Mahabharata Vana Parva Chapter 171:2

Mahabharata Vana Parva (Tirtha-yatra Parva)

Mahabharata Vana Parva Chapter 171:2 And that quarter was completely covered with the Nivata-Kavachas that had been killed or baffled, comparable unto cliffs and lying scattered like crags. And then no injury appeared to have been sustained either by the horses, or by the car, or by Matali, or by me, and this seemed strange. Then, O king, Matali addressed me smiling, 'Not in the celestials themselves, O Arjuna, is seen the prowess that is seen in thee. And when the Danava hosts had been destroyed, all their females began to bewail in that city, like unto cranes in autumn. Then with Matali I entered that city, terrifying with the rattling of my car the wives of the Nivata-Kavachas. Thereupon, seeing those ten thousand horses like unto peacocks (in hue), and also that chariot resembling the sun, the women fled in swarms. And like unto (the sounds of) rocks falling on a mountain, sounds arose of the (falling) ornaments of the terrified dames. (At length), the panic-stricken wives of the Daityas entered into their respective golden places variegated with innumerable jewels. 'Beholding that excellent city, superior to the city of the celestials themselves, I asked Matali, saying, 'Why do not the celestials reside in such (a place)? Surely, this appeareth superior to the city of Purandara.' Thereat, Matali said, 'In days of yore, O Partha, even this was the city of our lord of the celestials. Afterwards the celestials were driven from hence by the Nivata-Kavachas. Having performed the most rigid austerities, they had gratified the Grand-father and had asked (and obtained) the boons—namely, that they might reside here, and that they might be free from danger in wars with the gods.' Then Sakra addressed the self-create lord saying, 'Do thou, O lord, desirous of our own welfare do what is proper.' Thereupon, O Bharata, in this matter the Lord commanded (Indra), saying, 'O slayer of foes, in another body, even thou shalt be (the destroyer of the Danavas).' Then, in order to slaughter them, Sakra rendered unto thee those weapons. The gods had been unable to slay these, who have been slain by thee. O Bharata, in the fullness of time, hadst thou come hither, in order to destroy them and thou hast done so. O foremost of men, with the object that the demons might be killed, Mahendra had conferred on thee the excellent prime energy of these weapons.' "Arjuna continued, 'After having destroyed the Danavas, and also subdued that city, with Matali I again went to that abode of the celestials.'"