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.
तथा रौद्रास्त्रनिष्पिष्टान्दिव्याभरणभूषितान्। निशाम्य परमं हर्षमगमद्देवसारथिः
Beholding those adorned with celestial ornaments, crushed by the fierce missile, the charioteer of the gods was filled with the highest joy.
तदसह्यं कृतं कर्म देवैरपि दुरासदम्। दृष्ट्वा मां पूजयामास मातलिः शक्रसारथिः
Witnessing this deed, unbearable even for the gods and difficult to accomplish, Mātali, charioteer of Śakra, honored me.
उचाच वचनं चेदंप्रीयमाणः कृताञ्जलिः। `हतांस्तान्दानवान्दृष्ट्वा मया सङ्ख्ये सहस्रशः
With joined palms and great delight, he spoke these words: 'Having seen thousands of Dānavas slain by you in battle—'
सुरासुरैरसह्यं हि कर्म यत्साधितं त्वया। न ह्येतत्संयुगे कर्तुमपि शक्तः सुरेश्वरः। `ध्रुवं धनञ्जय प्रीतस्त्वयि शक्रः पुरार्दन
'This feat, insurmountable for gods and asuras, has been accomplished by you. Not even the lord of the gods could perform this in battle. Surely, O Dhanañjaya, Indra, destroyer of cities, is pleased with you.'
सुरासुरैरवध्यं हि पुरमेतत्खगं महत्। त्वया विमथितं वीर स्ववीर्यतपसो बलात्
'This great city, shaped like a bird, was invincible to gods and asuras. Yet, O hero, you have shattered it by the power of your own strength and asceticism.'
विद्वस्ते खपुरे तस्मिन्दानवेषु हतेषु च। विनदन्त्यः स्त्रियः सर्वा निष्पेतुर्नगराद्बहिः
When that aerial city was destroyed and the Dānavas slain, all the women, wailing, emerged from the city.
प्रकीर्णकेश्यो व्यथिताः कुरर्य इव दुःखिताः। पेतुः पुत्रान्पितृन्भ्रातॄञ्शोचमाना महीतले
With hair disheveled, distressed like grieving female curlews, they fell to the earth, lamenting sons, fathers, and brothers.
रुदत्यो दीनकण्ठ्यस्तु निनदन्त्यो हतेश्वराः। उरांसि पाणिभिर्घ्नन्त्यो विस्रस्तस्रग्विभूषणाः
Crying with feeble voices, wailing for their slain lords, striking their breasts with their hands, their garlands and ornaments fallen away—
तच्छोकयुक्तमश्रीकं दुःखदैन्यसमाहतम्। न बभौ दानवपुरं हतत्विट्कं हतेश्वरम्
That city of the Dānavas, filled with sorrow, bereft of splendor, overwhelmed by grief and misery, shone no more, its lords slain and its brilliance lost.
गन्धर्वनगराकारं हृतनागमिव ह्रदम्। शुष्कवृक्षमिवारण्यमदृश्यमभवत्पुरम्
Like a lake robbed of its nāgas, like a forest of withered trees, that city, once resembling a city of the Gandharvas, became invisible.