The Mahabharata, of, Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, BOOK 3, (Tirtha-yatra Parva), SECTION CLXVIII

 

 The Mahabharata, of, Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, BOOK 3, (Tirtha-yatra Parva), 

SECTION CLXVIII

"Arjuna continued, 'Then at places eulogised by the Maharshis, I

(proceeded, and at length) beheld the ocean--that inexhaustible lord of

waters. And like unto flowing cliffs were seen on it heaving billows, now

meeting together and now rolling away. And there (were seen) all around

barks by thousands filled with gems. And there were seen timingilas and

tortoises and makaras like unto rock submerged in water. And on all sides

round thousands of shells sunk in water appeared like star in the night

covered by light clouds. And thousands upon thousands of gem were

floating in heaps and a violent wind was blowing about in whirls--and

this was wonderful to behold. And having beheld that excellent lord of

all waters with powerful tides, I saw at a short distance the city of the

demons filled with the Danavas. And even there, eftsoons entering

underneath the earth, Matali skilled in guiding the car, sitting fast on

the chariot drove it with force; and he dashed on, frightening that city

with the rattling of his chariot. And hearing that rattling of the

chariot like unto the rumbling of the clouds in the sky, the Danavas,

thinking me to be the lord of the celestials, became agitated. And

thereupon they all, frightened at heart, stood holding in their hands

bows and arrows and swords and javelins and axes and maces and clubs.

Then having made arrangements for the defence of the city, the Danavas,

with minds alarmed, shut the gates, so that nothing could be discovered.

Thereupon taking my shell, Devadatta, of tremendous roars, I again and

again winded it with exceeding cheerfulness. And filling all the

firmament, those sounds produced echoes. Thereat mighty beings were

terrified and they hid (themselves). And then, O Bharata, all of them

adorned with ornaments, those offsprings of Diti--the

Nivata-Kavachas--made their appearance by thousands, donning diverse mail

and taking in their hands various weapons and equipped with mighty iron

javelins and maces and clubs and hatchets and sabres and discs and

sataghnis and bhusundis and variegated and ornamented swords. Then, after

deliberating much as to the course of the car, Matali began to guide the

steeds on a (piece of) level ground, O foremost of the Bharatas. And

owing to the swiftness of those fleet coursers conducted by him, I could

see nothing--and this was strange. Then the Danavas there began to sound

thousands of musical instruments, dissonant and of odd shapes. And at

those sounds, fishes by hundreds and by thousands, like unto hills,

having their senses bewildered by that noise, fled suddenly. And mighty

force flew at me, the demons discharging sharpened shafts by hundreds and

by thousands. And then, O Bharata, there ensued a dreadful conflict

between me and the demons, calculated to extinguish the Nivata-Kavachas.

And there came to the mighty battle the Devarshis and the Danavarshis and

the Brahmarshis and the Siddhas. And desirous of victory, the Munis

eulogised me with the same sweet-speeches that (they had eulogised) Indra

with, at the war, (which took place) for the sake of Tara.'"

