Vana Parva, Mahabharata/Book III Chapter 167
Mahabharata Book III Chapter 167: English
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
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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."
Mahabharata Book III Chapter 167: Sanskrit
1 [अर्ज] ततॊ निवातकवचाः सर्वे वेगेन भारत अभ्यथ्रवन मां सहिताः परगृहीतायुधा रणे 2 आच्छिथ्य रदपन्दानम उत्क्रॊशन्तॊ महारदाः आवृत्य सर्वतस ते मां शरवर्षैर अवाकिरन 3 ततॊ ऽपरे महावीर्याः शूलपट्टिशपाणयः शूलानि च भुशुण्डीश च मुमुचुर थानवा मयि 4 तच छूलवर्षं सुमहथ गथा शक्तिसमाकुलम अनिशं सृज्यमानं तैर अपतन मथ रदॊपरि 5 अन्ये माम अभ्यधावन्त निवातकवचा युधि शितशस्त्रायुधा रौथ्राः कालरूपाः परहारिणः 6 तान अहं विविधैर बाणैर वेगबथ्भिर अजिह्मगैः गाण्डीवमुक्तैर अभ्यघ्नम एकैकं थशभिर मृधे ते कृता विमिखाः सर्वे मत परयुक्तैः शिलाशितैः 7 ततॊ मातलिना तूर्णं हयास ते संप्रचॊथिताः रदमार्गाथ बहूंस तत्र विचेरुर वातरंहसः सुसंयता मातलिना परामद्नन्त थितेः सुतान 8 शतं शतास ते हरयस तस्मिन युक्ता महारदे तथा मातलिना यत्ता वयचरन्न अल्पका इव 9 तेषां चरणपातेन रदनेमि सवनेन च मम बाणनिपातैश च हतास ते शतशॊ ऽसुराः 10 गतासवस तदा चान्ये परगृहीतशरासनाः हतसारदयस तत्र वयकृष्यन्त तुरंगमैः 11 ते थिषॊ विथिशः सर्वाः परतिरुध्य परहारिणः निघ्नन्ति विविधैः शस्त्रैस ततॊ मे वयदितं मनः 12 ततॊ ऽहं मातलेर वीर्यम अपश्यं परमाथ्भुतम अश्वांस तदा वेगवतॊ यथ अयत्नाथ अधारयत 13 ततॊ ऽहं लघुभिश चित्रैर अस्त्रैस तान असुरान रणे सायुधान अछिनं राजञ शतशॊ ऽद सहस्रशः 14 एवं मे चरतस तत्र सर्वयत्नेन शत्रुहन परीतिमान अभवथ वीरॊ मातलिः शक्रसारदिः 15 वध्यमानास ततस ते तु हयैस तेन रदेन च अगमन परक्षयं के चिन नयवर्तन्त तदापरे 16 सपर्धमाना इवास्माभिर निवातकवचा रणे शरवर्षैर महथ्भिर मां समन्तात परत्यवारयन 17 ततॊ ऽहं लघुभिश चैत्रैर बरह्मास्त्र परिमन्त्रितैः वयधमं सायकैर आशु शतशॊ ऽद सहस्रशः 18 ततः संपीड्यमानास ते करॊधाविष्टा महासुराः अपीडयन मां सहिताः शरशूलासि वृष्टिभिः 19 ततॊ ऽहम अस्त्रम आतिष्ठं परमं तिग्मतेजसम थयितं थेवराजस्य माधवं नाम भारत 20 ततः खड्गांस तरिशूलांश च तॊमरांश च सहस्रशः अस्त्रवीर्येण शतधा तैर मुक्तान अहम अच्छिनम 21 छित्त्वा परहरणान्य एषां ततस तान अपि सर्वशः परत्यविध्यम अहं रॊषाथ थशभिर थशभिः शरैः 22 गाण्डीवाथ धि तथा संख्ये यदा भरमरपङ्क्तयः निष्पतन्ति तदा बाणास तन मातलिर अपूजयत 23 तेषाम अपि तु बाणास ते बहुत्वाच छलभा इव अवाकिरन मां बलवत तान अहं वयधमं शरैः 24 वध्यमानास ततस ते तु निवातकवचाः पुनः शरवर्षैर महथ्भिर मां समन्तात पर्यवारयन 25 शरवेगान निहत्याहम अस्त्रैः शरविघातिभिः जवलथ्भिः परमैः शीघ्रैस तान अविध्यं सहस्रशः 26 तेषां छिन्नानि गात्राणि विसृजन्ति सम शॊणितम परावृषीवातिवृष्टानि शृङ्गाणीव धरा भृताम 27 इन्थ्राशनिसमस्पर्शैर वेगवथ्भिर अजिह्मगैः मथ्बाणैर वध्यमानास ते समुथ्विग्नाः सम थानवाः 28 शतधा भिन्नथेहान्त्राः कषीणप्रहरणौजसः ततॊ निवातकवचा माम अयुध्यन्त मायया
Mahabharata Book III Chapter 167: Roman
