"Arjuna said, 'Then with rocks of the proportions of trees, there
commenced a mighty shower of crags; and this exercised me exceedingly.
And in that high encounter, I crushed (those crags) by swift-speeding
showers of arrows, issuing from Mahendra's weapon, like unto the
thunder-bolt itself. And when the rocks had been reduced to powder,
there was generated fire; and the rocky dust fell like unto masses of
flames. And when the showers of crags had been repelled, there happened
near me a mightier shower of water, having currents of the proportions
of an axle. And falling from the welkin, those thousands of powerful
torrents covered the entire firmament and the directions and the
cardinal points. And on account of the pouring of the shower, and of the
blowing of the wind, and of roaring of the _Daityas_, nothing could be
perceived. And touching heaven and the entire earth, and incessantly
falling on the ground, the showers bewildered me. Thereupon, I
discharged that celestial weapon which I had learnt from Indra--even the
dreadful and flaming _Visoshana_: and by that the water was dried up.
And, O Bharata, when the rocky shower had been destroyed, and the watery
shower had been dried up, the _Danavas_ began to spread illusions of
fire and wind. Then by aqueous appliances I extinguished the flames; and
by a mighty rock-issuing arm, resisted the fury of the winds. And when
these had been repelled, the _Danavas_, irrepressible in battle, O
Bharata, simultaneously created various illusions. And there happened a
tremendous horrifying shower of rocks and dreadful weapons of fire and
wind. And that illusory downpour afflicted me in fight. And then on all
sides there appeared a dense and thick darkness. And when the world had
been enveloped in deep and dense darkness, the steeds turned away,
Matali fell off, and from his hand the golden lash fell to the earth.
And, O foremost of the Bharatas, being frightened, he again and again
cried, "Where art thou?" And when he had been stupefied, a terrible fear
possessed me. And then in a hurry, he spake unto me, saying, "O Partha,
for the sake of nectar, there had taken place a mighty conflict between
the gods and the demons. I had seen that (encounter), O sinless one. And
on the occasion of the destruction of Samvara, there had occurred a
dreadful and mighty contest. Nevertheless I had acted as charioteer to
the lord of the celestials. In the same way, on the occasion of the
slaying of _Vritra_, the steeds had been conducted by me. And I had also
beheld the high and terrific encounter with _Virochana's_ son, and, O
Pandava, with _Vala_, and with _Prahrada_ and with others also. In these
exceedingly dreadful battles, I was present; but, O Pandu's son, never
(before) had I lost my senses. Surely the Greatfather hath ordained the
destruction of all creatures; for this battle cannot be for any other
purpose than destruction of the universe." Having heard these words of
his, "pacifying my perturbation by my own effort, I will destroy the
mighty energy of the illusion spread by the _Danavas_" quoth I unto the
terrified Matali. "Behold the might of my arms, and the power of my
weapons and of the bow, _Gandiva_. To-day even by (the help of)
illusion-creating arms, will I dispel this deep gloom and also this
horrible illusion of theirs. Do not fear, O charioteer. Pacify thyself."
Having said this, O lord of men, I created for the good of the
celestials, an illusion of arms capable of bewildering all beings. And
when (their) illusion had been dispelled, some of the foremost amongst
the _Asuras_, of unrivalled prowess, again spread diverse kinds of
illusion. Thereupon, now (the world) displayed itself, and now it was
devoured by darkness; and now the world disappeared from view and now it
was submerged under water. And when it had brightened up, Matali,
sitting in front of the car, with the wellconducted steeds, began to
range that hair-erecting field. Then the fierce _Nivata-Kavachas_
assailed me. And finding my opportunity, I began to send them to the
mansion of Yama. Thereupon, in that conflict then raging, calculated to
annihilate the _Nivata-Kavachas_ on a sudden, I could not see the
_Danavas_ concealed by illusion.'"