Narada Shows Matali the Realm of Varuna

Verse 1 (5.98.1)

मातलिस्तु व्रजन्मार्गे नारदेन महर्षिणा । वरुणं गच्छता द्रष्टुं समागच्छद्यदृच्छया ॥

mātalistu vrajanmārge nāradena maharṣiṇā | varuṇaṃ gacchatā draṣṭuṃ samāgacchadyadṛcchayā

As Matali went on his way, he chanced to meet the great seer Narada, who was going to see Varuna.

Verse 2 (5.98.2)

नारदोऽथाब्रवीदेनं क्व भवान्गन्तुमुद्यतः । स्वेन वा सूत कार्येण शासनाद्वा शतक्रतोः ॥

nārado'thābravīdenaṃ kva bhavāngantumudyataḥ | svena vā sūta kāryeṇa śāsanādvā śatakratoḥ

Narada said to him, 'Where are you setting out for, charioteer? On your own business, or at the command of Indra of the hundred sacrifices?'

Note on the text: Corrected स्येन → स्वेन (misprint in Wikisource; य for व, critical edition svena).

Verse 3 (5.98.3)

मातलिर्नारदेनैवं संपृष्टः पथि गच्छता । यथावत्सर्वमाचष्ट स्वकार्यं नारदं प्रति ॥

mātalirnāradenaivaṃ saṃpṛṣṭaḥ pathi gacchatā | yathāvatsarvamācaṣṭa svakāryaṃ nāradaṃ prati

Asked thus by Narada as they went along the road, Matali told Narada the whole of his errand, just as it was.

Verse 4 (5.98.4)

तमुवाचाथ स मुनिर्गच्छावः सहिताविति । सलिलेशदिदृक्षार्थमहमप्युद्यतो दिवः ॥

tamuvācātha sa munirgacchāvaḥ sahitāviti | salileśadidṛkṣārthamahamapyudyato divaḥ

Then the sage said to him, 'Let us go together. I too have set out from heaven, wishing to see the lord of the waters.'

Verse 5 (5.98.5)

अहं ते सर्वमाख्यास्ये दर्शयन्वसुधातलम् । दृष्ट्वा तत्र वरं कंचिद्रोचयिष्याव मातले ॥

ahaṃ te sarvamākhyāsye darśayanvasudhātalam | dṛṣṭvā tatra varaṃ kaṃcidrocayiṣyāva mātale

I will tell you everything as I show you the regions below the earth. When we have seen some groom there, Matali, we shall make our choice.

Note on the text: Narada's words to Matali; Wikisource prints no heading.

Verse 6 (5.98.6)

अवगाह्य तु तौ भूमिमुभौ मातलिनारदौ । ददृशाते महात्मानौ लोकपालमपां पतिम् ॥

avagāhya tu tau bhūmimubhau mātalināradau | dadṛśāte mahātmānau lokapālamapāṃ patim

So the two great souls, Matali and Narada, went down into the earth and saw the lord of the waters, guardian of the world.

Verse 7 (5.98.7)

तत्र देवर्षिसदृशीं पूजां स प्राप नारदः । महेन्द्रसदृशीं चैव मातलिः प्रत्यपद्यत ॥

tatra devarṣisadṛśīṃ pūjāṃ sa prāpa nāradaḥ | mahendrasadṛśīṃ caiva mātaliḥ pratyapadyata

There Narada received worship fit for a divine seer, and Matali was welcomed as great Indra himself would be.

Verse 8 (5.98.8)

तावुभौ प्रीतमनसौ कार्यवन्तौ निवेद्य ह । वरुणेनाभ्यनुज्ञातौ नागलोकं विचेरतुः ॥

tāvubhau prītamanasau kāryavantau nivedya ha | varuṇenābhyanujñātau nāgalokaṃ viceratuḥ

Glad at heart, the two made known their business, and with Varuna's leave they wandered through the world of the Nagas.

Note on the text: Corrected ग्रीतमनसौ → प्रीतमनसौ (misprint in Wikisource; ग for प, critical edition prītamanasau).

