03.043
Pancharatra: Matali takes Arjuna towards Amaravati, the capital of Indra.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
gateṣu lokapāleṣu pārthaḥ śatrunibarhaṇaḥ। cintayāmāsa rājendra devarājarathāgamam ॥3-43-1॥
When the guardians of the worlds had left, Pārtha, the destroyer of enemies, pondered, O king, about the arrival of the chariot of the king of the gods (Indra). (3-43-1)
tataś cintayamānasya guḍākeśasya dhīmataḥ। ratho mātalisaṃyukta ājagāma mahāprabhaḥ ॥3-43-2॥
Then, as the wise Guḍākeśa was reflecting, the magnificent chariot, with Mātali as its charioteer, arrived. (3-43-2)
nabho vitimiraṃ kurvañ jaladān pāṭayann iva। diśaḥ sampūrayann ādair mahāmegharavopamaiḥ ॥3-43-3॥
He made the sky free from darkness, as if tearing apart the clouds, and filled all directions with sounds like the roar of great clouds. (3-43-3)
asayaḥ śaktayo bhīmā gadāś cogra-pradarśanāḥ। divya-prabhāvāḥ prāsāś ca vidyutaś ca mahā-prabhāḥ ॥3-43-4॥
There were swords, spears, terrible maces of fierce appearance, weapons of divine power, javelins, and lightnings, all of great radiance. (3-43-4)
tathaivāśanayastatra cakrayuktā huḍāguḍāḥ। vāyusphoṭāḥ sanirghātā barhimeghanibhasvanāḥ ॥3-43-5॥
Likewise, there were thunderbolts equipped with wheels, rumbling; blasts of wind with thunderclaps, sounding like mighty clouds. (3-43-5)
tatra nāgā mahākāyā jvalitāsyāḥ sudāruṇāḥ। sitābhra-kūṭa-pratimāḥ saṃhatāś ca yathopalāḥ ॥3-43-6॥
There, serpents of great size with blazing mouths, very fierce, clustered together like peaks of white clouds and like stones. (3-43-6)
daśa vāji-sahasrāṇi harīṇāṃ vāta-raṃhasām। vahanti yaṃ netram-uṣam divyaṃ māyā-mayaṃ ratham ॥3-43-7॥
Ten thousand horses of wind-speed steeds draw that eye-removing, divine, magical chariot. (3-43-7)
tatrāpaśyan mahānīlaṃ vaijayantaṃ mahāprabham। dhvajam indīvaraśyāmaṃ vaṃśaṃ kanakabhūṣaṇam ॥3-43-8॥
There he saw the great dark-blue Vaijayanta, a very radiant banner, with a pole dark as a blue lotus and adorned with gold. (3-43-8)
tasmin rathe sthitaṃ sūtaṃ tapta-hemavibhūṣitam। dṛṣṭvā pārtho mahābāhur devam eva anvatarkayat ॥3-43-9॥
Seeing the charioteer standing in that chariot, adorned with refined gold, Pārtha, the mighty-armed, inferred that he was indeed a god. (3-43-9)
tathā tarkayatastasya phalgunasya atha mātaliḥ। saṁnataḥ praśrito bhūtvā vākyam arjunam abravīt ॥3-43-10॥
Thus, while Phalguna was reasoning, then Mātali, having become bowed and respectful, spoke words to Arjuna. (3-43-10)
bho bho śakrātmaja śrīmāñśakras tvāṃ draṣṭum icchati। ārohatū bhavāñ śīghraṃ ratham indrasya saṃmatam ॥3-43-11॥
O son of Śakra, Śakra, who is prosperous, wishes to see you. Please quickly ascend Indra's approved chariot. (3-43-11)
āha mām amaraśreṣṭhaḥ pitā tava śatakratuḥ। kuntīsutam iha prāptam paśyantu tridaśālayāḥ ॥3-43-12॥
The best among immortals, your father Indra, said to me: "Let the residents of the gods' abode see Kunti's son who has arrived here." (3-43-12)
eṣa śakraḥ parivṛto devair ṛṣigaṇais tathā। gandharvair apsarobhiś ca tvāṃ didṛkṣuḥ pratīkṣate ॥3-43-13॥
This Śakra (Indra), surrounded by the gods, sages, Gandharvas, and Apsarases, is waiting here, wishing to see you. (3-43-13)
asmāllokād devalokaṃ pākaśāsanaśāsanāt। āroha tvaṃ mayā sārdhaṃ labdhāstraḥ punareṣyasi ॥3-43-14॥
From this world, ascend to the divine world from the rule of Indra; together with me, having obtained weapons, you will return again. (3-43-14)
arjuna uvāca॥
Arjuna said.
