"Arjuna continued, 'Then at places eulogised by the _Maharshis_, I
(proceeded, and at length) beheld the ocean--that inexhaustible lord of
waters. And like unto flowing cliffs were seen on it heaving billows,
now meeting together and now rolling away. And there (were seen) all
around barks by thousands filled with gems. And there were seen
_timingilas_ and tortoises and _makaras_ like unto rock submerged in
water. And on all sides round thousands of shells sunk in water appeared
like stars in the night covered by light clouds. And thousands upon
thousands of gems were floating in heaps and a violent wind was blowing
about in whirls--and this was wonderful to behold. And having beheld
that excellent lord of all waters with powerful tides, I saw at a short
distance the city of the demons filled with the _Danavas_. And even
there, entering underneath the earth, Matali skilled in guiding the car,
sitting fast on the chariot drove it with force; and he dashed on,
frightening that city with the rattling of his chariot. And hearing that
rattling of the chariot like unto the rumbling of the clouds in the sky,
the _Danavas_, thinking me to be the lord of the celestials, became
agitated. And thereupon they all, frightened at heart, stood holding in
their hands bows and arrows and swords and javelins and axes and maces
and clubs. Then having made arrangements for the defence of the city,
the _Danavas_, with minds alarmed, shut the gates, so that nothing could
be discovered. Thereupon taking my shell, _Devadatta_, of tremendous
roars, I again and again winded it with exceeding cheerfulness. And
filling all the firmament, those sounds produced echoes. Thereat mighty
beings were terrified and they hid (themselves). And then, O Bharata,
all of them adorned with ornaments, those offsprings of _Diti_--the
_Nivata-Kavachas_--made their appearance by thousands, donning diverse
mail and taking in their hands various weapons and equipped with mighty
iron javelins and maces and clubs and hatchets and sabres and discs and
_sataghnis_ and _bhusundis_ and variegated and ornamented swords. Then,
after deliberating much as to the course of the car, Matali began to
guide the steeds on a (piece of) level ground, O foremost of the
Bharatas. And owing to the swiftness of those fleet coursers conducted
by him, I could see nothing--and this was strange. Then the _Danavas_
there began to sound thousands of musical instruments, dissonant and of
odd shapes. And at those sounds, fishes by hundreds and by thousands,
like unto hills, having their senses bewildered by that noise, fled
suddenly. And mighty force flew at me, the demons discharging sharpened
shafts by hundreds and by thousands. And then, O Bharata, there ensued a
dreadful conflict between me and the demons, calculated to extinguish
the _Nivata Kavachas_. And there came to the mighty battle the
_Devarshis_ and the _Danavarshis_ and the _Brahmarshis_ and the
_Siddhas_. And desirous of victory, the _Munis eulogised_ me with the
same sweet-speeches that (they had eulogised) Indra with, at the war,
(which took place) for the sake of _Tara_.'"