Arjuna said:
1. The demons, concealed from view, began fighting by the help of illusion. I also by the power of invisible weapons (i.e. weapons operating on unseen objects) fought with them,
2. And by means of arrows duly shot from the Gandiva, I cut off their heads wherever they were stationed.
3. Thereupon, the Nivatakavachas, thus struck dead by me, all on a sudden, forsook their illusion and entered into their own city.
4. The Daityas having fled and everything being disclosed to view, I beheld there hundreds and thousands of the Danavas (lying) slain
5. (And) I saw by hundred their crushed weapons ornaments, limbs and mails.
6. In consequence of the battlefield being strewn all over with dead bodies, the steeds had no room to move from one step to another. Thereupon with a sudden spring they took their station in the air.
7. Then concealed rom view, the Nivatakavachas, covering the entire firmament, rained down crags.
8. Other dreadful Danavas entering into the entrails of the earth, O Bharata, caught hold of the legs of the horses and the car-wheels.
9. When engaged in fighting, (they) seizing the horses and the car, covered me on the car, on all sides with rocks.
10. On account of the rocks with which we were covered and of the others which were falling (around us), the place where we were stationed, looked like a cave.
11. That I was sore afflicted on account of being surrounded by rocks and the steeds being hard pressed, was perceived by Matali.
12. Seeing me terrified he spoke these words, “O Arjuna, O Arjuna, don't be afraid; discharge the weapon, Vajra (thunderbolt).”
13. Then, O lord of men, hearing these words of his, I let go that favourite weapon of the king of the celestials, the terrible Vajra (thunderbolt).
14. Inspiring the Gandiva with mantras and aiming at the locality of the rocks, I discharged sharpened iron darts having the touch of the thunderbolt.
15. And those arrows, turned into thunderbolt (on account of their) being shot from the Vajra, penetrated through the illusion and all the Nivatakavachas.
16. Then those Danavas, big as rocks smitten by the force of the thunder, fell on the ground clashing against one another.
17. And the shafts, penetrating those Danavas, who entering into the bowels of the earth had seized the horses and the car, sent them to the abode of Yama.
18. That place was completely filled with those Nivatakavachas looking like mountains, who were (either) killed or wounded and lying scattered like (so many) rocks.
19. And the fact, that neither did the horses, nor Matali, nor myself, suffer the least (by that event), appeared strange.
20. Then, O king, Matali addressed me with a smile “the prowess displayed by you cannot be seen even among the gods.”
21. On the Danava hosts being slain all their wives in that city began to bewail like cranes in autumn.
22. Then accompanied by Matali, I entered that city, terrifying the females of the Nivatakavachas by the rattling noise of the car.
23. Beholding those ten thousands of steeds resembling peacocks and that car of the splendour of the sun, the females began to flee in large numbers.
24. Thereupon, there arose a sound of the falling of the ornaments (from the persons) of those terrified ladies like the sound of hail falling upon a mountain.
25. At last the affrighted ladies of the Daityas entered into their respective golden palaces decked with innumerable gems.
26. Then beholding that wonderful and excellent city, superior to that of the gods, I asked Matali.
27. “This city appears superior to that of Purandara. How is it that the Gods do not reside in such a place?”
Matali answered:
28. O Partha, formerly it was the city of our lord of the gods. (But) afterwards the gods were expelled from here by the Nivatakavachas.
29. Having pleased Brahma by the performance of rigid asceticism, they asked (of him) the boons, (namely), to dwell here and to be free from all fears of the gods in wars.
30. Then the self-existent lord (Shiva) was thus addressed by Shakra. “O lord, keeping our welfare in view, do what you think proper.”
31. Thereupon, O Bharata, the lord (Shiva) thus commanded Indra saying “O destroyer of foes, assuming another body you will kill these (demons).”
32. Therefore, Shakra gave you the weapons for the destruction of these (demons). Even the gods had been unable to slay these that have been killed by you.
33. O Bharata, as you have come hither just at the appointed time, you have been able to kill them.
34. O best of mortals, in order to destroy these Danavas, Mahendra conferred on you the energy (that belongs to the possessor) of those excellent weapons.
Arjuna said:
35. Having killed the Danavas and subdued (their) city, I returned to the abode of the celestials accompanied by Matali.
Thus ends the hundred and seventy-second chapter, the destruction of the Nivatakavachas, in the Nivatakavacha Yuddha of the Vana Parva.