SECTION CLXIX

"Arjuna continued, 'Then, O Bharata, vehemently rushed at me in battle in

a body the Nivata-Kavachas, equipped with arms. And obstructing the

course of the car, and shouting loudly, those mighty charioteers, hemming

me in on all sides, covered me with showers of shafts. Then other demons

of mighty prowess, with darts and hatchets in their hands, began to throw

at me spears and axes. And that mighty discharge of darts, with numerous

maces and clubs incessantly hurled fell upon my car. And other dreadful

and grim-visaged smiters among the Nivata-Kavachas, furnished with bows

and sharpened weapons, ran at me in fight. And in the conflict, shooting

from the Gandiva sundry swift arrows coursing straight, I pierced each of

them with ten. And they were driven back by those stone-whetted shafts of

mine. Then on my steeds being swiftly driven by Matali, they began to

display various movements with the speed of the wind. And being skilfully

guided by Matali, they began to trample upon the sons of Diti. And

although the steeds yoked unto that mighty chariot numbered hundreds upon

hundreds, yet being deftly conducted by Matali, they began to move, as if

they were only a few. And by their tread, and by the rattling of the

chariot wheels and by the vollies of my shafts, the Danavas began to fall

by hundreds. And others accoutred in bows, being deprived of life, and

having their charioteers slain, were carried about by the horses. Then,

covering all sides and directions, all (the Danavas) skilled in striking

entered into the contest with various weapons, and thereat my mind became

afflicted. And I witnessed (this instance of) the marvellous prowess of

Matali, viz., that he guided those fiery steeds with ease. Then, O king,

in the conflict, with diverse fleet weapons I pierced by hundreds and by

thousands (demons) bearing arms. And, O slayer of foes, seeing me thus

range the field putting forth every exertion, the heroic charioteer of

Sakra was well-pleased. And oppressed by those steeds and that car, some

(of them) met with annihilation; and others desisted from fight; while

(other) Nivata-Kavachas, challenged by us in battle and being harassed

with shafts offered opposition unto me, by (discharging) mighty showers

of arrows. Thereupon, with hundreds and thousands of sundry fleet weapons

inspired with the mantras relating to Brahma's weapons, I swiftly began

to burn them. And being sore pressed by me, those mighty asuras waxing

wroth afflicted me together, by pouring torrents of clubs and darts and

swords. Then, O Bharata, I took up that favourite weapon of the lord of

the celestials, Maghavan by name, prime and of fiery energy and by the

energy of that weapon I cut into a thousand pieces the Tomaras, together

with the swords and the tridents hurled by them. And having cut off their

arms I in ire pierced them each with ten shafts. And in the field arrows

were shot from the Gandiva like unto rows of black-bees; and this Matali

admired. And their shafts also showered upon me; but those powerful

(arrows) I cut off with my shafts. Then on being struck the

Nivata-Kavachas again covered me on all sides with a mighty shower of

arrows. And having neutralised the force of the arrows by excellent swift

and flaming weapons capable of baffling arms, I pierced them by

thousands. And blood began to flow from their torn frames, even as in the

rainy season waters run down from the summits of mountains. And on being

wounded by my fleet and straight-coursing shafts of the touch of Indra's

thunder-bolt, they became greatly agitated. And their bodies were pierced

at hundreds of places; and the force of their arms diminished. Then the

Nivata-Kavachas fought me by (the help of) illusion.'"

SECTION CLXX

"Arjuna said, 'Then with rocks of the proportions of trees, there

commenced a mighty shower of crags; and this exercised me exceedingly.

And in that high encounter, I crushed (those crags) by swift-speeding

showers of arrows, issuing from Mahendra's weapon, like unto the

thunder-bolt itself. And when the rocks had been reduced to powder, there

was generated fire; and the rocky dust fell like unto masses of flames.

And when the showers of crags had been repelled, there happened near me a

mightier shower of water, having currents of the proportions of an axle.

And falling from the welkin, those thousands of powerful torrents covered

the entire firmament and the directions and the cardinal points. And on

account of the pouring of the shower, and of the blowing of the wind, and

of roaring of the Daityas, nothing could be perceived. And touching

heaven and the entire earth, and incessantly falling on the ground, the

showers bewildered me. Thereupon, I discharged that celestial weapon

which I had learnt from Indra--even the dreadful and flaming Visoshana:

