Arjuna said:
1. Then, O Bharata, by the favour of that high-souled god of gods-Tryambaka-I pleasantly passed that night there.
2. Having performed my morning devotions when the night drew to a close, I beheld that best of the Brahmanas whom I had previously seen.
3. I related to him faithfully all that occurred, namely, O Bharata, my interview with the divine Mahadev.
4. O king of kings, that best of the Brahmanas said to me pleased “none else can see Mahadeva as you have seen.
5. O sinless being, you will behold the lord of the celestials, together with Vaivasvata and all the Lokapalas, who (the lord of the celestials) will grant you weapons.”
6. O king, saying this and embracing me again and again, that sun-like Brahmana went away whither he liked.
7. Then, O destroyer of foes, in the afternoon of that day, it pure breeze began to blow, as if making this world anew.
8. (And) at the foot of the mountain Himalayas, fragrant, fresh and fair flowers began to blossom near and around me.
9. (And) there was heard from all sides, celestials and sweet symphony together with charming eulogy to Indra.
10. Multitudes of Gandharvas and Apsaras chanted various songs before the god of gods.
11. And the whole body of the Marutas, the followers of Mahendra and all the inhabitants of the heavenly regions appeared there on celestials cars.
12. Then Marutvana, accompanied by Sachi and all the immortals, appeared there in ornamental cars drawn by horses.
13. And, at the very moment, O king, Kubera, of transcendental beauty who is carried on the shoulders of men, came to my presence.
14. (And) I beheld Yama seated towards the southern point and the king of the gods and Varuna in their respective places.
15. Having cheered me up, O great king, O best of mortals, they said to me, “O Savyasachi, behold us the Lokapalas seated (here).
16. You have beheld Mahadeva in order to perform the task in behalf of the celestials. Now, receive the weapons from us seated around.
17. Thereupon, O lord bowing down to those best of the celestials and with a pure heart I duly accepted those powerful weapons.
18. O Bharata, having accepted the weapons I was recognized by the gods (as one of them). And then, O tormentor of foes, all the gods returned to their respective places.
19. And the lord king of the gods-Maghavana too, having ascended his splendid car, said “O Falguni, you will have to visit the celestials regions.
20. O Dhananjaya, even before my arrival here I had known you (would come). After this, O best of the Bharatas, I will reveal myself to you (in heaven).
21. O Pandava, as you formerly performed ablutions in various Tirthas (i.e. sacred places resorted to by pilgrims) and were absorbed in rigid asceticism, you will be able to go to heaven.
22. O destroyer of foes, you will have to practise severe austerities again, for O Pandava, you will surely have to stay in heaven (now in this mortal frame).
23. At my command Matali will take you to heaven, You are already known to the celestials and the high-souled sages.”
24. Thereupon I said to Shakra, “be favourably disposed towards me. In order to learn (the science of) weapons, O lord of heaven, I make you my preceptor.”
Indra said:
25. O tormentor of foes, O child, you will achieve terrible feats (of arms). And that desire of yours which makes you eager to obtain weapons shall be fulfilled.
26. Thereupon I replied, “O destroyer of foes, I will never hurt these celestials weapons at mortals except to ward off their weapons.
27. Therefore, O lord of the gods, O best of the celestials, grant me those celestials weapons. Then I shall afterwards attain to the region of the warriors.”
Indra said:
28. “O Dhananjaya, in order to test you I have said these words. You being my son, this speech is worthy of you.
29. Repairing to my abode, O Bharata, learn all the weapons of Vayu, of Agni, of the Vasus, of Varuna of the Marutas,
30. Of the Sadhyas, of Pitamaha, of the Gandharvas, of the Uragas, of the Rakshasas, of Vishnu and of the Nairitas;
31. And, O perpetuator of the Kuru race, all those weapons are presided over by me.” Addressing me thus, Shakra vanished at that very spot.
32. Then, O king, I saw that sacred, celestials and wonderful and car of Indra, yoked with horses and driven by Matali arrive (there).
33. The Lokapalas having gone away, Matali said to me “O you of unrivalled splendour, the lord of the celestials, Shakra, wishes to see you.
34. O creation of powerful arms, acquire perfection first and then perform your task. Behold the regions of the virtuous and repair to heaven even in the (mortal) frame.
