05.102
नारद उवाच॥
Nārada said:
सूतोऽयं मातलिर्नाम शक्रस्य दयितः सुहृत्। शुचिः शीलगुणोपेतस्तेजस्वी वीर्यवान्बली ॥५-१०२-१॥
This is Mātali, the charioteer, beloved and friend of Śakra, pure, endowed with good character and virtues, brilliant, powerful, and strong. (5-102-1)
शक्रस्यायं सखा चैव मन्त्री सारथिरेव च। अल्पान्तरप्रभावश्च वासवेन रणे रणे ॥५-१०२-२॥
He is Śakra's friend, counselor, and charioteer, and in every battle his power is nearly equal to that of Vāsava. (5-102-2)
अयं हरिसहस्रेण युक्तं जैत्रं रथोत्तमम्। देवासुरेषु युद्धेषु मनसैव नियच्छति ॥५-१०२-३॥
This excellent victorious chariot, yoked with a thousand steeds, he controls in the battles between gods and asuras by mind alone. (5-102-3)
अनेन विजितानश्वैर्दोर्भ्यां जयति वासवः। अनेन प्रहृते पूर्वं बलभित्प्रहरत्युत ॥५-१०२-४॥
With this chariot, drawn by conquered horses, Indra wins by his arms; when it is first struck with this, the wielder of strength indeed strikes. (5-102-4)
अस्य कन्या वरारोहा रूपेणासदृशी भुवि। सत्त्वशीलगुणोपेता गुणकेशीति विश्रुता ॥५-१०२-५॥
He has a daughter of surpassing beauty, unmatched in appearance on earth, endowed with character, conduct, and virtues, who is known by the name Guṇakeśī. (5-102-5)
तस्यास्य यत्नाच्चरतस्त्रैलोक्यममरद्युते। सुमुखो भवतः पौत्रो रोचते दुहितुः पतिः ॥५-१०२-६॥
Through the effort of this one, who wanders through the three worlds with the splendor of a god, your grandson Sumukha is pleasing as the husband of my daughter. (5-102-6)
यदि ते रोचते सौम्य भुजगोत्तम माचिरम्। क्रियतामार्यक क्षिप्रं बुद्धिः कन्याप्रतिग्रहे ॥५-१०२-७॥
If this pleases you, gentle lord and best of serpents, do not delay—let a decision be made quickly, Aryaka, regarding the acceptance of the maiden. (5-102-7)
यथा विष्णुकुले लक्ष्मीर्यथा स्वाहा विभावसोः। कुले तव तथैवास्तु गुणकेशी सुमध्यमा ॥५-१०२-८॥
Just as Lakṣmī is in the lineage of Viṣṇu, and just as Svāhā is in the family of Agni, so may Guṇakeśī, the slender-waisted one, be in yours. (5-102-8)
पौत्रस्यार्थे भवांस्तस्माद्गुणकेशीं प्रतीच्छतु। सदृशीं प्रतिरूपस्य वासवस्य शचीमिव ॥५-१०२-९॥
Therefore, for the sake of your grandson, you should accept Guṇakeśī, a suitable match for the handsome Vasava, just as Śacī was for Indra. (5-102-9)
पितृहीनमपि ह्येनं गुणतो वरयामहे। बहुमानाच्च भवतस्तथैवैरावतस्य च । सुमुखस्य गुणैश्चैव शीलशौचदमादिभिः ॥५-१०२-१०॥
Even though he is fatherless, we choose him for his qualities—out of respect for you, for Airavata, and for the virtues of Sumukha, such as character, purity, self-control, and so on. (5-102-10)
अभिगम्य स्वयं कन्यामयं दातुं समुद्यतः। मातलेस्तस्य संमानं कर्तुमर्हो भवानपि ॥५-१०२-११॥
Having personally come to give his daughter, he is ready to honor Matali—and you as well are worthy to show him respect. (5-102-11)
कण्व उवाच॥
Kaṇva said:
स तु दीनः प्रहृष्टश्च प्राह नारदमार्यकः। व्रियमाणे तथा पौत्रे पुत्रे च निधनं गते ॥५-१०२-१२॥
But he, both distressed and gladdened, spoke to the venerable Nārada as the selection was being made, after the death of son and grandson… (5-102-12)
न मे नैतद्बहुमतं देवर्षे वचनं तव। सखा शक्रस्य संयुक्तः कस्यायं नेप्सितो भवेत् ॥५-१०२-१३॥
O divine sage, I do not value this statement of yours. Being the companion of Indra, for whom could he even be desirable? (5-102-13)
कारणस्य तु दौर्बल्याच्चिन्तयामि महामुने। अस्य देहकरस्तात मम पुत्रो महाद्युते । भक्षितो वैनतेयेन दुःखार्तास्तेन वै वयम् ॥५-१०२-१४॥
But, O great sage, because of the weakness of reason I am troubled—this creator of bodies, my son of great brilliance, was eaten by the son of Vinatā, and because of that we are truly afflicted with grief. (5-102-14)
