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.
असुरैर्नित्यमुदितैः शूलर्ष्टिमुसलायुधैः। चापमुद्गरहस्तैश्च स्रग्विभिः सर्वतो वृतम्
It was guarded on all sides by Asuras, ever joyful, armed with spears, lances, and clubs, holding bows and maces, and adorned with garlands.
तदहं प्रेक्ष्यदैत्यानां पुरमद्भुतदर्शनम्। अपृच्छं मातलिं राजन्किमिदं दृश्यतेति वै
Beholding that wondrous city of the Daityas, O King, I asked Mātali, ‘What is this that I see?’
पुलोमा नाम दैतेयी कालका च महासुरी। दिव्यंवर्षसहस्रं ते चेरतुः परमं तपः
There was a Daitya woman named Pulomā and the great Asurī Kālakā; for a thousand divine years, they performed supreme austerities.
तपसोन्ते ततस्ताभ्यां स्वयंभूरददाद्वरम्। अगृह्णीतां वरं ते तु सुतानामल्पदुःखताम्
At the end of their austerities, the self-born Lord granted them a boon; they chose that their sons would have little suffering.
अवध्यतां च राजेन्द्र सुरराक्षसपन्नगैः। पुरं सुरमणीयं च स्वचरं सुकृतप्रभम्
O king, the city was invulnerable to gods, rākṣasas, and serpents; it was splendid, delightful to the celestials, and shone with the brilliance of good deeds.
सर्वरत्नैः समुदितं दुर्धर्षममरैरपि। महर्षियक्षगन्धर्वपन्नगासुरराक्षसैः
It was filled with every kind of jewel, unconquerable even by the immortals, and inhabited by great sages, yakṣas, gandharvas, serpents, asuras, and rākṣasas.
सर्वकामगुणोपेतं वीतशोकमनामयम्। ब्र्हमणो भवनाच्छ्रेष्ठं कालकेयकृतं विभो
Endowed with all desirable qualities, free from sorrow and disease, it was the finest of Brahmā’s palaces, created by the Kālakeyas, O mighty one.
तदेतत्खपुरं दिव्यं चरत्यमरवर्जितम्। पौलोमाध्युषितं वीर कालकेयैश्च दानवैः
This divine city in the sky, unapproachable by the immortals, is inhabited by the Paulomas and the Kālakeya Dānavas, O hero.
हिरण्यपुरमित्येवं ख्यायते नगरं महत्। रक्षितंकालकेयैश्च पौलोमैश्च महासुरैः
This great city is known as Hiraṇyapura, protected by the mighty Kālakeyas and Paulomas, the great asuras.
त एतेमुदिता राजन्नवध्याः सर्वदैवतैः। निवसन्त्यत्रराजेन्द्र गतोद्वेगा निरुत्सुकाः
These joyful ones, O king, are invulnerable to all the gods; they dwell here, O ruler, free from anxiety and without restlessness.