35. O Bharata, the thousand-eyed king of the gods is desirous of seeing you.” Thus addressed by Matali and greeting the mountain Himalaya,
36-38. And going round it, I ascended that excellent car. And the exceedingly generous Matali, expert in horse-flesh, properly drove the horses fleet as the mind or the wind. (And) O king that charioteer, seeing that I was steadily seated in the car in motion, looked at my face and being lost in wonder said, “Today it appears to me highly wonderful and unprecedented,
39-40. That placed in this celestials car you are not jerked even a step from your seat. O best of the Bharatas, I have often noticed that (even) the king of the gods is unable to keep up his balance at the first pull by the horses. O perpetuator of the Kuru race, your sitting (steadily) in the car while in motion,
41-42. Appears to me that this power of yours has surpassed even that of Shakra himself.” O king, O Bharata, saying this and soaring up to the celestials regions, Matali showed to me the abodes and palaces of the celestials. Then that car yoked with horses soared upwards.
43-45. (And) O the best of mortals, the sages and the gods began to pay their adorations to it. Then I beheld the regions moving at will and the splendour of the highly energetic divine sages, of the Gandharvas and of the Apsaras. (And) the charioteer of Indra, Matali, soon showed to me the garden of Nandana and other gardens and bowers of the celestials. Then I beheld the palace of Indra, Amravati,
46-48. Gracefully adorned with jewels and celestials trees yielding all sorts of fruits that are desired. There the sun does not shed heat, nor is there any one oppressed with cold, heat or fatigue. And O king there is no senility. O great king, O grinder of foes, nor are the celestials seen there (to be affected with) grief, poverty of spirit, weakness or lassitude. Nor, O lord of the world, there the celestials and others have anger or covetousness.
49. O king, in the abodes of the celestials all beings are always cheerful. There the trees are always covered with green leaves and fruits and flowers,
50. And the lakes are adorned with fragrant lotuses. The breeze is there cool, pleasant, fragrant, pure and invigorating.
51. (There) the ground is variegated with all sorts of gems and decked with flowers. Various beautiful beasts, birds of sweet voice,
52. And numerous rangers of the sky are to be seen in the air. I then, beheld the Vasus, the Rudras, the Saddhyas, the Manilas,
53-54. The Adityas and the Ashvins and worshipped them all. They uttered benedictions for my strength, renown, energy prowess, (skill in) arms and victory in battle. Entering that delightful city, adored by the gods and the Gandharvas,
55. I stood before the hundred-eyed king of the gods with joined hands. And Shakra, the best of the liberal-handed, gladly offered to me half his seat.
56. Honouring me greatly Vasava ached my body. There with the generous-hearted gods and the Gandharvas.
57. I began, O Bharata, to dwell in heaven desirous of obtaining arms and engaged in the study of the science of weapons. (And) Chitrasena, the son of Visvavasu, became my friend.
58-59. It was he who taught me that entire science (of arms) known to the Gandharvas, O the best of the Bharatas, there in the abode of Shakra I began to live happily, duly honoured, acquiring weapons, with my desires gratified, hearing songs and the clear sounds of musical instruments and witnessing the dance of the best of the Apsaras.
60. O Bharata, without despising those fine arts which I learnt properly, I specially devoted my attention to the acquisition of arms.
61. Thereupon, that thousand-eyed lord was pleased with that desire of mine. O king, thus dwelling in heaven I have passed this period.
62. When I was killed in weapons and gained his confidence, that one, who is borne by horses, touching my head with his hands, said these words:
63. “Not to speak of men of imperfect minds dwelling on earth, even the gods are not now capable of conquering you.
64. You are incomprehensible in strength, irrepressible and also incomparable in fight.” Then with the hair of his body standing erect he said again,
65. “No one shall be equal to you in fighting with weapons who are always vigilant, dexterous, truthful, self-controlled,
66. Protector of the Brahmana, skilled in arms and brave, O perpetuator of the Kurus. You have obtained five and ten weapons,
67. Together with the five methods of using (them). O Partha, (Therefore) you have no equal, O Dhananjaya; you have also learnt the methods of their discharge, withdrawal, frequent re-discharge and re-withdrawal,
68. And the revival of harmless beings burnt by the fire of weapons and the revival of the weapons (themselves) when baffled by those of the enemies. Now, O tormentor of foes the time has arrived for paying your preceptor's fees.
69. Promise to pay it and then I shall tell you what you will have to do.” Thereupon, O king I said to the king of the gods these words:
70. “If it be in my power to perform the task then consider it as already performed.” Then, O king, the slayer of Vitra said to me smiling:
71. “There is nothing in these three worlds that cannot be achieved by you. My enemies, the Danavas styled Nivatakavachas,
72. Taking refugee in the womb of the ocean, dwell in forts. They are thirty millions in number and are all equal in structure, prowess and splendour.
73-74. O son ofKunti, destroy them there (and) that will be your preceptor's fee.” Then he gave me that splendid celestials car driven by Matali and yoked with horse furnished with hair beautiful as the feather of peacocks. (And) he set upon my head this excellent coronet.