Verse 9 (5.98.9)

नारदः सर्वभूतानामन्तर्भूमिनिवासिनाम् । जानंश्चकार व्याख्यानं यन्तुः सर्वमशेषतः ॥

nāradaḥ sarvabhūtānāmantarbhūminivāsinām | jānaṃścakāra vyākhyānaṃ yantuḥ sarvamaśeṣataḥ

Narada, who knew all the beings that dwell beneath the earth, explained everything in full to the charioteer.

Verse 10 (5.98.10)

दृष्टस्ते वरुणः सूत पुत्रपौत्रसमावृतः । पश्योदकपतेः स्थानं सर्वतोभद्रमृद्धिमत् ॥

dṛṣṭaste varuṇaḥ sūta putrapautrasamāvṛtaḥ | paśyodakapateḥ sthānaṃ sarvatobhadramṛddhimat

You have seen Varuna, charioteer, surrounded by his sons and grandsons. Now look at the dwelling of the lord of the waters, rich and auspicious on every side.

Verse 11 (5.98.11)

एष पुत्रो महाप्रज्ञो वरुणस्येह गोपतेः । एष वै शीलवृत्तेन शौचेन च विशिष्यते ॥

eṣa putro mahāprajño varuṇasyeha gopateḥ | eṣa vai śīlavṛttena śaucena ca viśiṣyate

This is a son of Varuna, lord of the waters, here — a son of great wisdom; he excels in conduct and character and in purity.

Verse 12 (5.98.12)

एषोऽस्य पुत्रोऽभिमतः पुष्करः पुष्करेक्षणः । रूपवान्दर्शनीयश्च सोमपुत्र्या वृतः पतिः ॥

eṣo'sya putro'bhimataḥ puṣkaraḥ puṣkarekṣaṇaḥ | rūpavāndarśanīyaśca somaputryā vṛtaḥ patiḥ

This is his beloved son Pushkara, lotus-eyed, handsome and fair to look upon, whom Soma's daughter chose for her husband —

Verse 13 (5.98.13)

ज्योत्स्नाकालीति यामाहुर्द्वितीयां रूपतः श्रियम् । अदित्याश्चैव यः पुत्रो ज्येष्ठः श्रेष्ठः कृतः स्मृतः ॥

jyotsnākālīti yāmāhurdvitīyāṃ rūpataḥ śriyam | adityāścaiva yaḥ putro jyeṣṭhaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ kṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ

she whom they call Jyotsnakali, a second Shri in beauty. And the eldest and best son of Aditi is known as Krita.

Verse 14 (5.98.14)

भवनं पश्य वारुण्यं यदेतत्सर्वकाञ्चनम् । यत्प्राप्य सुरतां प्राप्ताः सुराः सुरपतेः सखे ॥

bhavanaṃ paśya vāruṇyaṃ yadetatsarvakāñcanam | yatprāpya suratāṃ prāptāḥ surāḥ surapateḥ sakhe

See this house of Varuni, all of gold, friend of the lord of the gods; by gaining her the gods came to be called suras.

Verse 15 (5.98.15)

एतानि हृतराज्यानां दैतेयानां स्म मातले । दीप्यमानानि दृश्यन्ते सर्वप्रहरणान्युत ॥

etāni hṛtarājyānāṃ daiteyānāṃ sma mātale | dīpyamānāni dṛśyante sarvapraharaṇānyuta

These, Matali, are the weapons of every kind belonging to the Daityas who lost their kingdoms; you can see them shining here.

Verse 16 (5.98.16)

अक्षयाणि किलैतानि विवर्तन्ते स्म मातले । अनुभावप्रयुक्तानि सुरैरवजितानि ह ॥

akṣayāṇi kilaitāni vivartante sma mātale | anubhāvaprayuktāni surairavajitāni ha

They are imperishable, it is said, and they come back again and again, Matali; driven by mighty power, they were won by the gods.

Verse 17 (5.98.17)

अत्र राक्षसजात्यश्च दैत्यजात्यश्च मातले । दिव्यप्रहरणाश्चासन्पूर्वदैवतनिर्मिताः ॥

atra rākṣasajātyaśca daityajātyaśca mātale | divyapraharaṇāścāsanpūrvadaivatanirmitāḥ

Here, Matali, lived beings of Rakshasa and of Daitya race, armed with celestial weapons fashioned by the gods of old.