and by that the water was dried up. And, O Bharata, when the rocky shower

had been destroyed, and the watery shower had been dried up, the Danavas

began to spread illusions of fire and wind. Then by aqueous appliances I

extinguished the flames; and by a mighty rock-issuing arm, resisted the

fury of the winds. And when these had been repelled, the Danavas,

irrepressible in battle, O foremost of the Bharata, simultaneously

created various illusions. And there happened a tremendous horrifying

shower of rocks and dreadful weapons of fire and wind. And that illusory

downpour afflicted me in fight. And then on all sides there appeared a

dense and thick darkness. And when the world had been enveloped in deep

and dense darkness, the steeds turned away, Matali fell off, and from his

hand the golden lash fell to the earth. And, O foremost of the Bharatas,

being frightened, he again and again cried, 'Where art thou?' And when he

had been stupefied, a terrible fear possessed me. And then in a hurry, he

spake unto me, saying, 'O Partha, for the sake of nectar, there had taken

place a mighty conflict between the gods and the demons. I had seen that

(encounter), O sinless one. And on the occasion of the destruction of

Samvara, there had occurred a dreadful and mighty contest. Nevertheless I

had acted as charioteer to the lord of the celestials. In the same way,

on the occasion of the slaying of Vritra, the steeds had been conducted

by me. And I had also beheld the high and terrific encounter with

Virochana's son, and, O Pandava, with Vala, and with Prahrada and with

others also. In these exceedingly dreadful battles, I was present; but, O

Pandu's son, never (before) had I lost my senses. Surely the Great-father

hath ordained the destruction of all creatures; for this battle cannot be

for any other purpose than destruction of the universe.' Having heard

these words of his, pacifying my perturbation by my own effort, I will

destroy the mighty energy of the illusion spread by the Danavas quoth I

unto the terrified Matali. Behold the might of my arms, and the power of

my weapons and of the bow, Gandiva. To-day even by (the help of)

illusion-creating arms, will I dispel this deep gloom and also this

horrible illusion of theirs. Do not fear, O charioteer. Pacify thyself.'

Having said this, O lord of men, I created for the good of the

celestials, an illusion of arms capable of bewildering all beings. And

when (their) illusion had been dispelled, some of the foremost amongst

the Asuras, of unrivalled prowess, again spread diverse kinds of

illusion. Thereupon, now (the world) displayed itself, and now it was

devoured by darkness; and now the world disappeared from view and now it

was submerged under water. And when it had brightened up. Matali, sitting

in front of the car, with the wellconducted steeds, began to range that

hair-erecting field. Then the fierce Nivata-Kavachas assailed me. And

finding my opportunity. I began to send them to the mansion of Yama.

Thereupon, in that conflict then raging, calculated to annihilate the

Nivata-Kavachas on a sudden, I could not see the Danavas concealed by

illusion."

SECTION CLXXI

"Arjuna continued, 'Remaining invisible the Daityas began to fight with

the help of illusion. And I too fought with them, resorting to the energy

of visible weapons. And the shafts duly discharged from the Gandiva,

began to sever their heads at those different places where they were

respectively stationed. And thus assailed by me in the conflict, the

Nivata-Kavachas, all on a sudden withdrawing the illusion, entered into

their own city. And when the Daityas had fled, and when all had become

visible, I there discovered hundreds and thousands of the slain. And

there I saw by hundreds their shivered weapons, ornaments, limbs, and

mail. And the horses could not find room for moving from one place to

another; and on a sudden with a bound, they fell to coursing in the sky.

Then remaining invisible, the Nivata-Kavachas covered the entire welkin

with masses of crags. And, O Bharata, other dreadful Danavas, entering

into the entrails of the earth, took up horses' legs and chariot-wheels.

And as I was fighting, they, hard besetting my horses with rocks,

attacked me together with (my) car. And with the crags that had fallen

and with others that were falling, the place where I was, seemed to be a

mountain cavern. And on myself being covered with crags and on the horses

being hard pressed, I became sore distressed and this was marked by

Matali. And on seeing me afraid, he said unto me, 'O Arjuna, Arjuna! be

thou not afraid; send that weapon, the thunder-bolt, O lord of men.'

