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मातलीयोपाख्यान (mAtalIyopAkhyAna)

 
Mahabharata
English
[Mātalīyopākhyāna(ṃ)]
(“the episode relating to Mātali”). (Cf. Mātalīyam upākhyānaṃ.) § 564 (Bhagavady.). The holy Ṛshi (bhagavān ṛshiḥ) Kaṇva said to Duryodhana in the assembly of the Kurus: Brahmán, the grandsire of the universe (Lokapitāmahaḥ), is indestructible and eternal. The holy Ṛshis (bhagavantāv ṛshī) Nara and Nārāyaṇa are of the same character. Of all the sons of Aditi, Vishṇu alone is eternal…In this connection is cited an old story: Mātali, the charioteer of Indra, had, by his wife Sudharmā, one beautiful daughter, Guṇakeśī. As he found no suitable husband for her amongst D., Dai., G., or men and Ṛ., Mātali set out for the Nāgaloka (V, 97). On the way Nārada, proceeding to visit Varuṇa, followed Mātali, and first showed him the abode of Varuṇa, surrounded by his sons and grandsons. Varuṇa's son Pushkara had been chosen as husband by Soma's daughter Jyotsnākālī (who had [before]
chosen (so PCR.) the eldest and foremost of Aditi's sons (i.e. Sūrya, Nīl.)). He then showed him the abode, entirely made of gold, of the liquor (Vāruṇyaṃ): to the possession of that liquor (surā) the gods owe their being Surāḥ. He showed him also the weapons that had belonged to the Daityas and had been obtained by the gods as a booty of war
when hurled at the foe they always return into the hand that hurls them. Here dwelt in days of yore many tribes of Rā. and Dai. Here is that fire of blazing flames and the discus of Vishṇu
and that knotty bow that was created for the destruction of the world
it is always protected with great vigilance by the gods, and it is from this bow that the one wielded by Arjuna has taken its name
it is endued with the strength of 100, 000 bows
it punishes all wicked (rakshobandhushu) kings
it was first created by Brahmán and praised by Śukra (B. Cakreṇa)
it is held by the sons of the Lord of waters. He showed him also Varuṇa's umbrella in the umbrella-house, always dropping water that cannot be seen. Innumerable are the wonders to be seen here (V. 98). In the very centre of the Nāgaloka is the city Pātāla with Daityas and Dānavas, the Asura fire, fed by water
here the gods, having first vanquished their foes, quaffed the amṛta and deposited the residue
the Āditya Hayaśiras
from here Airāvata takes up water in order to impart it to the clouds, and it is that water which Indra pours down as rain
aquatic animals, the timi, etc., which subsist on the rays of the moon
here Mahādeva practised ascetic austerities for the benefit of all creatures
maharshis addicted to the vow of go (govratinaḥ)
here in the race of the celebrated elephant Supratīka were born the elephants Airāvaṇa (the king of his tribe), Vāmana, Kumuda, and Añjana
an egg in the waters from the commencement of the creation, whence, when the end of the world comes, a fire bursts forth and consumes the three worlds, etc. Mātali said: “No one here seems to be eligible” (V, 99). In Pātāla is Hiraṇyapura, built by the Dānava (so PCR.