Verse 18 (5.98.18)

अग्निरेष महार्चिष्माञ्जागर्ति वारुणे ह्रदे । वैष्णवं चक्रमाविद्धं विधूमेन हविष्मता ॥

agnireṣa mahārciṣmāñjāgarti vāruṇe hrade | vaiṣṇavaṃ cakramāviddhaṃ vidhūmena haviṣmatā

This fire of great flames keeps watch in Varuna's lake; smokeless and fed with oblations, it holds even Vishnu's discus in check.

Verse 19 (5.98.19)

एष गाण्डीमयश्चापो लोकसंहारसंभृतः । रक्ष्यते दैवतैर्नित्यं यतस्तद्गाण्डिवं धनुः ॥

eṣa gāṇḍīmayaścāpo lokasaṃhārasaṃbhṛtaḥ | rakṣyate daivatairnityaṃ yatastadgāṇḍivaṃ dhanuḥ

This is the bow made of gandi, gathered for the destruction of the worlds; the gods guard it always, and from it came the bow Gandiva.

Verse 20 (5.98.20)

एष कृत्ये समुत्पन्ने तत्तद्धारयते बलम् । सहस्रशतसङ्ख्येन प्राणेन सततं ध्रुवः ॥

eṣa kṛtye samutpanne tattaddhārayate balam | sahasraśatasaṅkhyena prāṇena satataṃ dhruvaḥ

When there is work to be done, it takes on whatever strength is needed, with the force of a hundred thousand lives, ever unfailing.

Verse 21 (5.98.21)

अशास्यानपि शास्त्येष रक्षोबन्धुषु राजसु । सृष्टः प्रथमतश्चण्डो ब्रह्मणा ब्रह्मवादिना ॥

aśāsyānapi śāstyeṣa rakṣobandhuṣu rājasu | sṛṣṭaḥ prathamataścaṇḍo brahmaṇā brahmavādinā

It chastises even those beyond chastisement, among kings who are kin to Rakshasas. Brahma, the speaker of the Veda, created it first of all, fierce as it is.

Verse 22 (5.98.22)

एतच्छस्त्रं नरेन्द्राणां महच्चक्रेण भासितम् । पुत्राः सलिलराजस्य धारयन्ति महोदयम् ॥

etacchastraṃ narendrāṇāṃ mahaccakreṇa bhāsitam | putrāḥ salilarājasya dhārayanti mahodayam

This great weapon of kings shines brighter even than the discus. The sons of the lord of the waters bear it, and it brings great fortune.

Note on the text: Corrected महच्चक्रे → महच्चक्रेण (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara ण, leaving the line a syllable short; Wikisource's own commentary glosses चक्रेण, and the critical edition has mahac chakreṇa). Wikisource's शस्त्रं and भासितम् (CE chatraṃ, bhāṣitam) are kept.

Verse 23 (5.98.23)

एतत्सलिलराजस्य छत्रं छत्रगृहे स्थितम् । सर्वतः सलिलं शीतं जीमूत इव वर्षति ॥

etatsalilarājasya chatraṃ chatragṛhe sthitam | sarvataḥ salilaṃ śītaṃ jīmūta iva varṣati

This is the parasol of the lord of the waters, kept in the parasol-house; like a cloud, it rains cool water on every side.

Verse 24 (5.98.24)

एतच्छत्रात्परिभ्रष्टं सलिलं सोमनिर्मलम् । तमसा मूर्छितं भाति येन नार्छति दर्शनम् ॥

etacchatrātparibhraṣṭaṃ salilaṃ somanirmalam | tamasā mūrchitaṃ bhāti yena nārchati darśanam

The water that falls from this parasol, pure as the moon, shines veiled in darkness, so that no one can see it.

Verse 25 (5.98.25)

बहून्यद्भुतरूपाणि द्रष्टव्यानीह मातले । तव कार्योपरोधस्तु तस्माद्गच्छाव मा चिरम् ॥

bahūnyadbhutarūpāṇi draṣṭavyānīha mātale | tava kāryoparodhastu tasmādgacchāva mā ciram

There are many wondrous things to be seen here, Matali, but your errand would suffer for it; so let us go on without delay.