Hearing those words of his, I then discharged the favourite weapon of the

king of the celestials--the dreadful thunderbolt. And inspiring the

Gandiva with mantras, I, aiming at the locality of the crags, shot

sharpened iron shafts of the touch of the thunder-bolt. And sent by the

thunder, those adamantine arrows entered into all those illusions and

into the midst of those Nivata-Kavachas. And slaughtered by the vehemence

of the thunder, those Danavas resembling cliffs, fell to the earth

together in masses. And entering amongst those Danavas that had carried

away the steeds of the car into the interior of the earth, the shafts

sent them into the mansion of Yama. And that quarter was completely

covered with the Nivata-Kavachas that had been killed or baffled,

comparable unto cliffs and lying scattered like crags. And then no injury

appeared to have been sustained either by the horses, or by the car, or

by Matali, or by me, and this seemed strange. Then, O king, Matali

addressed me smiling, 'Not in the celestials themselves, O Arjuna, is

seen the prowess that is seen in thee. And when the Danava hosts had been

destroyed, all their females began to bewail in that city, like unto

cranes in autumn. Then with Matali I entered that city, terrifying with

the rattling of my car the wives of the Nivata-Kavachas. Thereupon,

seeing those ten thousand horses like unto peacocks (in hue), and also

that chariot resembling the sun, the women fled in swarms. And like unto

(the sounds of) rocks falling on a mountain, sounds arose of the

(falling) ornaments of the terrified dames. (At length), the

panic-stricken wives of the Daityas entered into their respective golden

places variegated with innumerable jewels.

'Beholding that excellent city, superior to the city of the celestials

themselves, I asked Matali, saying, 'Why do not the celestials reside in

such (a place)? Surely, this appeareth superior to the city of

Purandara.' Thereat, Matali said, 'In days of yore, O Partha, even this

was the city of our lord of the celestials. Afterwards the celestials

were driven from hence by the Nivata-Kavachas. Having performed the most

rigid austerities, they had gratified the Grand-father and had asked (and

obtained) the boons--namely, that they might reside here, and that they

might be free from danger in wars with the gods.' Then Sakra addressed

the self-create lord saying, 'Do thou, O lord, desirous of our own

welfare do what is proper.' Thereupon, O Bharata, in this matter the Lord

commanded (Indra), saying, 'O slayer of foes, in another body, even thou

shalt be (the destroyer of the Danavas).' Then, in order to slaughter

them, Sakra rendered unto thee those weapons. The gods had been unable to

slay these, who have been slain by thee. O Bharata, in the fullness of

time, hadst thou come hither, in order to destroy them and thou hast done

so. O foremost of men, with the object that the demons might be killed,

Mahendra had conferred on thee the excellent prime energy of these

weapons.'

"Arjuna continued, 'After having destroyed the Danavas, and also subdued

that city, with Matali I again went to that abode of the celestials.'"

SECTION CLXXII

"Arjuna continued, 'Then while returning, I happened to descry a mighty

unearthly city, moving at will, and having the effulgence of fire or the

sun. And that city contained various trees composed of gems, and

sweet-voiced feathered ones. And furnished with four gates, and

gate-ways, and towers, that impregnable (city) was inhabited by the

Paulamas and Kalakanjas. And it was made of all sorts of jewels and was

unearthly, and of wonderful appearance. And it was covered with trees of

all kinds of gems, bearing fruits and flowers. And it contained

exceedingly beautiful unearthly birds. And it always swarmed throughout

with cheerful Asuras, wearing garlands, and bearing in their hands darts,

two edged swords, maces, bows, and clubs. And, O king, on seeing this

wonderful city of the Daityas, I asked Matali saying, 'What is this that

looketh so wonderful?' Thereat, Matali replied, 'Once on a time a

Daitya's daughter, named Pulama and a mighty female of the Asura order,

Kalaka by name, practised severe austerities for a thousand celestial

years. And at the end of their austerities, the self-create conferred on

them boons. And, O king of kings, they received these boons,--that their

offspring might never suffer misfortune; that they might be incapable of

being destroyed even by the gods, the Rakshasas and the Pannagas; and

that they might obtain a highly effulgent and surpassingly fair aerial

city, furnished with all manner of gems and invincible even by the

celestials, the Maharshis, the Yakshas, the Gandharvas, the Pannagas, the

Asuras and the Rakshasas. O best of the Bharatas, this is that unearthly

aerial city devoid of the celestials, which is moving about, having been

created for the Kalakeyas, by Brahma himself. And this city is furnished

with all desirable objects, and is unknown of grief or disease. And, O

hero, celebrated under the name of Hiranyapura, this mighty city is

inhabited by the Paulamas and the Kalakanjas; and it is also guarded by

those mighty Asuras. And, O king, unslayed by any of the gods, there they

dwell cheerfully, free from anxiety and having all their desires

gratified, O foremost of kings. Formerly, Brahma had destined destruction

at the hands of mortals. Do thou, O Partha, in fight, compass with that

weapon--the thunder-bolt--the destruction of the mighty and irrepressible

Kalakanjas.'

