The Danavas' Sorcery and Matali's Fear

Verse 1 (3.173.1)

ततोऽश्मवर्षं सुमहत्प्रादुरासीत्समन्ततः । नगमात्रैः शिलाखण्डैस्तन्मां दृढमपीडयत् ॥

tato'śmavarṣaṃ sumahatprādurāsītsamantataḥ | nagamātraiḥ śilākhaṇḍaistanmāṃ dṛḍhamapīḍayat

Then a vast rain of stones broke out on every side, and with boulders the size of trees it pressed me hard.

Note on the text: शिलाखण्डैः for the critical edition's mahāghoraiḥ is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 2 (3.173.2)

तदहं वज्रसंकाशैः शरैरिन्द्रास्त्रचोदितैः । अचूर्णयं वेगवद्भिः शतधैकैकमाहवे ॥

tadahaṃ vajrasaṃkāśaiḥ śarairindrāstracoditaiḥ | acūrṇayaṃ vegavadbhiḥ śatadhaikaikamāhave

With swift arrows like thunderbolts, driven by Indra's weapon, I shattered each stone into a hundred pieces in that battle.

Note on the text: Corrected शरैरिनद्रास्त्र- → शरैरिन्द्रास्त्र- (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct, the critical edition reads indrāstra-).

Verse 3 (3.173.3)

चूर्ण्यमानेऽश्मवर्षे तु पावकः समजायत । तत्राश्मचूर्णा न्यपतन्पावकप्रकरा इव ॥

cūrṇyamāne'śmavarṣe tu pāvakaḥ samajāyata | tatrāśmacūrṇā nyapatanpāvakaprakarā iva

As the rain of stones was being ground to powder, fire sprang up, and the stone dust fell there like showers of embers.

Note on the text: Corrected यावकः → पावकः (misprint in Wikisource; य for प, the critical edition reads pāvakaḥ). The second line's अश्मचूर्णा न्यपतन् for the critical edition's aśmacūrṇam apatat is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 4 (3.173.4)

ततोऽश्मवर्षे विहते जलवर्षं महत्तरम् । धाराभिरक्षमात्राभिः प्रादुरासीन्ममान्तिके ॥

tato'śmavarṣe vihate jalavarṣaṃ mahattaram | dhārābhirakṣamātrābhiḥ prādurāsīnmamāntike

When the rain of stones had been destroyed, a still greater rain of water broke out around me, in streams as thick as axles.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रादुरासीनममान्तिके → प्रादुरासीन्ममान्तिके (misprint in Wikisource; broken conjunct, the critical edition reads prādurāsīn mamāntike). विहते for the critical edition's nihate is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 5 (3.173.5)

नभसः प्रच्युता धारास्तिग्मवीर्याः सहस्रशः । आवृण्वन्सर्वतो व्योम दिशश्चोपदिशस्तथा ॥

nabhasaḥ pracyutā dhārāstigmavīryāḥ sahasraśaḥ | āvṛṇvansarvato vyoma diśaścopadiśastathā

Streams of fierce force fell from the sky by the thousand and covered the heavens on every side, and the directions and the spaces between them.

Note on the text: Corrected नभस → नभसः (misprint in Wikisource; dropped visarga, the critical edition reads nabhasaḥ).

Verse 6 (3.173.6)

धाराणां च निपातेन वायोर्विष्फूर्जितेन च । गर्जितेन च मेघानां न प्राज्ञायत किंचन ॥

dhārāṇāṃ ca nipātena vāyorviṣphūrjitena ca | garjitena ca meghānāṃ na prājñāyata kiṃcana

With the downpour of the streams, the roaring of the wind and the thunder of the clouds, nothing could be made out.

Note on the text: मेघानां for the critical edition's daityānāṃ is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 7 (3.173.7)

धारा दिवि च संबद्धा वसुधायां च सर्वशः । व्यामोहयन्त मां तत्र निपतन्त्योऽनिशं भुवि ॥

dhārā divi ca saṃbaddhā vasudhāyāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ | vyāmohayanta māṃ tatra nipatantyo'niśaṃ bhuvi

The streams, joined from sky to earth on every side and falling ceaselessly on the ground, bewildered me there.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (तत्रनिपतन्त्यो → तत्र निपतन्त्यो).

