ततोऽब्रवीत्प्रीतमना मातलिर्नारदं वचः । एष मे रुचितस्तात जामाता भुजगोत्तमः
Then Mātali, pleased at heart, spoke to Nārada: 'This noble serpent pleases me as a son-in-law, O revered one.'
क्रियतामत्र यत्नो वै प्रीतिमानस्म्यनेन वै। अस्मै नागाय वै दातुं प्रियां दुहितरं मुने
'Let every effort be made here, for I am pleased with him. O sage, let my dear daughter be given to this Nāga.'
मातलेर्वचनं श्रुत्वा नारदो मुनिसत्तमः। अब्रवीद्देवराजं तमार्यकं कुरुनन्दन
Hearing Mātali's words, Nārada, the best of sages, spoke to that lord of the Devas, Āryaka, O descendant of the Kurus.
सूतोऽयं मातलिर्नाम शक्रस्य दयितः सुहृत्। शुचिः शीलगुणोपेतस्तेजस्वी वीर्यवान्बली
This charioteer is named Mātali, beloved friend of Śakra; pure, endowed with good character and virtues, radiant, powerful, and strong.
शक्रस्यायं सखा चैव मन्त्री सारथिरेव च । अल्पान्तरप्रभावश्च वासवेन रणे रणे
He is indeed the friend, counselor, and charioteer of Śakra, and his power is only slightly less than Vāsava's in every battle.
अयं हरिसहस्रेण युक्तं जैत्रं रथोत्तमम् । देवासुरेषु युद्धेषु मनसैव नियच्छति
With this, harnessed to a thousand steeds, he controls the supreme victorious chariot in battles between gods and demons, by his very will.
अनेन विजितानश्वैर्दोर्भ्यां जयति वासवः । अनेन बलभित्पूर्वं प्रहृते प्रहरत्युत
With this, Vāsava triumphs over enemies whose horses are subdued, by his own arms; with this, he strikes first before the foe can strike.
अस्य कन्या वरारोहा रूपेणासदृशी भुवि । सत्यशीलगुणोपेता गुणकेशीति विश्रुता
His daughter, of excellent form, is unmatched in beauty on earth, endowed with truthfulness and noble qualities, and is renowned as Guṇakeśī.
तस्यास्य यत्नाच्चरतस्त्रैलोक्यममरद्युते। सुमुखो भवतः पौत्रो रोचते दुहितुः पतिः
By his effort, as he moves throughout the three worlds, O radiant one among immortals, Sumukha, your grandson, pleases as a husband for his daughter.
यदि ते रोचते सम्यग्भुजगोत्तम मा चिरम् । क्रियतामार्यक क्षिप्रं बुद्धिः कन्यापरिग्रहे
If this pleases you, O best of serpents, do not delay; let the decision to accept the maiden be made quickly, noble one.
यथा विष्णुकुले लक्ष्मीर्यथा स्वाहा विभावसोः । कुले तव तथैवास्तु गुणकेशी सुमध्यमा
As Lakṣmī abides in the lineage of Viṣṇu, as Svāhā with the Fire-god, so may Guṇakeśī, of lovely waist, dwell in your line.
पौत्रस्यार्थे भवांस्तस्माद्गुणकेशीं प्रतीच्छतु । सदृशीं प्रतिरूपस्य वासवस्य शचीमिव
Therefore, for the sake of your grandson, let Guṇakeśī be accepted—one worthy of him, just as Śacī is for Vāsava.
पितृहीनमपि ह्येनं गुणतो वरयामहे। बहुमानाच्च भवतस्तथैवैरावतस्य च
Though he is fatherless, we choose him for his virtues, and out of great respect for you and also for Airāvata.
सुमुखस्य गुणैश्चैव शीलशौचदमादिभिः । अभिगम्य स्वयं कन्यामयं दातुं समुद्यतः । मातलिस्तस्य संमानं कर्तुमर्हो भवानपि
Because of Sumukha's virtues—his character, purity, self-control, and more—I myself am ready to give him my daughter; you too, Mātali, ought to honor him.
स तु दीनः प्रहृष्टश्च प्राह नारदमार्यकः । व्रियमाणे तथा पौत्रे पुत्रे च निधनं गते
Then, both sorrowful and gladdened, the noble one replied to Nārada: 'When my grandson is thus chosen, though my son has perished...'
