03.166
अर्जुन उवाच॥
Arjuna said.
ततोऽहं स्तूयमानस्तु तत्र तत्र महर्षिभिः। अपश्यमुदधिं भीममपाम्पतिमथाव्ययम् ॥०३-१६६-१॥
Then, as I was being praised here and there by the great sages, I saw the dreadful, imperishable lord of waters—the ocean. (03-166-1)
फेनवत्यः प्रकीर्णाश्च संहताश्च समुच्छ्रिताः। ऊर्मयश्चात्र दृश्यन्ते चलन्त इव पर्वताः ॥ नावः सहस्रशस्तत्र रत्नपूर्णाः समन्ततः ॥०३-१६६-२॥
Here, foam-crested, scattered, compact, and lofty waves are seen, moving like mountains. There, thousands of boats filled with jewels are all around. (03-166-2)
तिमिङ्गिलाः कच्छपाश्च तथा तिमितिमिङ्गिलाः। मकराश्चात्र दृश्यन्ते जले मग्ना इवाद्रयः ॥०३-१६६-३॥
Huge timiṅgila fishes, tortoises, and gigantic whales, as well as crocodiles, are seen here in the water, submerged like mountains. (03-166-3)
शङ्खानां च सहस्राणि मग्नान्यप्सु समन्ततः। दृश्यन्ते स्म यथा रात्रौ तारास्तन्वभ्रसंवृताः ॥०३-१६६-४॥
Thousands of conch-shells, sunken in water all around, were seen, just as stars are seen at night covered by thin clouds. (03-166-4)
तथा सहस्रशस्तत्र रत्नसङ्घाः प्लवन्त्युत। वायुश्च घूर्णते भीमस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत् ॥०३-१६६-५॥
Thus, by the thousands, assemblies of jewels floated there. The wind also swirled fiercely, and it all appeared truly wondrous (03-166-5).
तमतीत्य महावेगं सर्वाम्भोनिधिमुत्तमम्। अपश्यं दानवाकीर्णं तद्दैत्यपुरमन्तिकात् ॥०३-१६६-६॥
Having passed him with great speed and crossed the best of all oceans, I saw that place crowded with Dānavas near the city of the Daityas. (03-166-6)
तत्रैव मातलिस्तूर्णं निपत्य पृथिवीतले। नादयन्रथघोषेण तत्पुरं समुपाद्रवत् ॥०३-१६६-७॥
Mātali, right there, swiftly descended to the earth's surface and, making the city resound with the noise of his chariot, quickly approached that city. (03-166-7)
रथघोषं तु तं श्रुत्वा स्तनयित्नोरिवाम्बरे। मन्वाना देवराजं मां संविग्ना दानवाभवन् ॥०३-१६६-८॥
When they heard that chariot-sound, which was like thunder in the sky, the Dānavas, thinking I was the king of the gods, became alarmed. (03-166-8)
सर्वे सम्भ्रान्तमनसः शरचापधराः स्थिताः। तथा शूलासिपरशुगदामुसलपाणयः ॥०३-१६६-९॥
All, with disturbed minds, stood bearing arrows and bows; similarly, others held spears, swords, axes, maces, and clubs in their hands. (03-166-9)
ततो द्वाराणि पिदधुर्दानवास्त्रस्तचेतसः। संविधाय पुरे रक्षां न स्म कश्चन दृश्यते ॥०३-१६६-१०॥
Then the Dānavas, their minds full of fear, closed the doors and arranged defenses in the city; not a single person was seen. (3-166-10)
ततः शङ्खमुपादाय देवदत्तं महास्वनम्। पुरमासुरमाश्लिष्य प्राधमं तं शनैरहम् ॥०३-१६६-११॥
Thereupon, I slowly took up the great-sounding conch Devadatta, encircled the city of the Asura, and first approached it. (03-166-11)
स तु शब्दो दिवं स्तब्ध्वा प्रतिशब्दमजीजनत्। वित्रेसुश्च निलिल्युश्च भूतानि सुमहान्त्यपि ॥०३-१६६-१२॥
But that sound, having reached the sky, produced an echo. The creatures, even the very great ones, became terrified and hid. (03-166-12)
ततो निवातकवचाः सर्व एव समन्ततः। दंशिता विविधैस्त्राणैर्विविधायुधपाणयः ॥०३-१६६-१३॥
Then all the Nivātakavacas, on all sides, were armed with various protections and holding various weapons. (03-166-13)
आयसैश्च महाशूलैर्गदाभिर्मुसलैरपि। पट्टिशैः करवालैश्च रथचक्रैश्च भारत ॥०३-१६६-१४॥
O Bhārata, (they fought) with iron weapons and great spears, with clubs, pestles, lances, swords, and chariot wheels.
शतघ्नीभिर्भुशुण्डीभिः खड्गैश्चित्रैः स्वलङ्कृतैः। प्रगृहीतैर्दितेः पुत्राः प्रादुरासन्सहस्रशः ॥०३-१६६-१५॥
Holding battering weapons, maces, and ornamented, varied swords, the sons of Diti appeared by thousands. (03-166-15)
ततो विचार्य बहुधा रथमार्गेषु तान्हयान्। प्राचोदयत्समे देशे मातलिर्भरतर्षभ ॥०३-१६६-१६॥
Then, O best of the Bharatas, Mātali, after considering in many ways upon the chariot-paths, urged the horses forward in the level region. (03-166-16)
तेन तेषां प्रणुन्नानामाशुत्वाच्छीघ्रगामिनाम्। नान्वपश्यं तदा किञ्चित्तन्मेऽद्भुतमिवाभवत् ॥०३-१६६-१७॥
By that, I saw nothing at all of those who had been set in motion and were moving quickly, due to their speed; to me, that seemed astonishing. (03-166-17)
ततस्ते दानवास्तत्र योधव्रातान्यनेकशः। विकृतस्वररूपाणि भृशं सर्वाण्यचोदयन् ॥०३-१६६-१८॥
Then those Dānavas, there, roused all the bands of warriors in many ways, using forms of strange and intense cries. (03-166-18)
तेन शब्देन महता समुद्रे पर्वतोपमाः। आप्लवन्त गतैः सत्त्वैर्मत्स्याः शतसहस्रशः ॥०३-१६६-१९॥
By that great sound, mountain-like fishes numbering in hundreds of thousands, along with moving beings, leaped in the ocean. (03-166-19)
ततो वेगेन महता दानवा मामुपाद्रवन्। विमुञ्चन्तः शितान्बाणाञ्शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः ॥०३-१६६-२०॥
Then, with great speed, the Dānavas attacked me, releasing sharp arrows in hundreds and thousands. (03-166-20)
स सम्प्रहारस्तुमुलस्तेषां मम च भारत। अवर्तत महाघोरो निवातकवचान्तकः ॥०३-१६६-२१॥
That tumultuous encounter, O Bhārata, very dreadful and destructive of the Nivātakavacas, took place between them and me. (03-166-21)
ततो देवर्षयश्चैव दानवर्षिगणाश्च ये। ब्रह्मर्षयश्च सिद्धाश्च समाजग्मुर्महामृधे ॥०३-१६६-२२॥
Then the divine sages, the groups of Dānava sages, the brahma sages, and the perfected beings all assembled in the great battle. (03-166-22)
ते वै मामनुरूपाभिर्मधुराभिर्जयैषिणः। अस्तुवन्मुनयो वाग्भिर्यथेन्द्रं तारकामये ॥०३-१६६-२३॥
Those sages indeed praised me with fitting and sweet words desiring victory, just as they praised Indra in the war against Tāraka. (03-166-23)