Verse 8 (3.173.8)

तत्रोपदिष्टमिन्द्रेण दिव्यमस्त्रं विशोषणम् । दीप्तं प्राहिणवं घोरमशुष्यत्तेन तज्जलम् ॥

tatropadiṣṭamindreṇa divyamastraṃ viśoṣaṇam | dīptaṃ prāhiṇavaṃ ghoramaśuṣyattena tajjalam

Then I loosed the blazing and terrible celestial weapon of drying that Indra had taught me, and by it the water dried up.

Note on the text: Corrected अशुप्यत् → अशुष्यत् (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष, the critical edition reads aśuṣyat).

Verse 9 (3.173.9)

हतेऽश्मवर्षे च मया जलवर्षे च शोषिते । मुमुचुर्दानवा मायामग्निं वायुं च भारत ॥

hate'śmavarṣe ca mayā jalavarṣe ca śoṣite | mumucurdānavā māyāmagniṃ vāyuṃ ca bhārata

When I had destroyed the rain of stones and dried up the rain of water, the danavas let loose their sorcery of fire and wind, O Bharata.

Note on the text: भारत for the critical edition's mānada is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 10 (3.173.10)

ततोऽहमग्निं व्यधमं सलिलास्त्रेण सर्वशः । शैलेन च महास्त्रेण वायोर्वेगमधारयम् ॥

tato'hamagniṃ vyadhamaṃ salilāstreṇa sarvaśaḥ | śailena ca mahāstreṇa vāyorvegamadhārayam

Then I quenched the fire entirely with the water weapon, and checked the force of the wind with the great mountain weapon.

Note on the text: Corrected वायोरवेगम् → वायोर्वेगम् (misprint in Wikisource; stray vowel in the conjunct, the critical edition reads vāyor vegam).

Verse 11 (3.173.11)

तस्यां प्रतिहतायां ते दानवा युद्धदुर्मदाः । प्राकुर्वन्विविधां मायां यौगपद्येन भारत ॥

tasyāṃ pratihatāyāṃ te dānavā yuddhadurmadāḥ | prākurvanvividhāṃ māyāṃ yaugapadyena bhārata

When that was repelled, the danavas, mad for battle, worked many kinds of sorcery all at once, O Bharata.

Verse 12 (3.173.12)

ततो वर्षं प्रादुरभूत्सुमहद्रोमहर्षणम् । अस्त्राणां घोररूपाणामग्नेर्वायोस्तथाऽश्मनाम् ॥

tato varṣaṃ prādurabhūtsumahadromaharṣaṇam | astrāṇāṃ ghorarūpāṇāmagnervāyostathā'śmanām

Then a vast and hair-raising shower broke out, of dreadful weapons, of fire, of wind and of stones.

Verse 13 (3.173.13)

सा तु मायामयी वृष्टिः पीडयामास मां युधि । अथ घोरं तमस्तीव्रं प्रादुरासीत्समन्ततः ॥

sā tu māyāmayī vṛṣṭiḥ pīḍayāmāsa māṃ yudhi | atha ghoraṃ tamastīvraṃ prādurāsītsamantataḥ

That shower of sorcery pressed me hard in the battle, and then a dreadful, dense darkness spread on every side.

Verse 14 (3.173.14)

तमसा संवृते लोके घोरेण परुषेण च । हरयो विमुखाश्चासन्प्रास्खलच्चापि मातलिः ॥

tamasā saṃvṛte loke ghoreṇa paruṣeṇa ca | harayo vimukhāścāsanprāskhalaccāpi mātaliḥ

When the world was wrapped in that dreadful, harsh darkness, the horses shied away, and Matali too stumbled.

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (संवृतेलोके → संवृते लोके).

Verse 15 (3.173.15)

हस्ताद्धिरण्मयश्चास्य प्रतोदः प्रापतद्भुवि । असकृच्चाह मां भीतः किं करिष्याव इत्यपि ॥

hastāddhiraṇmayaścāsya pratodaḥ prāpatadbhuvi | asakṛccāha māṃ bhītaḥ kiṃ kariṣyāva ityapi

The golden goad fell from his hand to the ground, and again and again, in fear, he said to me, "What are we to do?"

Note on the text: The second half of the second line (किं करिष्याव इत्यपि) differs from the critical edition's kvāsīti bharatarṣabha; a recension variant, kept.

