वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः कदाचिद्धरिसम्प्रयुक्तं महेन्द्रवाहं सहसोपयातम्। विद्युत्प्रभं प्रेक्ष्य महारथानां हर्षोऽर्जुनं चिन्तयतां बभूव॥
Vaishampayana said : Once upon a time, when those mighty carwarriors were thinking of Arjuna they were delighted at beholding the car of Mahendra, yoked with horses and bright as lightning ¡ approaching all on a sudden.
स दीप्यमानः सहसान्तरिक्षं प्रकाशयन् मातलिसंगृहीतः। बभौ महोल्केव घनान्तरस्था शिखेव चाग्नेर्खलिता विधूमा॥
That flaming car, driven by Matali, suddenly illuminating the firmament, appeared like a mighty meteor hidden in clouds or like the smokeless and blazing tongues of fire.
तमास्थित: संददृशे किरीटी स्रग्वीनवान्याभरणानि बिभ्रत्। धनंजयो वज्रधरप्रभावः श्रिया ज्वलन् पर्वतमाजगाम॥
Placed in that car, appeared Kirita wearing garlands and fresh ornaments (Then) Dhananjaya, powerful as the wielder of the thunderbolt and blazing of beauty, alighted on (that) mountain,
स शैलमासाद्य किरीटमाली महेन्द्रवाहादवरुह्य तस्मात्। नजातशत्रोस्तदनन्तरं च॥
Arriving at the mountain and descending from the car of Mahendra, that intelligent, one wearing a coronet and garlands, saluted the feet of Dhaumya first and then those of Ajatshatru Yudhishthira.
वृकोदरस्यापि च वन्द्यपादौ माद्रीसुताभ्यामभिवादितश्च। समेत्य कृष्णां परिसान्त्व्य चैनां प्रह्वोऽभवद् भ्रातुरुपह्वरे सः॥
He (Arjuna) also bowed down to the feet of Vrikodara and was himself saluted by the (twin) sons of Madri. (And then) going to Krishna and consoling her, he stood before his brother (Yudhishthira) with humility.
बभूव तेषां स्तेनाप्रमेयेण समागतानाम्। स चापि तान् प्रेक्ष्य किरीटमाली ननन्द राजानमभिप्रशंसन्॥
Those present (there) were highly delighted at being joined with that peerless man (Arjuna). (And) beholding them he (Arjuna) too, who wore a coronet and garlands, was delighted and began to eulogise the king.
यमास्थितः सप्त जघान पूगान् दितेः सुतानां नमुचेनिहन्ता। तमिन्द्रवाहं समुपेत्य पार्था: प्रदक्षिणं चक्रुरदीनसत्त्वाः॥
Beholding that car of Indra, placed in which the slayer of Namuchi had destroyed seven battalions of Diti's sons, those Parthas with rich spirits, went round it.
ते मातलेश्चक्रुरतीव हृष्टाः सत्कारमवयं सुरराजतुल्यम्। सर्वान् यथावच्च दिवौकसस्ते पप्रच्छुरेनं कुरुराजपुत्राः॥
Those descendants of the king Kuru, being exceedingly delighted, paid excellent adoration to Matali, worthy of the lord of the celestials himself; and then duly inquired of him about the welfare of all the gods,
तानप्यसौ मातलिरभ्यनन्दत् पितेव पुत्राननुशिष्य पार्थान्। ययौ रथेनाप्रतिमप्रभेण पुनः सकाशं त्रिदिवेश्वरस्य॥
Matali too then greeted them and having instructed the Parthas as a father does his (own) sons, (he) returned to the lord of heaven, ascending that car of unrivalled splendour.
गते तु तस्मिन् नरदेववर्यः शक्रात्मजः शक्ररिपुप्रमाथी। शक्रेण दत्तानि ददौ महात्मा महाधनान्युत्तमरूपवन्ति॥ दिवाकराभाणि विभूषणानि प्रियः प्रियायै सुतसोममात्रे। ततः स तेषां कुरुपुङ्गवानां तेषां च सूर्याग्निसमप्रभाणाम्॥ विप्रर्षभाणामुपविश्य मध्ये सर्वं यथावत् कथयांबभूवा एवं मयास्त्राण्युपशिक्षितानि शक्राच्च वाताच्च शिवाच्च साक्षात्॥
He (Matali) having departed; that foremost of the royal race-the slayer of all the foes-the noble-minded son of Sakra, made over to his sweet-heart-the mother of Sutashoma-those beautiful and precious gems and ornaments of sun-like splendour presented by Sakra. Then sitting amidst those best of the Kurus and those Brahmanas having the lustre of the sun or fire, he (Arjuna), narrated (to them) faithfully all that happened (to him in heaven). "In this way, I have learnt the (science of) arms from Sakra, Vayu and Shiva himself;
तथैव शीलेन समाधिनाथ प्रीताः सुरा मे सहिताः सहेन्द्राः। संक्षेपतो वै स विशुद्धकर्मा तेभ्यः समाख्याय दिवि प्रवासम्॥ माद्रीसुताभ्यां सहितः किरीटी सुष्वाप तामावसतिं प्रतीतः॥
And have pleased all the gods together with Indra by humility and concentration." Having in short related to them to his stay in heaven, Kirita of pure deeds slept pleasantly that night with the sons of Madri."