03.168
अर्जुन उवाच॥
Arjuna said.
ततोऽश्मवर्षं सुमहत्प्रादुरासीत्समन्ततः। नगमात्रैर्महाघोरैस्तन्मां दृढमपीडयत् ॥०३-१६८-१॥
Then a very great shower of stones arose all around. Those, being mountain-sized and very terrible, firmly oppressed me. (03-168-1)
तदहं वज्रसङ्काशैः शरैरिन्द्रास्त्रचोदितैः। अचूर्णयं वेगवद्भिः शतधैकैकमाहवे ॥०३-१६८-२॥
Then I, with arrows as brilliant as thunderbolts, driven by Indra's missile, shattered each one into a hundred pieces with speed in the battle. (03-168-2)
चूर्ण्यमानेऽश्मवर्षे तु पावकः समजायत। तत्राश्मचूर्णमपतत्पावकप्रकरा इव ॥०३-१६८-३॥
While the stone-rain was being pulverized, however, fire emerged. There, stone-dust fell like masses of flames. (03-168-3)
ततोऽश्मवर्षे निहते जलवर्षं महत्तरम्। धाराभिरक्षमात्राभिः प्रादुरासीन्ममान्तिके ॥०३-१६८-४॥
Then, when the hail of stones was checked, there appeared near me an even greater shower of water with streams as large as dice. (03-168-4)
नभसः प्रच्युता धारास्तिग्मवीर्याः सहस्रशः। आवृण्वन्सर्वतो व्योम दिशश्चोपदिशस्तथा ॥०३-१६८-५॥
Thousands of streams of fierce power, falling from the sky, covered the sky on all sides, as well as all the directions and intermediate directions. (03-168-5)
धाराणां च निपातेन वायोर्विस्फूर्जितेन च। गर्जितेन च दैत्यानां न प्राज्ञायत किञ्चन ॥०३-१६८-६॥
Nothing at all could be perceived because of the fall of streams, the roaring wind, and the thunderous cries of the Daityas. (03-168-6)
धारा दिवि च सम्बद्धा वसुधायां च सर्वशः। व्यामोहयन्त मां तत्र निपतन्त्योऽनिशं भुवि ॥०३-१६८-७॥
The streams, connected both in the sky and everywhere on the earth, bewilder me there as they continuously fall upon the ground. (03-168-7)
तत्रोपदिष्टमिन्द्रेण दिव्यमस्त्रं विशोषणम्। दीप्तं प्राहिणवं घोरमशुष्यत्तेन तज्जलम् ॥०३-१६८-८॥
There, the divine weapon for drying, instructed by Indra—shining, terrible, and fearsome—by that, the water was dried up. (03-168-8)
हतेऽश्मवर्षे तु मया जलवर्षे च शोषिते। मुमुचुर्दानवा मायामग्निं वायुं च मानद ॥०३-१६८-९॥
But after I destroyed the stone rain and dried up the rain of water, the Dānavas, O bestower of honor, released magical fire and wind. (03-168-9)
ततोऽहमग्निं व्यधमं सलिलास्त्रेण सर्वशः। शैलेन च महास्त्रेण वायोर्वेगमधारयम् ॥०३-१६८-१०॥
Then I repelled the fire completely with the water-weapon; and with the mountain and the great missile, I restrained the force of the wind. (03-168-10)
तस्यां प्रतिहतायां तु दानवा युद्धदुर्मदाः। प्राकुर्वन्विविधा माया यौगपद्येन भारत ॥०३-१६८-११॥
But when she was repulsed, O Bhārata, the Dānavas, intoxicated by the fury of battle, began at once to employ various magical illusions. (03-168-11)
ततो वर्षं प्रादुरभूत्सुमहल्लोमहर्षणम्। अस्त्राणां घोररूपाणामग्नेर्वायोस्तथाश्मनाम् ॥०३-१६८-१२॥
Then there arose a tremendous, terrifying, hair-raising rain of weapons having the dreadful forms of fire, of wind, and of stones. (3-168-12)
सा तु मायामयी वृष्टिः पीडयामास मां युधि। अथ घोरं तमस्तीव्रं प्रादुरासीत्समन्ततः ॥०३-१६८-१३॥
But that illusion-made rain afflicted me in battle. Then, intense and terrible darkness appeared on all sides. (03-168-13)
तमसा संवृते लोके घोरेण परुषेण च। तुरगा विमुखाश्चासन्प्रास्खलच्चापि मातलिः ॥०३-१६८-१४॥
When the world was enveloped in darkness, terrible and cruel, the horses turned away, and even Mātali stumbled. (03-168-14)
हस्ताद्धिरण्मयश्चास्य प्रतोदः प्रापतद्भुवि। असकृच्चाह मां भीतः क्वासीति भरतर्षभ ॥०३-१६८-१५॥
The golden goad fell to the ground from his hand. Frightened, he kept saying to me, "Where are you?" O best of the Bharatas. (03-168-15)