mātale gaccha śīghraṃ tvārohāsva rathottamam। rājasūyāśvamedhānāṃ śatair api sudurlabham ॥3-43-15॥
O Mātali, go quickly and ascend the best chariot, which is very difficult to obtain even by performing hundreds of Rājasūya and Aśvamedha sacrifices. (3-43-15)
pārthivaiḥ sumahābhāgair yajvabhir bhūridakṣiṇaiḥ। daivatair vā samāroḍhuṃ dānavair vā rathottamam ॥3-43-16॥
The best chariot could not be ascended even by kings of great fortune, by sacrificers who give many gifts, by gods, or by demons. (3-43-16)
nātaptatapasā śakya eṣa divyo mahārathaḥ। draṣṭuṃ vāpyatha vā spraṣṭumāroḍhuṃ kuta eva tu ॥3-43-17॥
This divine great chariot cannot be seen, touched, or mounted by anyone whose austerity is not intense; how much less by others. (3-43-17)
tvayi pratiṣṭhite sādho rathasthe sthiravājini। paścād aham athārokṣye sukṛtī satpathaṃ yathā ॥3-43-18॥
O noble one, when you are firmly established on the steady-horsed chariot, then afterwards I, the virtuous one, will mount and proceed on the right path as is proper. (3-43-18)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā mātaliḥ śakrasārathiḥ। āruroha rathaṃ śīghraṃ hayān yeme ca raśmibhiḥ ॥3-43-19॥
Hearing those words, Mātali, the charioteer of Śakra, quickly ascended the chariot, yoked the horses, and fastened them with reins. (3-43-19)
tato'ṛjuno hṛṣṭamanā gaṅgāyāmāplutaḥ śuciḥ। jajāpa japyaṃ kaunteyo vidhivatkurunandanaḥ ॥3-43-20॥
Then Arjuna, his mind delighted, having bathed and purified himself in the Ganga, recited the mantra as prescribed, O son of Kunti, delight of the Kurus. (3-43-20)
tataḥ pitṝn yathā-nyāyam tarpayitvā yathā-vidhi| mandaraṃ śailarājaṃ tam āpraṣṭum upacakrame ॥3-43-21॥
Then, having duly satisfied the ancestors as prescribed, he began to take leave of Mandara, the king of mountains. (3-43-21)
sādhūnāṃ dharmaśīlānāṃ munīnāṃ puṇyakarmaṇām। tvaṃ sadā saṃśrayaḥ śaila svargamārgābhikāṅkṣiṇām ॥3-43-22॥
O mountain, you are always the refuge for the virtuous, the righteous, the sages, and those who perform meritorious deeds, for all who desire the path to heaven. (3-43-22)
tvatprasādātsadā śaila brāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyā viśaḥ। svargaṃ prāptāścaranti sma devaiḥ saha gatavyathāḥ ॥3-43-23॥
By your grace, O mountain, Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, and Vaiśyas have always attained heaven and move about there with the gods, free from suffering. (3-43-23)
adrirāja mahāśaila munisaṃśraya tīrthavan। gacchāmyāmantrayāmi tvāṃ sukhamasmyuṣitastvayi ॥3-43-24॥
O king of mountains, great rock, refuge of sages, and abode of holy places, I now depart, taking leave of you, having dwelt happily with you. (3-43-24)
tava sānūni kuñjāś ca nadyaḥ prasravaṇāni ca. tīrthāni ca supuṇyāni mayā dṛṣṭāny anekaśaḥ ॥3-43-25॥
I have seen your mountain-tops, thickets, rivers, springs, and very holy fords many times. (3-43-25)
evam-uktvā arjunaḥ śailam āmantrya paravīrahā। āruroha rathaṃ divyaṃ dyotayann iva bhāskaraḥ ॥3-43-26॥
