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.
वर्तमाने तथा युद्धे निवातकवचान्तके। नापश्यं सहसा सर्वान्दानवान्मायया वृतान्
While that battle to destroy the Nivatakavachas was raging, I suddenly could not see any of the Danavas, for they were concealed by illusion.
अदृश्यमानास्ते दैत्या योधयन्ति स्म मायया। अदृश्यनास्त्रवीर्येण तानप्यहमयोधयम्
Though invisible, those Daityas fought me with illusion; I too fought them with the power of invisible weapons.
गाण्डीवमुक्ता विशिखाः सम्यगस्त्रप्रचोदिताः। अच्छिन्दन्नुत्तमाङ्गानि यत्रयत्र स्म तेऽभवन्
Arrows released from Gandiva, impelled by weapons, severed their heads wherever they appeared.
ततो निवातकवचा वध्यमाना मया युधि। संहृत्य रमायां सहसा प्राविशन्पुरमात्मनः
Then, as I was slaying them in battle, the Nivatakavachas suddenly withdrew and entered their own city within the earth.
व्यपयातेषु दैत्येषु प्रादुर्भूते च दर्शने। अपश्यं दानवांस्तत्र हताञ्शतसहस्रशः
When the Daityas had departed and visibility returned, I saw there Danavas slain by the hundreds of thousands.
विनिष्पिष्टानि तत्रैषां शस्त्राण्याभरणानि च। शतशः स्म प्रदृश्यन्ते गात्राणि कवचानि च
There, their weapons and ornaments lay shattered, and hundreds of bodies and armors were seen scattered about.
हयानां नान्तरं ह्यासीत्पदाद्विचलितुं पदम्। उत्पत्य सहसा तस्थुरन्तरिक्षगमास्ततः
There was no space for the horses to move even a step; suddenly, those who could move through the sky leapt up and stood in the air.
ततो निवातकवचा व्योम संछाद्य केवलम्। अदृश्या ह्यभ्यवर्तन्त विसृजन्तः शिलोच्चयान्
Then the Nivatakavachas, covering only the sky, became invisible and advanced, hurling great masses of rocks.
अन्तर्भूमिगताश्चान्ये हयानां चरणानथ। व्यगृह्णन्दानवा घोरा रथचक्रे च भारत
Other fierce Dānavas seized the legs of the horses from beneath the ground, O Bhārata, and also grasped the wheels of the chariot.
विनिगृह्य हयांश्चान्ये रथं च मम युध्यतः। सर्वतो मामविध्यन्त सरथं धरणीधरैः
While I was fighting, others restrained my horses and chariot, and from all sides they struck at me and my chariot with mountains.