पुनरेव च तेनोक्तं वैनतेयेन गच्छता। मासेनान्येन सुमुखं भक्षयिष्य इति प्रभो ॥५-१०२-१५॥
And again, as Veinateya was leaving, he said: 'After another month, I will eat Sumukha,' O lord. (5-102-15)
ध्रुवं तथा तद्भविता जानीमस्तस्य निश्चयम्। तेन हर्षः प्रनष्टो मे सुपर्णवचनेन वै ॥५-१०२-१६॥
Certainly, it will be so—I know this for certain. Because of the words of Suparṇa, my joy has indeed vanished. (5-102-16)
मातलिस्त्वब्रवीदेनं बुद्धिरत्र कृता मया। जामातृभावेन वृतः सुमुखस्तव पुत्रजः ॥५-१०२-१७॥
But Mātali said to him, "This plan was made by me: Sumukha, your son's son, was chosen in the role of son-in-law." (5-102-17)
सोऽयं मया च सहितो नारदेन च पन्नगः। त्रिलोकेशं सुरपतिं गत्वा पश्यतु वासवम् ॥५-१०२-१८॥
So let this serpent, together with me and Nārada, go to the king of the gods, the lord of the three worlds, and see Vāsava. (5-102-18)
शेषेणैवास्य कार्येण प्रज्ञास्याम्यहमायुषः। सुपर्णस्य विघाते च प्रयतिष्यामि सत्तम ॥५-१०२-१९॥
I will have Śeṣa himself inquire about his life with this task, and I will strive, best of beings, to hinder Suparṇa. (5-102-19)
सुमुखश्च मया सार्धं देवेशमभिगच्छतु। कार्यसंसाधनार्थाय स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु भुजङ्गम ॥५-१०२-२०॥
Let Sumukha come with me to the lord of the gods, for the accomplishment of this task. Farewell to you, O serpent. (5-102-20)
ततस्ते सुमुखं गृह्य सर्व एव महौजसः। ददृशुः शक्रमासीनं देवराजं महाद्युतिम् ॥५-१०२-२१॥
Then they all, mighty as they were, took Sumukha and saw Indra, the lord of the gods, sitting there, radiant with great splendor. (5-102-21)
सङ्गत्या तत्र भगवान्विष्णुरासीच्चतुर्भुजः। ततस्तत्सर्वमाचख्यौ नारदो मातलिं प्रति ॥५-१०२-२२॥
There, the blessed Viṣṇu, four-armed, was present together with the others; then Nārada told Mātali everything. (5-102-22)
ततः पुरंदरं विष्णुरुवाच भुवनेश्वरम्। अमृतं दीयतामस्मै क्रियताममरैः समः ॥५-१०२-२३॥
Then Viṣṇu said to Purandara, O Lord of the world, let amṛta be given to him; let him be made equal to the immortals. (5-102-23)
मातलिर्नारदश्चैव सुमुखश्चैव वासव। लभन्तां भवतः कामात्काममेतं यथेप्सितम् ॥५-१०२-२४॥
Mātali, Nārada, and Sumukha, O Indra, may obtain this desired boon from you according to your wish. (5-102-24)
पुरंदरोऽथ सञ्चिन्त्य वैनतेयपराक्रमम्। विष्णुमेवाब्रवीदेनं भवानेव ददात्विति ॥५-१०२-२५॥
Then Purandara, having considered the prowess of the son of Vinatā, addressed Vishnu: "You yourself should grant this." (5-102-25)
विष्णुरुवाच॥
Viṣṇu said:
ईशस्त्वमसि लोकानां चराणामचराश्च ये। त्वया दत्तमदत्तं कः कर्तुमुत्सहते विभो ॥५-१०२-२६॥
You are the lord of all the worlds, of both moving and unmoving beings. O mighty one, who could do what you have not granted or undo what you have granted? (5-102-26)
कण्व उवाच॥
Kaṇva said:
प्रादाच्छक्रस्ततस्तस्मै पन्नगायायुरुत्तमम्। न त्वेनममृतप्राशं चकार बलवृत्रहा ॥५-१०२-२७॥
Then Śakra gave the best of life to the serpent, but the slayer of Bala and Vṛtra did not give him the drink of ambrosia. (5-102-27)
लब्ध्वा वरं तु सुमुखः सुमुखः सम्बभूव ह। कृतदारो यथाकामं जगाम च गृहान्प्रति ॥५-१०२-२८॥
Having obtained the boon, Sumukha indeed became Sumukha once more. Having married as he wished, he went home. (5-102-28)
नारदस्त्वार्यकश्चैव कृतकार्यौ मुदा युतौ। प्रतिजग्मतुरभ्यर्च्य देवराजं महाद्युतिम् ॥५-१०२-२९॥
But Nārada and Āryaka, having accomplished their business and filled with joy, after honoring the king of the gods, the greatly radiant one, departed. (5-102-29)