"Arjuna continued, 'O lord of men, learning that they were incapable of

being destroyed by the celestials and the Asuras, I cheerfully said unto

Matali, 'Do thou speedily repair into yonder city. With weapons will I

compass the annihilation of the haters of the lord of the celestials.

Surely, there exist no wicked haters of the gods who ought not to be

slain by me.' Thereupon Matali took me to the vicinity of Hiranyapura on

the celestial chariot yoked with steeds. And seeing me, those sons of

Diti, wearing various kinds of attire and ornament and accoutred in mail,

flew at me with a mighty rush. And those foremost of the Danavas, of

exceeding prowess, in wrath attacked me with arrows and bhallas and clubs

and two-edged swords, and tomaras. Thereat, O king, resorting to my

strength of lore, I resisted that great volley of weapons by a mighty

shower of shafts; and also confounded them in conflict by ranging around

in my car. And being bewildered, the Danavas began to push each other

down. And having been confounded, they rushed at one another. And with

flaming arrows, I severed their heads by hundreds. And hard pressed by

me, the offspring of Diti, taking shelter within (their) city, soared

with it to the firmament, resorting to the illusion proper to the

Danavas. Thereupon, O son of the Kurus, covering the way of the Daityas,

with a mighty discharge of shafts I obstructed their course. Then by

virtue of the bestowal of the boon, the Daityas supported themselves

easily on that sky-ranging unearthly aerial city, going anywhere at will

and like unto the sun. And now (the city) entered unto the earth and now

it rose upwards; and at one time it went in a crooked way and at another

time it submerged into water. At this, O represser of foes, I assailed

that mighty city, going anywhere at will, and resembling Amaravati. And,

O best of the Bharatas, I attacked the city containing those sons of

Diti, with multitudes of shafts, displaying celestial weapons. And

battered and broken by the straight-coursing iron shafts, shot by me, the

city of the Asuras, O king, fell to the earth. And they also, wounded by

my iron arrows having the speed of the thunder, began, O monarch, to go

about, being urged by destiny. Then ascending to the sky, Matali, as if

falling in front, swiftly descended to the earth, on that chariot of

solar resplendence. Then, O Bharata, environed me sixty thousand cars

belonging to those wrathful ones eager to battle with me. And with

sharpened shafts graced with feathers of the vulture, I destroyed those

(cars). At this, thinking, 'These our hosts are incapable of being

vanquished by mortals, they became engaged in the conflict, like unto the

surges of the sea.' Thereupon I gradually began to fix (on the string)

unearthly weapons. At this, thousands of weapons (shot) by those

wonderfully warring charioteers, by degrees opposed my unearthly arms and

in the field I saw hundreds and thousands of mighty (demons) ranging on

their cars, in various manoeuvres. And being furnished with variegated

mail and standards and diverse ornaments, they delighted my mind. And in

the conflict I could not afflict them by showers of shafts, but they did

not afflict me. And being afflicted by those innumerable ones, equipped

in weapons and skilled in fight, I was pained in that mighty encounter

and a terrible fear seized me. Thereupon collecting (my energies) in

fight, I (bowed down) unto that god of gods, Raudra, and saying, 'May

welfare attend on all beings!' I fixed that mighty weapon which,

celebrated under the name of Raudra, is the destroyer of all foes. Then I

beheld a male person having three heads, nine eyes, three faces, and six

arms. And his hair was flaming like fire or the sun. And, O slayer of

foes, for his dress, he had mighty serpents, putting out their tongues.

