कण्व उवाच मातलिस्तु व्रजन् मार्गे नारदेन महर्षिणा। वरुणं गच्छता द्रष्टुं समागच्छद् यदृच्छया॥
Kanya said While Matali was proceeding on his way he came across the great Rishi Narada who was proceeding, of his own will, to see Varuna.
नारद उवाच नारदोऽथाब्रवीदेनं क्व भवान् गन्तुमुद्यतः। स्वेन वा सूत कार्येण शासनाद् वा शतक्रतोः॥
Narada said Where are you about to go? Is it, O charioteer, on your own account or by the command of Shatakratu (Indra)?
कण्व उवाच मातलिर्नारदेनैव सम्पृष्टः पथि गच्छता। यथावत् सर्वमाचष्ट स्वकार्यं नारदं प्रति॥
Kanva said Matali, being thus asked by Narada, who was going on the same road, told Narada all about his business and how it had happened (that he was going there).
तमुवाचाथ स मुनिर्गच्छावः सहिताविति। सलिलेशदिदृक्षार्थमहमप्युद्यतो दिवः॥
Then the Muni said to him, "We both shall go together." To see the god of the waters I too come down heaven.
अहं ते सर्वमाख्यास्ये दर्शयन् वसुधातलम्। दृष्ट्वा तत्र वरं कंचिद् रोचयिष्याव मातले॥
While showing you the nether regions of the earth, I shall describe to you everything; and after a search there we shall select some bridegroom, O Matali.
अवगाह्य तु तौ भूमिमुभौ मातलिनारदौ। ददृशाते महात्मानौ लोकपालमपां पतिम्॥
Then going down to the nether region, the two, Matali and Narada of large souls, paid their respects to the ruler of the word, the lord of the waters.
तत्र देवर्षिसदृशीं पूजां स प्राप नारदः। महेन्द्रसदृशीं चैव मातलिः प्रत्यपद्यत॥
There that Narada received greetings suitable for a divine Rishi and Matali received what is generally offered to the great Indra.
तावुभौ प्रीतमनसौ कार्यवन्ता निवेद्य ह। वरुणेनाभ्यनुज्ञातौ नागलोकं विचेरतुः॥
These two, with their minds pleased and having business in hand, submitted everything to their host and with the permission of Varuna roamed about in the world of the Nagas.
नारदः सर्वभूतानामन्तभूमिनिवासिनाम्। जानंश्चकार व्याख्यानं यन्तुः सर्वमशेषतः॥
Narada, who knew everything about all the creatures living in the nether regions, described them in detail to his companion.
नारद उवाच दृष्टस्ते वरुणः सूत पुत्रपौत्रसमावृतः। पश्योदकपते: स्थानं सर्वतोभद्रमृद्धिमत्॥
Narada said Varuna, surrounded by his sons and grandsons, has been seen by you o Suta. Behold now the territories of the lord of the waters which are excellent in every respect and full of riches.
एष पुत्रो महाप्रज्ञो वरुणस्येह गोपतेः। एष वै शीलवृत्तेन शौचेन च विशिष्यते॥
This one is the son, of great wisdom, of Varuna the lord of the seas; he is specially famous for his holiness, his conduct and his ways of life.
एषोऽस्य पुत्रोऽभिमतः पुष्करः पुष्करेक्षणः। रुपवान् दर्शनीयश्च सोमपुत्र्या वृतः पतिः॥
This is his dear son, Pushkara of eyes like lotus leaves. He is endued with beauty, is worth looking at and has been selected by the daughter of Soma as her husband.
ज्योत्स्नाकालीति यामाहुर्द्वितीयां रूपतः श्रियम्। अदित्याश्चैव यः पुत्रो ज्येष्ठः श्रेष्ठः कृतः स्मृतः॥
She (the daughter of Soma) is known as Jyotsnakali who has been said to be second Lakshmi or Sri in point of beauty; and she, it is within our recollection, had chosen the eldest son of Aditi as her husband (before this).
भवनं वारुणं पश्य यदेतत् सर्वकाञ्चनम्। यत् प्राप्य सुरतां प्राप्ताः सुराः सुरपतेः सखे॥
Behold this mansion of Varuna which is inade entirely of gold and attaining to which the gods have obtained their god-ship ( you friend of the lord of the gods.
एतानि हृतराज्यानां दैतेयानां स्म मातले। दीप्यमानानि दृश्यन्ते सर्वप्रहरणान्युत॥
These weapons of all kinds, which are now visible and which are blazing, were once in the possession of the Daityas, whose territories have been wrested from them (by Varuna), O Matali.
अक्षयाणि किलैतानि विवर्ततन्ते स्म मातले। अनुभावप्रयुक्तानि सुरैरवजितानि ह॥
These undergo no waste, O Matali and return to the hand of those who hurl them after striking the enemy. Obtained as they are by the gods who have won victories over the Daityas, they can be used only by men of great mental energy.
अत्र राक्षसजात्यश्च दैत्यजात्यश्च मातले। दिव्यप्रहरणाश्चासन् पूर्वदैवतनिर्मिताः॥
Here many species of Rakshasas and Daityas, O Matali, possessed of celestial weapons lived before, O Matali, which is now inhabited by the gods.
अग्निरेष महार्चिष्पाञ्जागर्ति वारुणे ह्रदे। वैष्णवं चक्रमाविद्धं विधूमेन हविष्मता॥
There are the fire of blazing flame which is burning in the lake of Varuna and the discus of Vishnu surrounded by the fire and smoke.
एष गाण्डीमयश्चापो लोकसंहारसम्भृतः। रक्ष्यते देवतैर्नित्यं यतस्तद गाण्डिवं धनुः॥
This is the bow, full of knots, which was created for the destruction of the world; it is ever looked after by the gods and from this the name of the Gandiva bow is derived.
एष कृत्ये समुत्पन्ने तत् तद् धारयते बलम्। सहस्रशतसंख्येन प्राणेन सततं ध्रुवः॥
This bow, at the approach of the proper time of action, is endued as it is with the strength of a hundred thousand bows, inspired with still greater strength.
अशास्यानपि शास्त्येष रक्षोबन्धुषु राजसु। सृष्टः प्रथमतश्चण्डो ब्रह्मणा ब्रह्मवादिना॥
It brings under subjugation those kings who are friendly to the Rakshasas, though they are incapable of being reduced to that condition. This terrible weapon was created first by the Brahmana who created in speech the Vedas.
एतच्छस्त्रं नरेन्द्राणां महच्चक्रेण भासितम्। पुत्राः सलिलरजास्य धारयन्ति महोदयम्॥
This weapon, in its work among the kings, has been pronounced to be the great by Shakra and the son of the lord of the waters hold this weapon of great energy.
एतत् सलिलराजस्यच्छत्रं छत्रगृहे स्थितम्। सर्वतः सलिलं शीतं जीमूत इव वर्षति॥
This thing, placed in the umbrella room, is the umbrella of the lord of the waters and always showers cold water like the clouds.
एतच्छत्रात् परिभ्रष्टं सलिलं सोमनिर्मलम्। तमसा मूर्छितं भाति येन नार्छति दर्शनम्॥
The water, falling from this umbrella, is pure as the moon and yet is surrounded by such darkness that it cannot be grasped by the sight.
बहून्यद्भुतरूपाणि द्रष्टव्यानीह मातले। तव कार्यावरोधस्तु तस्माद् गच्छाव मा चिरम्॥
In these regions, O Matali, there are many things to be seen, but owing to the pressing demands of your business we shall go away from here without delay.