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.
मां तु संहृष्टमनसं क्षिप्रं मातलिरानयत्। देवराजस्य भवनं कृतकर्माणमाहवात्
Then, with my heart elated, Mātali swiftly took me, my task accomplished in battle, to the abode of the king of the gods.
हिरण्यपुरमुत्सृज्य निहत्य च महासुरान्। निवातकवचांश्चैव ततोऽहंशक्रमागमम्
Having abandoned Hiraṇyapura and slain the mighty Asuras, and also the Nivātakavacas, I then went to Śakra.
मम कर्म च देवेन्द्रं मातलिर्विस्तरेण तत्। सर्वं विश्रावयामास यथाभूतं महाद्युते
Mātali, of great splendor, recounted to Indra in detail all my deeds, exactly as they had occurred.
हिरण्यपुरघातं च मायानां च निवारणम्। निवातकवचानां च वधं सङ्ख्ये महौजसाम्। `कालकेयवधं चैव अद्भुतं रोमहर्षणम्
He described the destruction of Hiraṇyapura, the defeat of the masters of illusion, the slaying in battle of the mighty Nivātakavacas, and also the wondrous, hair-raising destruction of the Kālakeyas.
तच्छ्रुत्वा भगवान्प्रीतः सहस्राक्षः पुरंदरः। मरुद्भिः सहितः श्रीमान्साधुसाध्वित्यथाब्रवीत्। `परिष्वज्य च मां प्रेम्णा मूर्ध्नि चाघ्राय सस्मितम्
Hearing this, the blessed thousand-eyed Purandara, filled with joy, together with the Maruts, exclaimed, 'Well done! Well done!' and embraced me with affection, smelling my head with a smile.
ततो मां देवराजो वै समाश्वास्य पुनः पुनः। अब्रवीद्विबुधैः सार्धमिदं समधुरं वचः
Then the king of the gods, comforting me again and again, spoke these most gentle words to me in the presence of the immortals.
अतिदेवासुरं कर्म कृतमेव त्वया रणे। गुर्वर्थश्च कृतः पार्थ महाशत्रून्घ्नता मम
You have performed deeds in battle surpassing even gods and demons; and for my sake, O Partha, you have fulfilled the duty of a disciple by slaying my great enemies.
एवमेव सदा भाव्यं स्थिरेणाजौ धनंजय। असंमूढेन चास्त्राणां कर्तव्यं प्रतिपादनम्
In this way, O Dhananjaya, you must always remain steadfast in battle; and, with an undeluded mind, you must master the use of weapons.
अविषह्यो रणे हि त्वं देवदानवराक्षसैः। सयक्षासुरगन्धर्वैः सपक्षिगणपन्नगैः
In battle, you are invincible even to gods, demons, and rākṣasas, as well as yakṣas, asuras, gandharvas, flocks of birds, and serpents.
वसुधां चापि कौन्तेय त्वद्बाहुबलनिर्जिताम्। पालयिष्यति धर्मात्मा कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः
And, O son of Kunti, the righteous Yudhishthira, your brother, will rule over the earth, conquered by the strength of your arms.
ततो मामिविश्वस्तं संरूढशरविक्षतम्। देवराजोऽनुगृह्येदं काले वचनमब्रवीत्
Then, as I stood there, trusting and covered with wounds from many arrows, the king of the gods, showing me favor, spoke these timely words.
दिव्यान्यस्त्राणि सर्वाणि त्वयि तिष्ठन्ति भारत। न त्वाऽभिभवितुं शक्तो मानुषो भुवि कश्चन
All the divine weapons, O descendant of Bharata, are now with you; no human on earth is able to overcome you.
भीष्मो द्रोणः कृपः कर्णः शकुनिः सह राजभिः। संग्रामस्थस्य ते पुत्र कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम्
Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, Karna, Shakuni with the kings—none of them, confronting you in battle, can match even a sixteenth part of your power.
इदं च मे तनुत्राणं प्रायच्छन्मघवान्प्रभुः। अभेद्यं कवचं दिव्यं स्रजं चैव हिरण्मयीम्
And Maghavan, the mighty Indra, gave me this body-armor—an impenetrable, divine breastplate, and a golden garland.
देवदत्तं च मे शङ्खं देवः प्रादान्महारवम्। दिव्यं चेदं किरीटं मे स्वयमिन्द्रो युयोज ह
The god also gave me the Devadatta conch, which roars mightily, and this divine crown was placed upon my head by Indra himself.
ततो दिव्यानि वस्त्राणि दिव्यान्याभरणानि च। प्रादाच्छक्रो ममैतानि रुचिराणि बृहन्ति च
Then Shakra gave me these divine garments and ornaments, splendid and magnificent.
एवं संपूजितस्तत्रसुखमस्म्युषितो नृप। इन्द्रस् भवने पुण्ये गन्धर्वशिशुभिः सह
Thus honored there, O king, I dwelled happily in Indra’s blessed palace, together with the children of the Gandharvas.
ततो मामब्रवीच्छक्रः प्रीतिमानमरैः सह। समयोऽर्जुन गन्तुं ते भ्रातरो हि स्मरन्ति ते
Then Shakra, pleased, spoke to me in the company of the immortals: 'Arjuna, it is time for you to go; your brothers are thinking of you.'
एवमिन्द्रस्य भवने पञ्चवर्षाणि भारत। उषितानि मया राजन्स्मरता द्यूतजं कलिम्
Thus, O descendant of Bharata, I spent five years in Indra’s palace, always remembering the calamity caused by the dice.
ततो भवन्तमद्राक्षं भ्रातृभिः परिवारितम्। गन्धमादनमासाद्य पर्वतस्यास्य मूर्धनि
Then I saw you, surrounded by your brothers, upon reaching the summit of this Gandhamadana mountain.