d of the force of the
thunder-bolt. And, seeing them hewn by the _Gandiva_, and deprived of
life, and thrown from the sky, I again bowed unto that god--the
Destroyer of _Tripura_. And, seeing those adorned with unearthly
ornaments, crushed by the weapon, the _Raudra_, the charioteer of the
celestials, experienced the greatest delight. And having witnessed the
accomplishment of that unbearable feat incapable of being achieved even
by the celestials themselves, Matali, the charioteer of Sakra, paid
homage unto me; and well-pleased, with joint hands said these words.
"The feat that hath been achieved by thee, is incapable of being borne
even by the gods, nay,--in battle, the lord of the celestials himself
cannot perform this deed. The sky-coursing mighty city incapable of
being destroyed by the gods and the Asuras hast thou, O hero, crushed by
thy own prowess and by the energy of asceticism." And when that aerial
city had been destroyed, and when the _Danavas_ also had been slain,
their wives, uttering cries of distress, like unto Kurari birds, with
hair dishevelled came out of the city. And bewailing for their sons and
brothers and fathers, they fell on the ground and cried with distressful
accents. And on being deprived for their lords, they beat their breasts,
their garlands and ornaments fallen off. And that city of _Danavas_, in
appearance like unto the city of the _Gandharvas_ filled with
lamentations and stricken with dole and distress, and bereft of grace
even like unto a lake deprived of (its) elephants, or like unto a forest
deprived of trees and (deprived of its) masters, looked no longer
beautiful--but it vanished, like a cloud-constructed city. And when I
had accomplished the task, from the field Matali took me of delighted
spirits, unto the abode of the lord of the celestials. And having slain
those mighty Asuras, and destroyed _Hiranyapura_, and having also killed
the _Nivata-Kavachas_, I came unto Indra. And, O exceedingly resplendent
one, as it had fallen out, Matali related in detail unto Devendra that
entire achievement of mine. And with the Marutas, hearing of the
destruction of _Hiranyapura_, of the neutralisation of the illusion, and
of the slaughter of the highly powerful Nivatakavachas in fight, the
prosperous thousand-eyed divine _Purandara_ was well pleased, and
exclaimed, "Well done; Well done!" And the king of the celestials
together with the celestials, cheering me again and again, said these
sw