सुरासुरैरवध्यानां दानवानां धनञ्जय'। मानुषान्मृत्युरेतेषां निर्दिष्टो ब्रह्मणा पुरा
O Dhanañjaya, for these Dānavas, who are invulnerable to gods and asuras, death was ordained by Brahmā long ago to come only from humans.
[एतानपि रणे पार्त कालकेयान्दुरासदान्। वज्रास्त्रेण नयस्वाशु विनाशं सुमहाबलान्]
[O Pārtha, in battle, swiftly bring destruction upon these formidable Kālakeyas, using the thunderbolt weapon, for they possess immense strength.]
सुरासुरैरवध्यं तदहं ज्ञात्वा विशांपते। अब्रुवं मातलिं हृष्टो याह्येतत्पुरमञ्जसा
Knowing that they are invulnerable to gods and asuras, O lord of men, I joyfully said to Mātali, 'Drive straight to that city!'
त्रिदशेशद्विषो यावत्क्षयमस्त्रैर्नयाम्यहम्। न कथंचिद्धि मे पापा न वध्या ये सुरद्विषः
Until I destroy the enemies of the lords of the gods with weapons, I will not stop, for those who hate the gods are never to be spared by me.
उवाह मां ततः शीघ्रं हिरण्यपुरमन्तिकात्। रथेन तेन दिव्येन हरियुक्तेन मातलिः
Then Mātali quickly carried me near Hiraṇyapura in that divine chariot yoked with horses.
ते मामालक्ष्य दैतेया विचित्राभरणाम्बराः। समुत्पेतुर्महावेगा रथानास्थाय दंशिताः
Seeing me, the Daityas, adorned with varied ornaments and garments, mounted their chariots and, filled with great speed, rushed forth, eager for battle.
ततो नालीकनाराचैर्भल्लैः शक्त्यृष्टितोमरैः। प्रत्यघ्नन्दानवेन्द्रा मां क्रुद्धास्तीव्रपराक्रमाः
Then the enraged and mighty Dānava lords attacked me with arrows, iron shafts, broad-headed arrows, spears, lances, and tomaras.
तदहं शस्त्रवर्षेण महता प्रत्यवारयम्। शस्त्रवर्षं महद्राजन्विद्याबलमुपाश्रितः
I repelled that great shower of weapons with my own mighty volley, O king, relying on the power of my knowledge.
व्यामोहयं च तान्सर्वान्रथमार्गैश्चरन्रणे। तेऽन्योन्यमभिसंमूढाः पातयन्ति स्म दानवाः
Moving along the paths of the chariots in battle, I bewildered them all; confused, the Dānavas began to strike one another.
तेषामेवं विमूढानामन्योन्यमभिधावताम्। शिरांसि विशिखैर्दीप्तैरच्छिन्दं शतसङ्घशः
As they, bewildered, rushed at one another, I severed their heads by the hundreds with blazing arrows.
ते वध्यमाना दैतेयाः पुरमास्थाय तत्पुनः। खमुत्पेतुः सनगरा मायामास्थाय दानवीम्
Though being slain, the Daityas retreated into their city, and then, taking on the Dānava illusion, they rose into the sky with their city.
ततोऽहं शरवर्षेण महता कुरुनन्दन। मार्गमावृत्य दैत्यानां गतिं चैषामवारयम्
Then I, O joy of the Kurus, blocked the path of the Daityas and cut off their escape by unleashing a great shower of arrows.
तत्पुरं खचरं दिव्यं कामगं दिव्यवर्चसम्। दैतेयैर्वरदानेन धार्यते स्म यथासुखम्
That celestial city, moving through the sky, fulfilling every desire and radiant with divine splendor, was sustained with ease by the Daityas through a boon they had received.
अन्तर्भूमौ निपतति पुनरूर्ध्वं प्रतिष्ठते। पुनस्तिर्यक् प्रयात्याशु पुनरप्सु निमज्जति
It would sink into the earth, then rise up again; swiftly it would move sideways, and once more plunge into the waters.