B. and C. Viśvakarmaṇā) Maya, belonging to the Daityas and Dānavas, who in days of yore lived here having obtained boons, exhibiting 1, 000 different kinds of illusion, incapable of being vanquished by Śakra, Yama, Varuṇa, or Kubera, etc. The Kālakhañjas (Asuras, who sprang from Vishṇu(?), so PCR.: Asurāḥ Kālakhañjāś ca tathā Vishṇupadodbhavāḥ
C. Kālakaº) and the Yātudhānas (Rākshasas, who sprang from the feet of Brahmán(?), so PCR.: Nairṛtā Yātudhānāś ca Brahmapadodbhavāś ca ye) (description)
the Nivātakavacas (Dānavas)
“many times, O Mātali! thou with thy son Gomukha and Indra hadst to retreat before them”
description of their abodes (the gems arkasphaṭika, vajrasāra, padmarāga, etc.). Mātali would not choose a son-in-law among the Dānavas, the enemies of the gods
“as regards thyself (i.e. Nārada), I know that thy heart is ever set on fomenting quarrels (hiṃsātmakaṃ)” (V, 100). Then the world of the Suparṇas, who subsist on snakes and have sprung from the six sons of Garuḍa: Sumukha, etc. (), of Kaśyapa's and Vinatā's race, adorned with the Śrīvatsa, belonging to the kshatriya order, for they never attain to brahmanhood (brāhmaṇyaṃ) in consequence of their preying upon their kinsmen
they are shown favour by Vishṇu, and adore Vishṇu. The names of the principal are: Suvarṇacūḍa, etc. () (V, 101). Rasātala is the seventh stratum below the earth
here dwells Surabhī, the mother of kine, born of the amṛta
her milk springs from the essence of the six different kinds of tastes
she sprang of old from the mouth of Brahmán, who was gratified with drinking the amṛta and vomited the best of things (i.e. the cow and the brahman, PCR.). A jet of her milk created the Milky Ocean (kshīranidhi), covered with white foam that is the food of the ascetics (munisattamāḥ) Phenapāḥ (“Foamdrinkers”)
the very gods fear them because of their austerities. From Surabhī are born the four kine that support the quarters (diśāṃ pālyaḥ): in the East Surūpā, in the South Haṃsikā, in the West Subhadrā, in the North (dharmyām Ailavilasañjñitāṃ) Sarvakāmadughā. The gods and the Asuras, making Mandara their pole, churned the Ocean, and obtained Vāruṇī, Lakshmī, amṛta, Uccaiḥśravas, and Kaustubha. Surabhī milks sudhā to those who live on sudhā (i.e. the Nāgas, PCR.), svadhā to those who live on svadhā (i.e. the Pitṛs, PCR.), and amṛta to those who live on amṛta (i.e. the gods, PCR.). The gāthā that was sung by the dwellers of Rasātala in days of old is still heard to be recited in the world by persons of learning: “Neither in the Nāga-loka, nor in Svarga, nor in a vimāna, nor in heaven (Tripishṭape) is residence so happy as in Rasātala” (V, 102). The city of Bhogavatī resembles Indra's city Amarāvatī
it is ruled over by Vāsuki, the king of the Nāgas
here dwells Śesha (b)
here dwell the innumerable Nāgas (description), the sons of Surasā, wearing svastika, etc. The principal are Vāsuki, etc. (). Mātali wished to get for his son-in-law the Nāga Sumukha of Airāvata's race, the son of Cikura (who had been not long before slain by Garuḍa), and the grandson of Āryaka Kauravya and the daughter's son of Vāmana (V, 103). Nārada introduced Mātali to Āryaka as the friend and charioteer of Indra, who drives his chariot drawn by 1, 000 steeds, and thereby has vanquished the enemies of the gods. Āryaka objected that Garuḍa, who had slain Cikura, when he left these regions had said that after a month he would devour Sumukha also. According to a proposal of Mātali, they all visited Indra and Vishṇu
Vishṇu proposed to give amṛta to Sumukha
but Indra disagreed on account of the prowess of Garuḍa
instead he gave him an excellent lease of life, and having married Mātali's daughter he returned home (V, 104). Garuḍa made remonstrances to Indra, saying that he, like him, can without any fatigue bear the weight of the three worlds
that he had slain the Daityas Śrutaśrī, etc. ()
that he not only perches on Vishṇu's flagstaff, but sometimes carries him with all his friends on his back, and he can carry Vishṇu without fatigue on only one of his feathers. Vishṇu shows him that he cannot bear the weight of his one right arm
then he threw Sumukha with the toe of his foot upon Garuḍa's breast. And from that time Garuḍa has ever lived (in friendship?) with that snake. Kaṇva continued: “In the same way, O Duryodhana! thou canst note ncounter Bhīma, etc. ().” Duryodhana, fixing his eyes on Karṇa, burst into laughter, saying: “I am precisely what the creator has made me” (V, 105).