Verse 16 (3.173.16)

मां च भीराविशत्तीव्रा तस्मिन्विगतचेतसि । स च मां विगतज्ञानः संत्रस्तमिदमब्रवीत् ॥

māṃ ca bhīrāviśattīvrā tasminvigatacetasi | sa ca māṃ vigatajñānaḥ saṃtrastamidamabravīt

And a sharp fear entered me when he lost his presence of mind; and he, bewildered, said this to me in my terror:

Verse 17 (3.173.17)

सुराणामसुराणां च संग्रामः सुमहानभूत् । अमृतार्थं पुरा पार्थ स च दृष्टो मयाऽनघ ॥

surāṇāmasurāṇāṃ ca saṃgrāmaḥ sumahānabhūt | amṛtārthaṃ purā pārtha sa ca dṛṣṭo mayā'nagha

Long ago, Partha, there was a great war between the gods and the asuras for the sake of the nectar of immortality, and I saw it, O sinless one.

Note on the text: Corrected पार्त → पार्थ (misprint in Wikisource; त for थ, the critical edition reads pārtha). Speaker set to मातलि: verses 17–21 are Matali's own words, quoted within Arjuna's account, with no printed heading.

Verse 18 (3.173.18)

शम्बरस्य वधे घोरः संग्रामः सुमहानभूत् । सारथ्यं देवराजस्य तत्रापि कृतवानहम् ॥

śambarasya vadhe ghoraḥ saṃgrāmaḥ sumahānabhūt | sārathyaṃ devarājasya tatrāpi kṛtavānaham

At the slaying of Shambara there was a terrible and mighty war; there too I served as charioteer to the king of the gods.

Note on the text: Speaker set to मातलि: verses 17–21 are Matali's own words, quoted within Arjuna's account, with no printed heading.

Verse 19 (3.173.19)

तथैव वृत्रस्य वधे संगृहीता हया मया । वैरोचनेर्मया युद्धं दृष्टं चापि सुदारुणम् ॥

tathaiva vṛtrasya vadhe saṃgṛhītā hayā mayā | vairocanermayā yuddhaṃ dṛṣṭaṃ cāpi sudāruṇam

So too at the slaying of Vritra it was I who held the horses' reins, and I also saw the dreadful battle with Virochana's son.

Note on the text: Speaker set to मातलि: verses 17–21 are Matali's own words, quoted within Arjuna's account, with no printed heading.

Verse 20 (3.173.20)

एते मया महाघोराः संग्रामाः पर्युपासिताः । न चापि विगतज्ञानो भूतपूर्वोस्मि पाण्डव ॥

ete mayā mahāghorāḥ saṃgrāmāḥ paryupāsitāḥ | na cāpi vigatajñāno bhūtapūrvosmi pāṇḍava

I have attended all these most terrible battles, yet never before have I lost my senses, O Pandava.

Note on the text: Corrected महाघोरः → महाघोराः (misprint in Wikisource; short vowel breaks the agreement with संग्रामाः, the critical edition reads mahāghorāḥ). Speaker set to मातलि: verses 17–21 are Matali's own words, quoted within Arjuna's account, with no printed heading.

Verse 21 (3.173.21)

पितामहेन संहारः प्रजानां विहितो ध्रुवम् । न हि युद्धमिदं युक्तमन्यत्र जगतः क्षयात् ॥

pitāmahena saṃhāraḥ prajānāṃ vihito dhruvam | na hi yuddhamidaṃ yuktamanyatra jagataḥ kṣayāt

Surely the Grandsire has ordained the destruction of all creatures, for such a battle is not fitting except at the end of the world.

Note on the text: Speaker set to मातलि: verses 17–21 are Matali's own words, quoted within Arjuna's account, with no printed heading.

Verse 22 (3.173.22)

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना । मोहयिष्यन्दानवानामहं मायाबलं महत् ॥

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā saṃstabhyātmānamātmanā | mohayiṣyandānavānāmahaṃ māyābalaṃ mahat

Hearing his words, I steadied myself by my own strength, and, intending to confound the danavas' great power of sorcery,

Note on the text: मायाबलं महत् for the critical edition's māyāmayaṃ balam is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 23 (3.173.23)

अब्रुवं मातलिं भीतं पश्य मे भुजयोर्बलम् । अस्त्राणां च प्रभावं वै धनुषो गाण्डिवस्य च ॥

abruvaṃ mātaliṃ bhītaṃ paśya me bhujayorbalam | astrāṇāṃ ca prabhāvaṃ vai dhanuṣo gāṇḍivasya ca

I said to the frightened Matali: "See the strength of my arms, and the power of my weapons and of the bow Gandiva.