मन्ये नैतद्बहुमतं महर्षे वचनं तव। सखा शक्रस्य संयुक्तः कस्यायं नेप्सितो भवेत्। कारणस्य तु दौर्बल्याच्चिन्तयामि महामुने
'I think, O great sage, your words are not highly regarded; being a friend of Śakra, who would not desire him? Yet, because of a certain misfortune, I am troubled, O great sage.'
अस्य देहकरस्तात मम पुत्रो महाद्युते। भक्षितो वैनतेयेन दुःखार्तास्तेन वै वयम्
'O father, my son, the creator of his body and of great splendor, was devoured by Vainateya; because of that, we are afflicted with grief.'
पुनरेव च तेनोक्तं वैनतेयेन गच्छता । मासेनान्येन सुमुखं भक्षयिष्य इति प्रभो
'And again, as Vainateya departed, he said: In another month, I will devour Sumukha as well, O lord.'
ध्रुवं तथा तद्भविता जानीमस्तस्य निश्चयम्। तेन हर्षः प्रनष्टो मे सुपर्णवचनेन वै
'Surely it will be so; we know his resolve. Because of Suparṇa's words, my joy has vanished.'
मातलिस्त्वब्रवीदेनं बुद्धिरत्र कृता मया। जामातृभावेन वृतः सुमुखस्तव पुत्रजः
But Mātali said to him: 'I have made arrangements in this matter; Sumukha, your grandson, has been chosen as a son-in-law.'
सोऽयं मया च सहितो नारदेन च पन्नगः। त्रिलोकेशं सुरपतिं गत्वा पश्यतु वासवम्
'This serpent, together with me and Nārada, should go and see Vāsava, the lord of the three worlds and king of the gods.'
शेषेणैवास्य कार्येण प्रज्ञास्वाम्यहमायुषः । सुपर्णस्य विघाते च प्रयतिष्यामि सत्तम
'I myself will act as Śeṣa in this matter, master of wisdom and life; and I will strive, O noble one, to thwart Suparṇa.'
सुमुखश्च मया सार्धं देवेशमिगच्छतु। कार्यसंसाधनार्थाय स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु भुजङ्गम
Let Sumukha go with me to the lord of the gods, for the purpose of accomplishing our task. Farewell to you, O serpent.
आर्यकेणाभ्यनुज्ञाता गम्यतामिति भारत।' ततस्ते सुमुखं गृह्य सर्व एव महौजसः। ददृशुः शक्रमासीनं देवराजं महाद्युतिम्
Permitted by Aryaka, they departed, O Bharata. Then, taking Sumukha, all those of great might saw Indra, the king of the gods, seated, radiant with great splendor.
सङ्गत्या तत्र भगवान्विष्णुरासीच्चतुर्भुजः । ततस्तत्सर्वमाचख्यौ नारदो मातलिं प्रति
There, the blessed Vishnu was present, four-armed. Then Narada related everything to Matali.
ततः पुरन्दरं विष्णुरुवाच भुवनेश्वरम्। अमृतं दीयतामस्मै क्रियताममरैः समः
Then Vishnu spoke to Purandara, lord of the worlds: 'Let nectar be given to him; let him be made equal to the immortals.'
मातलिर्नारदश्चैव सुमुखश्चैव वासव। लभन्तां भवतः कामात्काममेतं यथेप्सितम्
Let Matali, Narada, and Sumukha, O Vasava, obtain from you whatever they desire, as they wish.
पुरन्दरोऽथ संचिन्त्य वैनतेयपराक्रमम् । विष्णुमेवाब्रवीदेनं भवानेव ददात्विति
Purandara, reflecting on the prowess of Garuda, said to Vishnu: 'Let you yourself give it to him.'
ईशस्त्वं सर्वलोकानां चराणामचराश्च ये। त्वया दत्तमदत्तं कः कर्तुमुत्सहते विभो
You are the lord of all worlds, both moving and unmoving. What you have given or not given, who else, O mighty one, is able to accomplish?
प्रादाच्छक्रस्ततस्तस्मै पन्नगायायुरुत्तमम्। न त्वेनममृतप्राशं चकार बलवृत्रहा
Then Shakra gave to that serpent the highest span of life, but the slayer of Vritra did not make him partake of nectar.