मां च भीराविशत्तीव्रा तस्मिन्विगतचेतसि। स च मां विगतज्ञानः सन्त्रस्त इदमब्रवीत् ॥०३-१६८-१६॥
Intense fear entered me also as he lay unconscious. He too, deprived of knowledge and terrified, said this to me. (03-168-16)
सुराणामसुराणां च सङ्ग्रामः सुमहानभूत्। अमृतार्थे पुरा पार्थ स च दृष्टो मयानघ ॥०३-१६८-१७॥
O Partha, a very great battle between gods and asuras once took place for the sake of amṛta; O sinless one, I saw that battle myself (03-168-17)
शम्बरस्य वधे चापि सङ्ग्रामः सुमहानभूत्। सारथ्यं देवराजस्य तत्रापि कृतवानहम् ॥०३-१६८-१८॥
There was a very great battle during the slaying of Śambara; there too, I acted as the charioteer for the king of the gods. (03-168-18)
तथैव वृत्रस्य वधे सङ्गृहीता हया मया। वैरोचनेर्मया युद्धं दृष्टं चापि सुदारुणम् ॥०३-१६८-१९॥
In the same way, at the slaying of Vṛtra, I assembled the horses. I also saw the dreadful battle of Vairocana. (03-168-19)
एते मया महाघोराः सङ्ग्रामाः पर्युपासिताः। न चापि विगतज्ञानो भूतपूर्वोऽस्मि पाण्डव ॥०३-१६८-२०॥
These very terrible battles have been encountered by me. O Pāṇḍava, never before have I been devoid of sense. (03-168-20)
पितामहेन संहारः प्रजानां विहितो ध्रुवम्। न हि युद्धमिदं युक्तमन्यत्र जगतः क्षयात् ॥०३-१६८-२१॥
Destruction of beings has certainly been ordained by the grandsire. Indeed, this battle is justified only for the destruction of the world. (03-168-21)
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना। मोहयिष्यन्दानवानामहं मायामयं बलम् ॥०३-१६८-२२॥
Having heard his words, steadying myself by my own self, I will confound the illusory power of the Dānavas. (03-168-22)
अब्रुवं मातलिं भीतं पश्य मे भुजयोर्बलम्। अस्त्राणां च प्रभावं मे धनुषो गाण्डिवस्य च ॥०३-१६८-२३॥
I said to Mātali, who was frightened, "Look at the strength of my arms, and the power of my weapons and my bow Gāṇḍīva." (03-168-23)
अद्यास्त्रमाययैतेषां मायामेतां सुदारुणाम्। विनिहन्मि तमश्चोग्रं मा भैः सूत स्थिरो भव ॥०३-१६८-२४॥
Today, by the magic of weapons, I will utterly destroy this most terrible illusion of these (enemies) and this fierce darkness; do not be afraid, charioteer – remain steadfast. (03-168-24)
एवमुक्त्वाहमसृजमस्त्रमायां नराधिप। मोहनीं सर्वशत्रूणां हिताय त्रिदिवौकसाम् ॥०३-१६८-२५॥
Having thus spoken, O king, I released the illusory weapon that confounds all enemies, for the good of the heavenly beings. (03-168-25)
पीड्यमानासु मायासु तासु तास्वसुरेश्वराः। पुनर्बहुविधा मायाः प्राकुर्वन्नमितौजसः ॥०३-१६८-२६॥
While being afflicted by those illusions, the lords of the asuras, of immeasurable might, once again created many kinds of illusions. (03-168-26)
पुनः प्रकाशमभवत्तमसा ग्रस्यते पुनः। व्रजत्यदर्शनं लोकः पुनरप्सु निमज्जति ॥०३-१६८-२७॥
Once again, light appears, but is again swallowed by darkness. The world vanishes from sight and once more sinks into the waters. (03-168-27)
सुसङ्गृहीतैर्हरिभिः प्रकाशे सति मातलिः। व्यचरत्स्यन्दनाग्र्येण सङ्ग्रामे लोमहर्षणे ॥०३-१६८-२८॥
Mātali, with his chariot drawn by well-harnessed horses, moved about in the hair-raising battle when there was light. (03-168-28)
ततः पर्यपतन्नुग्रा निवातकवचा मयि। तानहं विवरं दृष्ट्वा प्राहिण्वं यमसादनम् ॥०३-१६८-२९॥
Then the fierce Nivātakavacas converged all around me. Seeing an opening, I sent them to the abode of Yama (death). (03-168-29)
वर्तमाने तथा युद्धे निवातकवचान्तके। नापश्यं सहसा सर्वान्दानवान्माययावृतान् ॥०३-१६८-३०॥
Though present there in the battle, O destroyer of the Nivātakavaca demons, I suddenly could not see any of the demons, as they were concealed by illusion. (03-168-30)