Note on the text: Corrected बुजयोः → भुजयोः (misprint in Wikisource; ब for भ, the critical edition reads bhujayor).

Verse 24 (3.173.24)

अद्यास्त्रमाययैतेषां मायामेतां सुदारुणाम् । विनिहन्मि तमश्चोग्रं मा भैः सूत स्थिरो भव ॥

adyāstramāyayaiteṣāṃ māyāmetāṃ sudāruṇām | vinihanmi tamaścograṃ mā bhaiḥ sūta sthiro bhava

Today, by the magic of my weapons, I will destroy this most dreadful sorcery of theirs and this fierce darkness. Do not be afraid, charioteer; stand firm."

Note on the text: Corrected अद्यास्त्रमाययैतैषां → अद्यास्त्रमाययैतेषां (misprint in Wikisource; ै for े, the critical edition reads adyāstramāyayaiteṣāṃ) and स्तिरो → स्थिरो (misprint; त for थ, the critical edition reads sthiro).

Verse 25 (3.173.25)

एवमुक्त्वाहमसृजमस्त्रमायां नराधिप । मोहनीं सर्वभूतानां हिताय त्रिदिवौकसाम् ॥

evamuktvāhamasṛjamastramāyāṃ narādhipa | mohanīṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ hitāya tridivaukasām

Having said this, O lord of men, I released, for the good of the dwellers of heaven, a weapon-illusion that bewilders all beings.

Note on the text: सर्वभूतानां for the critical edition's sarvaśatrūṇāṃ is a recension variant and is kept.

Verse 26 (3.173.26)

पीड्यमानासु मायासु तासु तास्वसुरोत्तमाः । पुनर्बहुविधा मायाः प्राकुर्वन्नमितौजसः ॥

pīḍyamānāsu māyāsu tāsu tāsvasurottamāḥ | punarbahuvidhā māyāḥ prākurvannamitaujasaḥ

As each of those illusions was destroyed, the foremost of the asuras, of boundless might, again worked many kinds of sorcery.

Verse 27 (3.173.27)

पुनः प्रकाशमभवत्तमसा ग्रस्यते पुनः । भवत्यदर्शनो लोकः पुनरप्सु निमज्जति ॥

punaḥ prakāśamabhavattamasā grasyate punaḥ | bhavatyadarśano lokaḥ punarapsu nimajjati

Now there was light, now it was swallowed again by darkness; the world vanished from sight, and again it sank beneath the waters.

Verse 28 (3.173.28)

सुसंगृहीतैर्हरिभिः प्रकाशे सति मातलिः । व्यचरत्स्यन्दनाग्र्येण संग्रामे रोमहर्षणे ॥

susaṃgṛhītairharibhiḥ prakāśe sati mātaliḥ | vyacaratsyandanāgryeṇa saṃgrāme romaharṣaṇe

When there was light, Matali, holding the bay horses well in hand, ranged with that finest of chariots through the hair-raising battle.

Verse 29 (3.173.29)

ततः पर्यपतन्नुग्रा निवातकवचा मयि । तानहं विवरं दृष्ट्वा प्राहिण्वं यमसादनम् ॥

tataḥ paryapatannugrā nivātakavacā mayi | tānahaṃ vivaraṃ dṛṣṭvā prāhiṇvaṃ yamasādanam

Then the fierce Nivatakavachas fell upon me, and, seeing my opening, I sent them to the abode of Yama.

Note on the text: Corrected प्राहण्वं → प्राहिण्वं (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign, the critical edition reads prāhiṇvaṃ).

Verse 30 (3.173.30)

वर्तमाने तथा युद्धे निवातकवचान्तके । नापश्यं सहसा सर्वान्दानवान्मायया वृतान् ॥

vartamāne tathā yuddhe nivātakavacāntake | nāpaśyaṃ sahasā sarvāndānavānmāyayā vṛtān

While that battle, the doom of the Nivatakavachas, was raging thus, suddenly I could not see any of the danavas, hidden as they were by sorcery.

Note on the text: Wikisource prints no closing colophon after this verse; the critical edition's adhyaya (3.168) also ends here, so nothing is lost.