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."
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु राजेनद्रसंप्रहृष्टस्तमूचिवान्। निवर्तय रथं शीघ्रं पश्य चैतान्निपातितान्
Hearing this, King Indra, delighted, said: Turn the chariot back quickly and see these who have been struck down.
एवमुक्तो रथं तत्र मातलिः पर्यवर्तयत्
Thus addressed, Mātali turned the chariot there.
ततो मत्वा रणे भग्नं दानवाः प्रतिहर्षिताः। विचुक्रुशुर्महाराज स्वरेण महता मुहुः
Then, thinking themselves defeated in battle, the Dānavas, greatly distressed, cried out repeatedly in loud voices, O great king.
अभग्नः कैश्चिदप्येष पाण्डवो रणमूर्धनि। अस्माभिः समरे भग्न इत्येवं संघशस्तदा
Some said: This Pāṇḍava is not defeated at the forefront of battle; it is we who are broken in combat—so spoke the assembly at that time.
ततोहं देवदेवाय रुद्रायाव्यक्तमूर्तये। प्रयतः प्रणतो भूत्वा नमस्कृत्य महात्मने'। यत्तद्रौद्रमिति ख्यातं सर्वामित्रविनाशनम्
Then, with devotion, I bowed to the god of gods, Rudra, whose form is unmanifest, saluting the great-souled one; that fierce weapon, renowned as the destroyer of all enemies—
यत्तद्रौद्रमिति ख्यातं सर्वामित्रविनाशनम्। `महत्पाशुपतं दिव्यं सर्वलोकनमस्कृतम्
That fierce weapon, renowned as the destroyer of all enemies, the great, divine Pāśupata, revered by all worlds—
ततोऽपश्यं त्रिशिरसं पुरुषं नवलोचनम्। त्रिमुखं षङ्भुजं दीप्तमर्कज्वलनमूर्धजम्। लेलिहानैर्महानागैः कृतचिह्नममित्रहन्
Then I saw a three-headed man, with nine eyes, three faces, six arms, blazing, his hair shining like the sun, marked by great serpents, the slayer of enemies.
विभीस्ततस्तदस्त्रं तु घोरं रौद्रं सनातनम्। दृष्ट्वा गाण्डीवसंयोगमानीय भरतर्षभ
Beholding that terrifying, fierce, eternal weapon, O bull among Bharatas, I brought it into union with the Gāṇḍīva bow.
नमस्कृत्वा त्रिनेत्राय शर्वायामिततेजसे। मुक्तवान्दानवेन्द्राणां पराभावाय भारत
Having bowed to the three-eyed Śarva, of immeasurable brilliance, I released it for the defeat of the lord of the Dānavas, O Bhārata.
मुक्तमात्रे ततस्तस्मिन्रूपाण्यासन्सहस्रशः। मृगाणामथ सिंहानां व्याग्राणां च विशांपते
As soon as it was released, thousands of forms appeared—of deer, lions, and tigers, O lord of men.
ऋक्षाणां महिषाणां च पन्नगानां तथा गवाम्। शरभाणां गजानां च वानराणां च सङ्घशः। ऋषभाणां वराहाणां मार्जाराणां तथैव च
Of bears, buffaloes, serpents, cows, sharabhas, elephants, troops of monkeys, bulls, boars, and cats likewise.
सालावृकाणां प्रेतानां भुरुण्डानां च सर्वशः। गृध्राणां गरुडानां च चमराणां तथैव च
Of sālā wolves, ghosts, bhuruṇḍas, vultures, garuḍas, and camaras likewise, in every form.
देवानां च ऋषीणां रच गन्धर्वाणां च सर्वशः। पिशाचानां सयक्षाणां तथैव च सुरद्विषाम्
Of gods, sages, and all gandharvas, of piśācas with yakṣas, and likewise of enemies of the gods.
गुह्यकानां च संग्रामे नैर्ऋतानां तथैव च। झषाणां गजवक्राणामुलूकानां तथैव च
Of guhyakas in battle, and likewise of nairṛtas, of fish, gajavakras, and owls likewise.
मीनवाजिसरूपाणां नानाशस्त्रासिपाणिनाम्। तथैव यातुधानानां गदामुद्गरधारिणाम्
Of forms like fish and horses, wielding various weapons and swords, and likewise of yātudhānas bearing maces and clubs.
एतैस्चान्यैश्च बहुभिर्नानारूपधरैस्तदा। सर्वमासीज्जगद्व्याप्तं तस्मिन्नस्त्रे विसर्जिते
And with many others, taking on various forms, at that time, the whole world was filled when that weapon was released.
त्रिशिरोभिश्चतुर्दंष्ट्रैश्चतुरास्यैश्चतुर्भुजैः। अनेकरूपसंयुक्तैर्मांसमेदोवसास्तिभिः
With three-headed, four-fanged, four-faced, four-armed beings, joined with many forms, made of flesh, marrow, fat, and bones.
अभीक्ष्णं वध्यमानास्ते दानवा ये समागताः। अर्कज्वलनतेजोभिर्वज्राशनिसमप्रभैः
Those Dānavas who had assembled were repeatedly slain, by radiance like the sun and fire, equal to thunderbolts and lightning.
अद्रिसारमयैश्चान्यैर्बाणैरपि निबर्हणैः। न्यहनं दानवान्सर्वान्मुहूर्तेनैव भारत
With other arrows, hard as mountain peaks and meant to destroy, I struck down all the Dānavas in but a moment, O Bhārata.
गाण्डीवास्त्रप्रणुन्नांस्तान्गतासून्नभसश्च्युतान्। दृष्ट्वाऽहं प्राणमं भूयस्त्रिपुरघ्नाय वेधसे
Seeing those lifeless bodies, cast down from the sky by the force of the Gāṇḍīva weapon, I once again bowed to the slayer of Tripura, the divine archer.