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.
ततो मां प्रहसन्राजन्मातलिः प्रत्यभाषत। नैतदर्जुन देवेषु त्वयि वीर्यं यदीक्ष्यते
Then, laughing, Mātali addressed me: 'Arjuna, such prowess as is seen in you is not found even among the gods.'
हतेष्वसुरसङ्घेषु दारास्तेषां तु सर्वशः। प्राक्रोशन्नगरे तस्मिन्यथा शरदि लक्ष्मणाः
When the hosts of Asuras were slain, their wives in that city wailed aloud, like Lakṣmaṇā in autumn.
ततो मातलिना सार्धमहं तत्पुरमभ्ययाम्। त्रासयन्रथघोषेण निवातकवचस्त्रियः
Then, together with Mātali, I entered that city, terrifying the Nivātakavaca women with the roar of the chariot.
तान्दृष्ट्वा दशसाहस्रान्मयूरसदृशान्हयान्। रथं च रविसंकाशं प्राद्रवन्गणशः स्त्रियः
Seeing those ten thousand horses like peacocks and the chariot shining like the sun, the women fled in all directions.
ताभिराभरणैः शब्दस्त्रासिताभिः समीरितः। शिलानामिव शैलेषु पतन्तीनामभूत्तदा
The sound of their ornaments, shaken in fear, was like the noise of stones falling on a mountain.
वित्रस्ता दैत्यनार्यस्ताः स्वानि वेश्मान्यथाविशन्। बहुरत्नविचित्राणि शातकुम्भमयानि च
Those Daitya women, terrified, entered their own houses, adorned with many jewels and made of gold.
तदद्भुताकारमहं दृष्ट्वा नगरमुत्तमम्। विशिष्टं देवनगरादपृच्छं मातलिं ततः
Then, seeing that extraordinary and excellent city, surpassing even the city of the gods, I questioned Mātali.
इदमेवंविधं कस्माद्देवता न विशन्त्युत। पुरंदरपुराद्धीदं विशिष्टमिति लक्षये
Why do the deities not enter such a city as this, which I perceive to be superior even to Purandara’s city?
आसीदिदं पुरा पार्थ देवराजस्य नः पुरम्। ततो निवातकवचैरितः प्रच्याविताः सुराः
O Pārtha, this was once the city of the king of the gods; but then the gods were driven out from here by the Nivātakavacas.
तपस्तप्त्वा महत्तीव्रं प्रसाद्य च पितामहम्। इदं वृतं निवासाय देवेभ्यश्चाभयं युधि
By performing severe and intense austerities and propitiating the Grandsire, they obtained this place as their abode and safety for themselves from the gods in battle.
ततः शक्रेण भगवान्स्वयंभूरभिचोदितः। विधत्तां भगवानत्रेत्यात्मनो हितकाम्यया
Then, at Śakra’s urging, the self-born Lord himself said, ‘Let the Lord Atreya arrange this, for the sake of his own benefit.’
तत उक्तो भगवता दिष्टमत्रेति भारत। भवितान्तस्त्वमप्येषां देहेनान्येन वृत्रहन्
Then the blessed Lord said, ‘So it is destined, O Bhārata; you too shall bring about their end, O slayer of Vṛtra, but with another body.’
तत एषां वधार्थाय शक्रोऽस्त्राणि ददौ तव। न हि शक्याः सुरैर्हन्तुं य एते निहतास्त्वया
Then, for their destruction, Śakra gave you his weapons; for they could not be slain by the gods, but have now been killed by you.
कालस्य परिणामेन ततस्त्वमिह भारत। एषामन्तकरः प्राप्तस्तत्त्वया च कृतं तथा
Thus, with the passage of time, you have come here, O Bhārata, as the agent of their end, and you have accomplished that task.
दानवानां विनाशार्थं महास्त्राणां महद्बलम्। ग्राहितस्त्वं महेन्द्रेण पुरुषेन्द्र तदुत्तमम्
For the destruction of the Dānavas, you were made to receive the great might of the supreme weapons by Mahendra, O best of men.
ततः प्रशाम्य नगरं दानवांश्च निहत्य तान्। पुनर्मातलिना सार्धमगमं देवसद्म तत्
Then, after pacifying the city and slaying those Dānavas, I returned again with Mātali to the abode of the gods.
निवर्तमानेन मया महद्दृष्टं ततोऽपरम्। पुरं कामगमं दिव्यं पावकार्कसमप्रभम्
As I was returning, I saw another great and wondrous city, moving at will, divine, and shining like fire and the sun.
रत्नद्रुममयैश्चित्रैर्भास्वरैश्च पतत्रिभिः। पौलोमैः कालकेयैश्च रनित्यहृष्टैरधिष्ठिरतम्
It was inhabited by Paulomas and Kālakeyas, ever delighted in battle, adorned with splendid jewel-trees and radiant, wondrous birds.
गोपुराट्टालकोपेतं चतुर्द्वारं दुरासदम्। सर्वरत्नमयं दिव्यमद्भुतोपमदर्शनम्
Endowed with gateways and lofty towers, four-doored and difficult to approach, made entirely of all precious gems, its appearance was marvelous and divine.
द्रुमैः पुष्पलोपेतैः सर्वरत्नमयैर्वृतम्। तथा पतत्रिभिर्दिव्यैरुपेतं सुमनोहरैः
It was surrounded by flowering trees, all made of jewels, and adorned with celestial birds, delightful to behold.