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निवातकवचयुद्धपर्वन् (nivAtakavacayuddhaparvan)

 
Mahabharata
English
[Nivātakavacayuddhaparvan(ºva).] (“Arjuna's combat with the Nivātakavacas, ” the 39th of the minor parvans of Mhbhr.) § 441: One day, when the Pārthas were thinking of Arjuna, they saw Indra's chariot (in which Indra had slain seven phalanxes of Diti's sons), driven by Mātali, illuminating the sky, and Arjuna descended and saluted each of them
Mātali also greeted and instructed them, and then returned in the chariot to Indra. Arjuna then gave to Draupadī precious gems, etc., presented to him by Indra. Then he related all as it had happened, and slept that night with the two sons of Mādrī (III, 165). The next morning Indra visited them under the sound of musical instruments, etc., and blessed Yudhishṭhira, and advised him to repair to Kāmyaka. Blessing upon the reader (III, 166).--§ 442: When Indra had gone, Arjuna related his journey from Kāmyaka (see §§ 330--3), etc. (of mountains he mentioned only Bhṛgutuṅga, where he spent one night and subsequently saw the brahman
then Himavat, where the meeting with the Kirāta took place on the first day of the fifth month after the beginning of his penances
the Kirāta multiplied a hundredfold and a thousandfold, and was transformed in various manners
Arjuna in vain employed the Vāyavya, Sthūṇākarṇa (see Nīl.), Jāla (i.e. Vāruṇa, Nīl.), and the Śalabhāstra, and showers of shafts and stones, as the Kirāta swallowed them up all
Arjuna in vain discharged the Brahmāstra) (III, 167).--§ 443: Arjuna continued his narrative (see §§ 334--7): he passed the night after the meeting with the Kirāta at that place, and in the morning he saw again the same brahman (= Indra), and in the evening he had the visit of the Lokapālas
the weapons that Indra promised to teach him were: those of Vāyu, Agni, the Vasus, Varuṇa, the Maruts, the Sādhya and Paitāmaha weapons, those of the Gandharvas, Uragas (i.e. Snakes), and Rākshasas, and all the Vaishṇava and Nairṛta weapons [v. 12020 foll.]
in the chariot of Indra, Mātali wondered that Arjuna was not jerked, though Indra always himself gets jerked at the first pull by the steeds [v. 12030]
when he had learnt the weapons, Indra said that now even the gods could not conquer him (v. 12054)
he had received knowledge of fifteen weapons with five modes of using them, viz. Prayoga [discharge], upasaṃhāra [withdrawal], āvṛtti [redischarge], prāyaścitta [revival of harmless beings slain by any weapon, PCR., Nīl.], and pratighāta [revival of weapons baffled by those of the enemies, PCR., Nīl.]
(vv. 12058--9)
Indra asked him, as his fee, to slay the Nivātakavacas, who were thirty millions (tisraḥ koṭyaḥ) in number and dwelt in the ocean, and gave him the chariot (conducted by Mātali), upon which he (Indra) had vanquished Bali (Baliṃ Vairocaniṃ, v. 12068), Śambara, Bala, Vṛtra, Prahlāda, and Naraka, and millions of Daityas, and “this” diadem, and ornaments like his own, and the impenetrable mail, and fastened “this” durable (ajarāṃ) string to the Gāṇḍīva, and the gods gave him the shell Devadatta, through which Indra had conquered the worlds (cf. § 446) (III, 168).--§ 444: Arjuna continued: When he came to the ocean, he saw at a short distance the Daitya city filled with Dānavas. Mātali drove the chariot with force, and the Dānavas shut the gates. Then Arjuna blew the Devadatta, and the Nivātakavacas appeared with iron javelins, maces, clubs, hatchets, sabres, discs, śataghnīs, bhuśuṇḍīs, and swords, and sounded dissonant musical instruments. The Devarshis, the Dānavarshis, the Brahmarshis, and the Siddhas came to the battle (III, 169). With arrows inspired with mantras relating to the Brahman- weapon (Brahmāstraparimantritaiḥ), then with the Mādhava (PCR. Māghava) weapon and the Gāṇḍīva Arjuna killed innumerable Nivātakavacas, and the 10, 000 horses yoked at the chariot conducted by Mātali trampled upon them (III, 170). Arjuna reduced a shower of crags to powder by the Mahendra weapon, then dried up showers of water by the weapon Viśoshana, that he had acquired from Indra
then he annihilated fire by the water weapon (salilāstra), and by the stone weapon (śailena mahāstreṇa) he repeatedly resisted the wind. Then darkness enveloped the world
the steeds turned away, Mātali fell off, and the golden lash fell from his hand
as Mātali was stupefied, a terrible fear seized Arjuna
