ed with the speed of the wind.
And furnished with prowess of illusion, the car was drawn with such
speed that the eye could hardly mark its progress. And Arjuna saw on
that car the flag-staff called _Vaijayanta_, of blazing effulgence,
resembling in hue the emerald or the dark-blue lotus, and decked with
golden ornaments and straight as the bamboo. And beholding a charioteer
decked in gold seated on that car, the mighty-armed son of Pritha
regarded it as belonging to the celestials. And while Arjuna was
occupied with his thoughts regarding the car, the charioteer Matali,
bending himself after descending from the car, addressed him, saying, 'O
lucky son of Sakra! Sakra himself wisheth to see thee. Ascend thou
without loss of time this car that hath been sent by Indra. The chief of
the immortals, thy father--that god of a hundred sacrifices--hath
commanded me, saying, _Bring the son of Kunti hither. Let the gods
behold him._ And Sankara himself, surrounded by the celestials and
Rishis and Gandharvas and Apsaras, waiteth to behold thee. At the
command of the chastiser of Paka, therefore, ascend thou with me from
this to the region of the celestials. Thou wilt return after obtaining
weapons.'

"Arjuna replied, 'O Matali, mount thou without loss of time this
excellent car, a car that cannot be attained even by hundreds of
_Rajasuya_ and horse sacrifices. Even kings of great prosperity who have
performed great sacrifices distinguished by large gifts (to Brahmanas),
even gods and Danavas are not competent to ride this car. He that hath
not ascetic merit is not competent to even see or touch this car, far
less to ride on it. O blessed one, after thou hast ascended it, and
after the horses have become still, I will ascend it, like a virtuous
man stepping into the high-road of honesty.'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Matali, the charioteer of Sakra, hearing these
words of Arjuna, soon mounted the car and controlled the horses. Arjuna
then, with a cheerful heart, purified himself by a bath in the Ganges.
And the son of Kunti then duly repeated (inaudibly) his customary
prayers. He then, duly and according to the ordinance, gratified the
_Pitris_ with oblations of water. And, lastly, he commenced to invoke
the Mandara--that king of mountains--saying, 'O mountain, thou art ever
the refuge of holy, heaven-seeking _Munis_ of virtuous conduct and
behaviour. It is through thy grace, O mountain, that Brahmanas and
Kshatriyas and Vaisyas at