And saying, O best of the Bharatas, the dreadful and eternal Raudra, I

being free from fear, set it on the Gandiva; and, bowing unto the

three-eyed Sarva of immeasurable energy, let go (the weapon), with the

object of vanquishing those foremost of the Danavas, O Bharata. And, O

lord of men, as soon as it had been hurled, there appeared on the scene

by thousands, forms of deer, and of lions, and of tigers, and of bears

and of buffaloes, and of serpents, and of kine, and of sarabhas, and of

elephants, and of apes in multitudes, and of bulls, and of boars, and of

cats, and of dogs, and of spectres, and of all the Bhurundas, and of

vultures, and of Garudas, of chamaras, and of all the leopards, and of

mountains, and of seas, and of celestials, and of sages, and of all the

Gandharvas, and of ghosts with the Yakshas, and of the haters of the

gods, (Asuras), and of the Guhyakas in the field, and of the Nairitas and

of elephant-mouthed sharks, and of owls, and of beings having the forms

of fishes and horses, and of beings bearing swords and various other

weapons, and of Rakshasas wielding maces and clubs. And on that weapon

being hurled all the universe became filled with these as well as many

others wearing various shapes. And again and again wounded by beings of

various sights with (pieces of) flesh, fat, bones, and marrow on their

persons,--some having three heads, and some four tusks, and some four

mouths, and some four arms,--the Danavas met with destruction. And, then,

O Bharata, in a moment I slew all those Danavas, with other swarms of

arrows composed of the quintessence of stone, flaming like fire or the

sun, and possessed of the force of the thunder-bolt. And, seeing them

hewn by the Gandiva, and deprived of life, and thrown from the sky, I

again bowed unto that god--the Destroyer of Tripura. And, seeing those

adorned with unearthly ornaments, crushed by the weapon, the Raudra, the

charioteer of the celestials, experienced the greatest delight. And

having witnessed the accomplishment of that unbearable feat incapable of

being achieved even by the celestials themselves, Matali, the charioteer

of Sakra, paid homage unto me; and well-pleased, with joint hands said

these words. 'The feat that hath been achieved by thee, is incapable of

being borne even by the gods, nay,--in battle, the lord of the celestials

himself cannot perform this deed. The sky-coursing mighty city incapable

of being destroyed by the gods and the Asuras hast thou, O hero, crushed

by thy own prowess and by the energy of asceticism. And when that aerial

city had been destroyed, and when the Danavas also had been slain, their

wives, uttering cries of distress, like unto Kurari birds, with hair

dishevelled came out of the city. And bewailing for their sons and

brothers and fathers, they fell on the ground and cried with distressful

accents. And on being deprived for their lords, they beat their breasts,

their garlands and ornaments fallen off. And that city of Danavas, in

appearance like unto the city of the Gandharvas filled with lamentations

and stricken with dole and distress, and bereft of grace even like unto a

lake deprived of (its) elephants, or like unto a forest deprived of trees

and (deprived of its) masters, looked no longer beautiful--but it

vanished, like a cloud-constructed city. And when I had accomplished the

task, eftsoons from the field Matali took me of delighted spirits, unto

the abode of the lord of the celestials. And having slain those mighty

Asuras, and destroyed Hiranyapura, and having also killed the

Nivata-Kavachas, I came unto Indra. And, O exceedingly resplendent one,

as it had fallen out, Matali related in detail unto Devendra that entire

achievement of mine. And with the Marutas, hearing of the destruction of

Hiranyapura, of the neutralisation of the illusion, and of the slaughter

of the highly powerful Nivatakavachas in fight, the prosperous

thousand-eyed divine Purandara was well pleased, and exclaimed, 'Well

done; Well done!' And the king of the celestials together with the

celestials, cheering me again and again, said these sweet words, 'By thee

hath been achieved a feat incapable of being achieved by the gods and the

Asuras. And, O Partha, by slaying my mighty enemies, thou hast paid the

preceptor's fee. And, O Dhananjaya, thus in battle shalt thou always

remain calm, and discharge the weapons unerringly, and there shall not

stand thee in fight celestials, and Danavas, and Rakshasas, and Yakshas,

and Asuras, and Gandharvas and birds and serpents. And, O Kaunteya, by

conquering it even by the might of thy arms, Kunti's son Yudhishthira,

will rule the earth.'"