Mātali said that he had conducted Indra's chariot in the battle for the sake of nectar, and in the battles with Śambara, Vṛtra, Vairocani, etc., but never had he lost his senses before. Arjuna comforted Mātali and repeatedly frustrated the magic of the enemy, and Mātali again conducted the chariot. Then on a sudden Arjuna did not see the Dānavas, who had become hidden by illusion (māyā) (III, 171). Arjuna then fought with invisible weapons. Then they withdrew the illusion and entered their city. The fallen and their weapons covered the ground so that the horses had to proceed in the sky. The Nivātakavacas remaining invisible, covered the welkin with crags
others, entering into the earth, seized the legs of the horses and the wheels of the chariot. Arjuna became distressed, but being advised by Mātali, he applied the thunderbolt, inspiring the Gāṇḍīva with mantras, so that the arrows sent by the thunderbolt, becoming thunderbolts, penetrated the illusions and killed the Nivātakavacas. While the wives of Dānavas were bewailing and at last fled to their palaces, Arjuna and Mātali entered the city, that was superior to that of the gods (to that of Indra, v. 12188). Mātali told him that this was originally the city of Indra, but the gods had been driven away from it by the Nivātakavacas, who had through austerities gratified Pitāmaha and obtained from him the boons, that they might reside here and be free from danger from the gods. When Indra applied to Svayambhū, he was told that he himself in another body should destroy them. As the gods were unable to slay them, Indra had given those weapons to Arjuna, so that he might destroy them, Then Arjuna and Mātali again went to the abode of the gods (III, 172). --§ 445: While returning he beheld a celestial city, moving at will, with trees of gems, etc., with four gates, etc., and Mātali told him it was Hiraṇyapura, made by Brahmán himself for the great Asuras, the Paulomas, and Kālakañjas, as the Daiteyī Pulomā and the Mahāsurī Kālakā had by practising austerities for 1, 000 celestial years obtained from Svayambhū that their offspring should suffer little misfortune, be incapable of being killed by gods, and obtain an aërial, etc., city, invincible even by the gods, Maharshis, Yakshas, Gandharvas, Pannagas, Asuras, and Rākshasas. Brahmán had destined that Arjuna, a mortal, should kill them. “Therefore destroy them with the thunderbolt.” A battle ensued
the Asuras resorted to illusion
the city now entered into the earth, and now it rose upwards, etc. Shot with the iron shafts of Arjuna the city fell down. Then they environed him in 60, 000 chariots, etc. Arjuna applied to Rudra, and seeing a man with three heads, nine eyes, etc., he applied the Raudra weapon to the Gāṇḍīva
when it had been hurled, there appeared forms of deer, lions, tigers, Garuḍas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Asuras, Guhyakas, Nairṛtas, Yātudhānas, etc., by thousands. The Dānavas, some of whom had three heads, some four tusks, etc., were destroyed. Arjuna again worshipped Tripuraghna (i.e. Śiva). Mātali rejoiced and praised Arjuna. The wives of the Dānavas came out of the city bewailing the slain. Mātali took Arjuna to the abode of Indra, and related in detail to Indra Arjuna's achievement, and Indra with the Maruts (v. 12269: the gods) praised him, and said that gods, Dānavas, Rākshasas, Yakshas, Asuras, Gandharvas, birds, and serpents should not be able to resist him in fight, etc. (III, 173).--§ 446: Indra said that on the battlefield Bhīshma, Droṇa, Kṛpa, Karṇa, Śakuni, etc., should not amount to (1/16) part of Arjuna. Then Indra gave him “this” golden garland, the shell Devadatta, etc. (see § 443). Then Indra told him to depart, “and thus after five years I come to you on the summit of this lower range of Gandhamādana (Gandhamādanapādasya).” Having promised that he should in the next morning show Yudhishṭhira all the celestial weapons, Arjuna passed that night there with all his brothers (III, 174).--§ 447: The next morning, when Arjuna was about to show the celestial weapons to Yudhishṭhira, the earth trembled, etc. The Brahmarshis, Siddhas, Maharshis, Devarshis, gods, Yakshas, Rākshasas, Gandharvas, etc., Pitāmaha, the Lokāpālas, and Mahādeva with his gaṇas appeared
Vāyu threw celestial garlands, sent by the gods, on Arjuna, the Gandharvas chanted ballads, and Apsarases danced
and sent by the gods Nārada came and prevailed upon Arjuna not to use the celestial weapons without necessity, as they would destroy the three worlds. Then the gods, etc., went whence they had come, and the Pāṇḍavas pleasantly dwelt in that same forest with Kṛshṇā (III, 175).