अमरावतिसंकाशं तत्पुरं कामगं महत्। अहमस्त्रैर्बहुविधैः प्रत्यगृह्णां परंतप
That great city, resembling Amaravati and moving at will, I, scorcher of foes, confronted with many kinds of weapons.
ततोऽहं शरजालेन दिव्यास्त्रनुदितेन च। व्यगृह्णां सह दैतेयैस्तत्पुरं पुरुषर्षभ
Then, O best of men, I besieged that city together with the Daityas, using a shower of arrows and divine weapons.
विक्षत चायसैर्बाणैर्मत्प्रयुक्तैरजिह्मगैः। महीमभ्यपतद्राजन्प्रभग्नं पुरमासुरम्
Struck by my straight-flying iron arrows, O king, the asura city, shattered, fell to the earth.
ते वध्यमाना मद्बाणैर्वज्रवेगैरयस्मयैः। पर्यभ्रमन्त वै राजन्नसुराः कालचोदिताः
Assailed by my arrows, swift as thunderbolts and made of iron, the asuras, driven by fate, wandered about, O king.
ततो मातलिरारुह्यपुरस्तान्निपतन्निव। महीमवातरत्क्षिप्रं रथेनादित्यवर्चसा
Then Mātali, appearing as if descending from the front, quickly brought down to earth his chariot shining with the brilliance of the sun.
ततो रथसहस्राणि षष्टिस्तेषाममर्षिणाम्। युयुत्सूनां मया सार्धं पर्यवर्तन्त भारत। तान्यहं निशितैर्बाणैर्व्यधमं गार्ध्रराजितैः
Then, O Bhārata, sixty thousand chariots of those wrathful warriors, eager for battle with me, turned back; those I struck down with sharp arrows, feathered like the king of vultures.
ते युद्धे संन्यवर्तन्त समुद्रस्य यथोर्मयः। नेमे शक्या मानुषेण युद्धेनेति प्रचिन्त्य तत्
In that battle they retreated like waves of the ocean; realizing that they could not be defeated by human warfare.
ततोऽहमानुपूर्व्येण दिव्यान्यस्त्राण्ययोजयम्
Then I successively employed divine weapons.
ततस्तानि सहस्राणइ रथिनां चित्रयोधिनाम्। अस्त्राणि मम दिव्यानि प्रत्यघ्नञ्छनकैरिव
Then those thousands of chariot-warriors, skilled in diverse combat, countered my divine weapons as if with ease.
रथमार्गान्विचित्रांस्ते विचरन्तो महाबलाः। प्रत्यदृश्यन्त संग्रामे शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
Those mighty warriors, moving along the chariot paths in various formations, appeared in the battle by hundreds and thousands.
विचित्रमुकुटापीडा विचित्रकवचध्वजाः। विचित्राभरणाश्चैव मम प्रीतिकराऽभवन्
With wondrous crests on their helmets, splendid armor and banners, and adorned with marvelous ornaments, they became pleasing to me.
अहं तुशरवर्षैस्तानस्त्रप्रचुदितै रणे। नाशक्रुवं पीडयितुं ते तु मां प्रत्यपीडयन्
But though I assailed them in battle with showers of arrows driven by weapons, I could not distress them; instead, they pressed me hard.
तैः पीड्यमानो बहुभिः कृतास्त्रैः कुशलैर्युधि। व्यथितोस्मि महायुद्धे भयं चागान्महन्मम
Oppressed by those many skilled warriors, all employing weapons in the great battle, I was afflicted and great fear arose in me.
ततोहं परमायत्तो मातलिं परिपृष्टवान्
Then, being at my utmost, I questioned Mātali.
किमेते मम बाणौघैर्दिव्यास्त्रप्रतिमन्त्रितैः। न वध्यन्ते महाघोरैस्तत्त्वमाख्याहि पृच्छतः
"Why are these not slain by my torrents of arrows, empowered with divine weapons and mantras, though they are so dreadful? Tell me the truth as I ask."
स मामुवाच पर्याप्तस्त्वमेषां भरतर्षभ। तानुद्दिश्याथ मर्माणि प्रतिघातं तदाचर
He said to me, "O best of the Bharatas, you are sufficient for these. Now aim at their vital points and strike them accordingly."