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.
पर्वतैरुपचीयद्भिः पतद्भिश्च तथाऽपरैः। स देशो यत्रवर्तामि गुहेव समपद्यत
With mountains piling up and others falling down, the place where I stood became like a cave.
पर्वतैश्चाद्यमानोऽहं निगृहीतैश्च वाजिभिः। अगच्छं परमामार्तिं मातलिस्तदलक्षयत्
Pressed by mountains and with my horses restrained, I fell into extreme distress, and Mātali noticed this.
लक्षयित्वा च मां भीतमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्। आर्जुनार्जुन मा भैस्त्वं वज्रमस्त्रमुदीरय
Seeing me afraid, he spoke these words: 'Arjuna, Arjuna, do not fear—invoke the Vajra weapon!'
ततोऽहं तस्य तद्वाक्यं श्रुत्वा वज्रमुदीरयम्। देवराजस् दयितं वज्रमस्त्रं नराधिप
Then, hearing his words, I invoked the Vajra weapon, the beloved missile of the king of the gods, O ruler of men.
अचलं स्थानमासाद्य गाण्डीवमनुमन्त्र्य च। अमुञ्चं वज्रसंस्पर्शानायतान्निशिताञ्सरान्
Taking a firm stand and bowing to the Gandiva, I released sharp arrows charged with the force of the Vajra.
ततो मायाश् ताः सर्वा निवातकवचांश्च तान्। ते वज्रचोदिता बाणा वज्रभूताः रसमाविशन्
Then all those illusions and the Nivātakavaca demons, struck by those Vajra-charged arrows, were pierced through.
ते वज्रवेगविहता दानवाः पर्वतोपमाः। इतरेतरमाश्लिष्य न्यपतन्पृथिवीतले
Struck by the force of the Vajra, those Dānavas, massive as mountains, fell to the earth, clinging to each other.
अन्तर्भूमौ च येऽगृह्णन्दानवा रथवाजिनः। अनुप्रविश्य तान्वाणाः प्राहिण्वन्यमसादनम्
And those Dānavas who had seized the chariot and horses beneath the ground were struck by the arrows and sent to the abode of Yama.
हतैर्निवातकवचैर्निरस्तैः पर्वतोपमैः। समाच्छाद्यत देशः स विकीर्णैरिव पर्वतैः
With the Nivātakavacas slain and cast down, massive as mountains, that place was covered as if strewn with mountains.
न हयानां क्षतिः काचिन्न रथस् न मातलेः। मम चादृश्यत तदा तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्
There was no harm to the horses, nor to the chariot, nor to Mātali, nor to me at that time—it was truly wondrous.