर्वायोस्तथाऽश्मनाम्
Then there appeared a tremendous and terrifying rain of weapons—of fire, wind, and stones.
सा तु मायामयी वृष्टिः पीडयामास मां युधि। अथ घोरं तमस्तीव्रं प्रादुरासीत्समन्ततः
That magical rain tormented me in battle; then, a dreadful and intense darkness arose all around.
तमसा संवृतेलोके घोरेण परुषेण च। हरयो विमुखाश्चासन्प्रास्खलच्चापि मातलिः
With the world covered by that terrible, harsh darkness, the horses lost their way, and even Mātali stumbled.
हस्ताद्धिरण्मयश्चास्य प्रतोदः प्रापतद्भुवि। असकृच्चाह मां भीतः किं करिष्याव इत्यपि
His golden goad fell from his hand to the ground, and, frightened, he repeatedly asked me, 'What shall we do now?'
मां च भीराविशत्तीव्रा तस्मिन्विगतचेतसि। स च मां विगतज्ञानः संत्रस्तमिदमब्रवीत्
Then, as I lost consciousness, a fierce fear seized me; and Mātali, his senses gone and trembling, said this to me.
सुराणामसुराणां च संग्रामः सुमहानभूत्। अमृतार्थं पुरा पार्त स च दृष्टो मयाऽनघ
A great battle once took place between the gods and the asuras for the sake of ambrosia, O Pārtha, and I witnessed it, O sinless one.
शम्बरस्य वधे घोरः संग्रामः सुमहानभूत्। सारथ्यं देवराजस्य तत्रापि कृतवानहम्
At the slaying of Śambara, a terrible and great battle occurred; there too I served as charioteer for the king of the gods.
तथैव वृत्रस्य वधे संगृहीता हया मया। वैरोचनेर्मया युद्धं दृष्टं चापि सुदारुणम्
Likewise, at the slaying of Vṛtra, I held the reins of the horses; and I witnessed the dreadful battle with Vairochana as well.
एते मया महाघोरः संग्रामाः पर्युपासिताः। न चापि विगतज्ञानो भूतपूर्वोस्मि पाण्डव
O Pandava, I have witnessed these terrible and great battles, yet my awareness has never been lost, nor have I ever been overcome before.
पितामहेन संहारः प्रजानां विहितो ध्रुवम्। न हि युद्धमिदं युक्तमन्यत्र जगतः क्षयात्
The destruction of beings has surely been ordained by the grandsire; for this battle is not justified except at the end of the world.
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना। मोहयिष्यन्दानवानामहं मायाबलं महत्
Hearing those words, I steadied myself with resolve, and I prepared to bewilder the Danavas with my great power of illusion.
अब्रुवं मातलिं भीतं पश्य मे बुजयोर्बलम्। अस्त्राणां च प्रभावं वै धनुषो गाण्डिवस्य च
I said to Mātali, who was afraid: 'Behold the strength in my arms, the might of my weapons, and the power of my Gandiva bow.'
अद्यास्त्रमाययैतैषां मायामेतां सुदारुणाम्। विनिहन्मि तमश्चोग्रं मा भैः सूत स्तिरो भव
Today, with the power of my weapons, I will destroy this dreadful illusion of theirs, dispelling this dense darkness; do not fear, charioteer, stand firm.
एवमुक्त्वाहमसृजमस्त्रमायां नराधिप। मोहनीं सर्वभूतानां हिताय त्रिदिवौकसाम्
Having spoken thus, O king, I released the weapon of illusion, which bewilders all beings, for the welfare of the dwellers in heaven.
पीड्यमानासु मायासु तासु तास्वसुरोत्तमाः। पुनर्बहुविधा मायाः प्राकुर्वन्नमितौजसः
As those illusions pressed upon them, the foremost of the Asuras, though struck, again created many kinds of illusions, being unshaken in their energy.
पुनः प्रकाशमभवत्तमसा ग्रस्यते पुनः। भवत्यदर्शनो लोकः पुनरप्सु निमज्जति
Once more there was light, then again all was swallowed by darkness; the world became invisible, then again was submerged in water.
सुसंगृहीतैर्हरिभिः प्रकाशे सति मातलिः। व्यचरत्स्यन्दनाग्र्येण संग्रामे रोमहर्षणे
When the light returned, Mātali, with well-controlled horses, drove the excellent chariot through the hair-raising battle.
ततः पर्यपतन्नुग्रा निवातकवचा मयि। तानहं विवरं दृष्ट्वा प्राहण्वं यमसादनम्
Then the fierce Nivatakavachas fell upon me; seeing an opening, I struck them down, sending them to the abode of Yama.