Chapter 164

Vaisampayana continued, “And it came to pass that once a day as thosemighty charioteers were thinking of Arjuna, seeing Mahendra’s car, yokedwith horses of the effulgence of lightning, arrive all on a sudden, theywere delighted. And driven by Matali, that blazing car, suddenlyilluminating the sky, looked like smokeless flaming tongues of fire, or amighty meteor embosomed in clouds. And seated in that car appeared Kiritiwearing garlands and new-made ornaments. Then Dhananjaya possessing theprowess of the wielder of the thunder-bolt, alighted on that mountain,blazing in beauty. And that intelligent one decked in a diadem andgarlands, having alighted on the mountain, first bowed down at the feetof Dhaumya, and then at those of Ajatasatru. And he also paid homage untoVrikodara’s feet; and the twins also bowed down unto him. Then going toKrishna, and having cheered her, he stood before his (elder) brother inhumble guise. And on meeting with that matchless one, they wereexceedingly delighted. And he also meeting with them rejoicedexceedingly, and began to eulogise the king. And seeing before them thatcar driving in which the slayer of Namuchi had annihilated sevenphalanxes of Diti’s offspring, the magnanimous Parthas went round it. Andbeing highly pleased, they offered excellent worship unto Matali, as untothe lord of the celestials himself. And then the son of the Kuru kingduly enquired of him after the health of all the gods. And Matali alsogreeted them. And having instructed the Parthas even as a father doth hissons, he ascended that incomparable car, and returned to the lord of thecelestials.

“And when Matali had gone away, that foremost of the royal race, Sakra’sson, the high-souled destroyer of all foes made over unto his love, themother of Sutasoma, beautiful precious gems and ornaments having thesplendour of the sun, which had been presented to him by Sakra. Then,sitting in the midst of those foremost of the Kurus, and those best ofthe Brahmanas, effulgent like unto fire or the sun, he began to relateall as it had happened, saying, “In this way, I have learnt weapons fromSakra, Vayu, and the manifest Siva; and all the celestials with Indraalso have been pleased with me, on account of my good behaviour, andconcentration.’

“After having briefly narrated unto them his sojourn in heaven, Kiriti ofspotless deeds agreeably slept that night with the two sons of Madri.”