75. Gave me ornaments for my person worthy of his own body and this impenetrable excellent armour of pleasurable feel,
76. And strung the Gandiva with this strong chord. I then set out ascending that splendid car,
77. Riding which, in days of yore the king of the gods conquered Bali, the son of Virochana. Then all the gods, being aroused by the sound of that car,
78. And mistaking me for the king of the gods, O lord of the earth, approached me. (But) having beheld me they asked “O Falguni, what will you do?”
79-80. I related to them exactly what had passed and said “I will do this in battle, O sinless ones, O highly fortunate beings; know I have set out with the desire of slaying the Nivatakavachas and bless me for my success.” (And) being pleased, they paid their adoration to me as to the god, Purandara.
81. (And said): “ascending this car, Maghavana had conquered in battle, Samvara, Namuchi, Vritra, Bala, Prahrada and Naraka.
82. And riding on this car also Maghavana had conquered in battle several thousands and millions and hundreds of millions of Daityas.
83. You too, O son of Kunti, mounted on this (car) shall, displaying your prowess, obtain victory over the Nivatakavachas in fight as of yore the self-contained Maghavana did.
84. Here is that excellent conch by which you will conquer the Danavas. By (the help of) it, the high-souled Shakra conquered the worlds.
85. And then the gods presented to me this shell, Devadatta, having its origin in the sea. I too accepted it for victory. Then the immortals began to eulogise me.
86. Desirous of fighting, I then set out for the terrible abode of the Danavas equipped with conch, armour and bow.”
Thus ends the hundred and sixty-eighth chapter, the speech by Arjuna, in the Nivatakavacha Yuddha of the Vana Parva.
Arjuna said:
1. Then praised by the great sages here and there, I (at length) beheld the dreadful ocean-the inexhaustible lord of waters.
2. (And) on it were visible, foamy and swelling waves scattered all over, dashing against each other and looking like moving rocks.
3. Ships full of gems were seen on it all around. Timingilas, tortoises, Timitimingilas,
4. And Makaras were seen here like submarine reefs. Thousands of submerged shells lying all around.
5. Looked like stars on a night covered with light clouds. Thousands of gems were floating in heaps.
6-7. And a dreadful wind was sweeping over it in whirls, which appeared wonderful to me. Beholding that excellent lord of all waters with strong tides I saw very near, the city of the Daiytas full of the Danavas. There soon entering into the nether world, Matali,
8. Expert in driving the car and sitting steadily on it, drove it with force. And he drove onward making that city resound with the rattling sound of the car.
9. Hearing that rattling noise of the car as the roar of the clouds in the sky and taking me for the king of the gods, the Danavas became agitated.
10. (And) with their minds trembling with fear, they stood, holding in their hands arrows, bows, swords, javelins, axes, maces and clubs.
11. Then having made arrangements for the defence of their city, the Danavas with hearts troubled with fear, closed the gates so that nothing could be seen.
12. Then taking my conch, Devadatta, emitting tremendous roars, I repeatedly blew it with great joy.
13. That sound, ringing through the heavens, sent forth echoes. Upon which, mighty creatures, greatly terrified, hid themselves.
14-16. Thereupon, O Bharata, all those sons of Diti-the Nivatakavachas-poured in thousands, adorned with ornaments, clad in various kinds of mails and holding in their hands various weapons, (such as) javelins, mighty maces, clubs, hatchets, Pattishas, Sabres, car-wheels, Shataghnis, Bhushundis and variegated and ornamented swords.
17. Then O best of the Bharatas, deliberately judging of the course the car should take, Matali began to drive the steeds on level grounds,
18. Then, on account of the rapid career of the horses, fleet as the wind and guided by him (Matali) I could perceive nothing-and this appeared wonderful to me.
19. Thereupon the Danavas vehemently began to sound thousands of musical instruments, discordant and of awkward shapes.
20. Stupefied at those sounds, hundreds and thousands of fishes (huge) as mountains began suddenly to fly away from the sea.
21. Then the Danavas rushed at me with tremendous force discharging hundreds and thousands of sharpened arrows.
22. (And), O Bharata, there took place between them and me a terrible fight destructive of the Nivatakavachas.
23. The Devarshis, the Danavarshis, the Brahmarshis and the Siddhas came there to witness that terrible encounter.
24. (And) those Munis, eager for my victory, began to eulogise me with sweet speeches as they did Indra, at the war which took place on account of Tara (the wife of Brihaspati).
Thus ends the hundred and sixty-ninth chapter, the commencement of fight with the Nivatakavacha Yuddha of the Vana Parva.