1 [arj] tato nivātakavacāḥ sarve vegena bhārata abhyadravan māṃ sahitāḥ pragṛhītāyudhā raṇe 2 ācchidya rathapanthānam utkrośanto mahārathāḥ āvṛtya sarvatas te māṃ śaravarṣair avākiran 3 tato 'pare mahāvīryāḥ śūlapaṭṭiśapāṇayaḥ śūlāni ca bhuśuṇḍīś ca mumucur dānavā mayi 4 tac chūlavarṣaṃ sumahad gadā śaktisamākulam aniśaṃ sṛjyamānaṃ tair apatan mad rathopari 5 anye mām abhyadhāvanta nivātakavacā yudhi śitaśastrāyudhā raudrāḥ kālarūpāḥ prahāriṇaḥ 6 tān ahaṃ vividhair bāṇair vegabadbhir ajihmagaiḥ gāṇḍīvamuktair abhyaghnam ekaikaṃ daśabhir mṛdhe te kṛtā vimikhāḥ sarve mat prayuktaiḥ śilāśitaiḥ 7 tato mātalinā tūrṇaṃ hayās te saṃpracoditāḥ rathamārgād bahūṃs tatra vicerur vātaraṃhasaḥ susaṃyatā mātalinā prāmathnanta diteḥ sutān 8 śataṃ śatās te harayas tasmin yuktā mahārathe tadā mātalinā yattā vyacarann alpakā iva 9 teṣāṃ caraṇapātena rathanemi svanena ca mama bāṇanipātaiś ca hatās te śataśo 'surāḥ 10 gatāsavas tathā cānye pragṛhītaśarāsanāḥ hatasārathayas tatra vyakṛṣyanta turaṃgamaiḥ 11 te diṣo vidiśaḥ sarvāḥ pratirudhya prahāriṇaḥ nighnanti vividhaiḥ śastrais tato me vyathitaṃ manaḥ 12 tato 'haṃ mātaler vīryam apaśyaṃ paramādbhutam aśvāṃs tathā vegavato yad ayatnād adhārayat 13 tato 'haṃ laghubhiś citrair astrais tān asurān raṇe sāyudhān achinaṃ rājañ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ 14 evaṃ me caratas tatra sarvayatnena śatruhan prītimān abhavad vīro mātaliḥ śakrasārathiḥ 15 vadhyamānās tatas te tu hayais tena rathena ca agaman prakṣayaṃ ke cin nyavartanta tathāpare 16 spardhamānā ivāsmābhir nivātakavacā raṇe śaravarṣair mahadbhir māṃ samantāt pratyavārayan 17 tato 'haṃ laghubhiś caitrair brahmāstra parimantritaiḥ vyadhamaṃ sāyakair āśu śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ 18 tataḥ saṃpīḍyamānās te krodhāviṣṭā mahāsurāḥ apīḍayan māṃ sahitāḥ śaraśūlāsi vṛṣṭibhiḥ 19 tato 'ham astram ātiṣṭhaṃ paramaṃ tigmatejasam dayitaṃ devarājasya mādhavaṃ nāma bhārata 20 tataḥ khaḍgāṃs triśūlāṃś ca tomarāṃś ca sahasraśaḥ astravīryeṇa śatadhā tair muktān aham acchinam 21 chittvā praharaṇāny eṣāṃ tatas tān api sarvaśaḥ pratyavidhyam ahaṃ roṣād daśabhir daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ 22 gāṇḍīvād dhi tadā saṃkhye yathā bhramarapaṅktayaḥ niṣpatanti tathā bāṇās tan mātalir apūjayat 23 teṣām api tu bāṇās te bahutvāc chalabhā iva avākiran māṃ balavat tān ahaṃ vyadhamaṃ śaraiḥ 24 vadhyamānās tatas te tu nivātakavacāḥ punaḥ śaravarṣair mahadbhir māṃ samantāt paryavārayan 25 śaravegān nihatyāham astraiḥ śaravighātibhiḥ jvaladbhiḥ paramaiḥ śīghrais tān avidhyaṃ sahasraśaḥ 26 teṣāṃ chinnāni gātrāṇi visṛjanti sma śoṇitam prāvṛṣīvātivṛṣṭāni śṛṅgāṇīva dharā bhṛtām 27 indrāśanisamasparśair vegavadbhir ajihmagaiḥ madbāṇair vadhyamānās te samudvignāḥ sma dānavāḥ 28 śatadhā bhinnadehāntrāḥ kṣīṇapraharaṇaujasaḥ tato nivātakavacā mām ayudhyanta māyayā