मुहूर्तमरणास्त्वन्ये मानुषा मूगपक्षिणः। तैर्यग्योन्याश्च ये चान्ये जीवलोकचरास्तथा
Others are causes of momentary death: humans, mute creatures, birds, those of other animal births, and all who move among the living.
भूयिष्ठेन तु राजानः श्रियं भुक्त्वाऽऽयुषः क्षये। तरुणाः प्रतिपद्यन्ते भोक्तुं सुकृतदुष्कृते
Most often, kings, having enjoyed prosperity, when their lifespan ends, are reborn young to experience the results of their good and evil deeds.
स भवान्धर्मपुत्रेण शमं कर्तुमिहार्हसि । पाण्डवाः कुरवश्चैव पालयन्तु वसुन्धरान्
Therefore, you ought to make peace here with the son of Dharma; let the Pāṇḍavas and Kurus together protect the earth.
बलवानहमित्येव न मन्तव्यं सुयोधन । बलवन्तो बलिभ्यो हि दृश्यन्ते पूरुषर्षभ
Do not think, ‘I am strong,’ O Suyodhana; for among the powerful, stronger ones are always seen, O bull among men.
न बलं बलिनां मध्ये बलं भवति कौरव । बलवन्तो हि ते सर्वे पाण्डवा देवविक्रमाः
Among the strong, O Kaurava, strength does not prevail; for all the Pāṇḍavas are powerful, possessing divine prowess.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । मातलेर्दातुकामस्य कन्यां मृगयतो वरम्
Here too, they recite an ancient legend: about Mātali, who wished to give his daughter in marriage and sought a suitable groom.
मतस्त्रिलोकराजस्य मातलिर्नाम सारथिः। तस्यैकैव कुले मन्या रूपतो लोकविश्रुता
O Mother, the charioteer of the lord of the three worlds is named Mātali; in his family there is one renowned maiden, famed for her beauty.
गुणकेशीति विख्याता नाम्ना सा देवरूपिणी । श्रिया च वपुषा चैव स्त्रियोऽन्याःसाऽतिरिच्यते
She is known by the name Guṇakeśī, divine in form; in splendor and appearance she surpasses all other women.
तस्याः प्रदानसमयं मातलिः सह भार्यया । ज्ञात्वा विममृशे राजंस्तत्परः परिचिन्तयन्
Knowing the time for her marriage had come, Mātali, together with his wife, considered carefully, his mind intent on this matter.
धिक्खल्वलघुशीलानामुच्छ्रितानां यशस्विनाम्। नराणां मृदुसत्वानां कुले कन्याप्ररोहणम्
Alas, in the families of men who are fickle, of light conduct, or even among the noble and famous, the growth of a gentle-natured maiden is a challenge.
मातुः कुलं पितृकुलं यत्र चैव प्रदीयते। कुलत्रयं संशयितं कुरुते कन्यका सताम्
The maiden, when given in marriage, connects three families: her mother's, her father's, and the one she enters; thus, among the virtuous, the union of these three lineages is a matter of doubt.
देवमानुषलोकौ द्वौ मानुषेणैव चक्षुषा। अपगाह्यैव विचितौ न च मे रोचते वरः
I have surveyed both the worlds of gods and men with human eyes, examining them thoroughly, yet I do not find a suitable husband.
न देवान्नैव दितिजान्न गन्धर्वान्न मानुषान्। अरोचयद्वरकृते तथैव बहुलानृषीन्
For the sake of choosing a husband, neither gods, nor Dānavas, nor Gandharvas, nor men, nor even many sages, pleased her.
भार्यया तु स संमन्त्र्य सह रात्रौ सुधर्मया । मातलिर्नागलोकाय चकार गमने मतिम्
Then, after consulting with his wife Sudharmā at night, Mātali resolved to go to the world of the Nāgas.
न मे देवमनुष्येषु गुणकेश्याः समो वरः। रूपतो दृश्यते कश्चिन्नागेषु भविता ध्रुवम्
Among gods and men, there is no one equal to Guṇakeśī in beauty; surely, among the Nāgas, such a one will be found.