Having thus spoken, Arjuna, the destroyer of enemy heroes, addressed the mountain and ascended his divine chariot, shining like the sun. (3-43-26)
sa tenādityarūpeṇa divyenādbhutakarmaṇā। ūrdhvamācakrame dhīmān prahṛṣṭaḥ kurunandanaḥ ॥3-43-27॥
He, assuming that sun-like, divine and wondrous form, joyfully and wisely stepped upwards, O delight of the Kurus. (3-43-27)
so'adarśanapathaṃ yātvā martyānāṃ bhūmicāriṇām। dadarśādbhutarūpāṇi vimānāni sahasraśaḥ ॥3-43-28॥
He traversed the invisible path of mortals who walk the earth and saw thousands of aerial vehicles of marvelous forms. (3-43-28)
na tatra sūryaḥ somo vā dyotate na ca pāvakaḥ। svayaiva prabhayā tatra dyotante puṇyalabdhayā ॥3-43-29॥
There, neither the sun nor the moon nor fire shines; by its own radiance, attained through merit, it shines there. (3-43-29)
tārārūpāṇi yāni iha dṛśyante dyutimanti vai। dīpavat viprakṛṣṭatvāt aṇūni su-mahānti api ॥3-43-30॥
The star-like forms that are seen here, though luminous like lamps, appear minute due to their remoteness, even though they are actually very large. (3-43-30)
tāni tatra prabhāsvanti rūpavanti ca pāṇḍavaḥ। dadarśa sveṣu dhiṣṇyeṣu dīptimanti svayārciṣā ॥3-43-31॥
There, the son of Pāṇḍu saw those shining and beautiful seats, radiant with their own brilliance, in his own places. (3-43-31)
tatra rājarṣayaḥ siddhā vīrāś ca nihatā yudhi. tapasā ca jitasvargāḥ sampetuḥ śatasaṅghaśaḥ ॥3-43-32॥
There, royal sages, perfected beings, heroes, and those slain in battle, as well as those who have conquered heaven through austerity, have gathered there in hundreds of groups. (3-43-32)
gandharvāṇāṃ sahasrāṇi sūryajvalanatejasām। guhyakānām ṛṣīṇāṃ ca tathaivāpsarasāṃ gaṇāḥ ॥3-43-33॥
There were thousands of Gandharvas whose brilliance was like that of the sun and fire; similarly, there were groups of Guhyakas, sages, and Apsarases. (3-43-33)
lokān ātma-prabhān paśyan phalguno vismayānvitaḥ। papraccha mātaliṃ prītyā sa cāpy enam uvāca ha ॥3-43-34॥
Beholding the self-luminous worlds, Arjuna, filled with wonder, affectionately asked Mātali; and he too replied to him. (3-43-34)
ete sukṛtinaḥ pārtha sveṣu dhiṣṇyeṣv avasthitāḥ। yān dṛṣṭavān asi vibho tārārūpāṇi bhūtale ॥3-43-35॥
O Pārtha, these virtuous ones are established in their own seats; the star-like forms you have seen on the earth, O mighty one, are them. (3-43-35)
tato'paśyat sthitaṃ dvāri sitaṃ vaijayinaṃ gajam। airāvataṃ caturdantaṃ kailāsam iva śṛṅgiṇam ॥3-43-36॥
Then he saw, standing at the gate, the white, victorious elephant Airavata, four-tusked and resembling Mount Kailāsa with its peak. (3-43-36)
sa siddhamārgamākramya kurupāṇḍavasattamaḥ। vyarocata yathā pūrvaṃ māndhātā pārthivottamaḥ ॥3-43-37॥
Having ascended the perfected path, the best among the Kurus and Pāṇḍavas shone just as Māndhātā, the foremost of kings, did in former times. (3-43-37)
aticakrāma lokāns rājñāṃ rājīvalocanaḥ। tato dadarśa śakrasya purīṃ tām amarāvatīm ॥3-43-38॥
The lotus-eyed one crossed beyond the worlds of kings. Then he saw Śakra's city, Amarāvatī. (3-43-38)