इत्यामन्त्र्य सुधर्मां स कृत्वा चाभिप्रदक्षिणम्। कन्यां शिरस्युपाघ्राय प्रविवेश महीतलम्
Thus addressing Sudharmā, and having circumambulated her, he embraced his daughter on the head and entered the earth.
एतत्तु नागलोकस्य नाभिस्थाने स्थितं पुरम्। पातालमिति विख्यातं दैत्यदानवसेवितम्
This city, situated at the navel of the Nāga world, is known as Pātāla, frequented by Daityas and Dānavas.
इदमद्भिः समं प्राप्ता ये केचिद्भुवि जङ्गमाः। प्रविशन्तो महानादं नदन्ति भयपीडिताः
Here, all creatures who move upon the earth, when they enter together with water, utter great cries, afflicted by fear.
अत्रासुरोऽग्निः सततं दीप्यते वारिभोजनः। व्यापारेण धृतात्मानं निबद्धं समबुध्यत
Here, the Asuric fire, ever blazing and fed by water, is perceived as binding those who are steadfast in their actions.
अत्रामृतं सुरैः पीत्वा निहितं निहतारिभिः ।। अतः सोमस्य हानिश्च वृद्धिश्चैव प्रदृश्यते
Here, the gods, having drunk the nectar and defeated their enemies, concealed it; from this place, the waning and waxing of the moon is seen.
अत्रादित्यो हयशिराः काले पर्वणि पर्वणि । उत्तिष्ठति सुवर्णाख्यो वाग्भिरापूरयञ्जगत्
Here, the sun named Hayaśiras rises at each lunar phase, called Suvarṇa, filling the world with his rays.
यस्मादलं समस्तास्ताः पतन्ति जलमूर्तयः । तस्मात्पातालमित्येव ख्यायते पुरमुत्तमम्
From here, all the forms of water fall forth; therefore, this excellent city is known as Pātāla.
ऐरावणोऽस्मात्सलिलं गृहीत्वा जगतो हितः । मेघेष्वामुञ्चते शीतं यन्महेन्द्रः प्रवर्षति
From here, Airāvata, for the welfare of the world, takes water and releases it into the clouds, which mighty Indra then pours down as rain.
ऐरावतो नागराजो वामनः कुमुदोऽञ्जनः । प्रसूताः सुप्रतीकस्य वंशे वारणसत्तमाः
Airāvata, king of the Nāgas, Vāmana, Kumuda, and Añjana—all these excellent elephants are born in the lineage of Supratīka.
अत्र नानाविधाकारास्तिमयो नैकरूपिणः । अप्सु सोमप्रभां पीत्वा वसन्ति जलचारिणः
Here, beings of many forms and appearances, composed of vapor and of various shapes, dwell in the waters after drinking the Soma-brightness.
अत्र सूर्यांशुभिर्भिन्नाः पातालतलमाश्रिताः । मृता हि दिवसे सूत पुनर्जीवन्ति वै निशि
Here, those who have died in the day, split by the sun's rays and residing in the depths of the underworld, indeed come back to life again at night, O charioteer.
उदयन्नित्यशश्चात्र चन्द्रमा रश्मिबाहुभिः । अमृतं स्पृश्य संस्पर्शात्संजीवयतिदेहिनः
Here, the moon always rises, with rays as arms; by touching the nectar with his contact, he revives embodied beings.
अत्र तेऽधर्मनिरता बद्धाः कालेन पीडिताः । दैतेया निवसन्ति स्म वासवेन हृतश्रियः
Here, those devoted to unrighteousness, bound and afflicted by Time, the Daityas whose splendor was taken by Indra, once dwelled.
अत्र भूतपतिर्नाम सर्वभूतमहेश्वरः । भूतये सर्वभूतानामचरत्तप उत्तमम्
Here, the Lord of beings, the great lord of all creatures, performed supreme austerity for the welfare of all beings.
अत्र गोव्रतिनो विप्राः स्वाध्यायाम्नायकर्शिताः । त्यक्तप्राणा जितस्वर्गा निवसन्ति महर्षयः
Here, Brahmins devoted to the vow of the cow, worn by recitation of the Veda, having given up their lives and conquered heaven, the great sages dwell.