Divine Beings
Matali
मातलि
Charioteer of the Thunderer
Who was Matali?
Matali (मातलि): Charioteer of the Thunderer, one of the divine beings in the Mahabharata. Indra's beloved charioteer, versed in equine lore, who brought the celestial car down to Gandhamadana to carry Arjuna up to Amaravati and drove him through the Nivatakavacha war, where the darkness grew so thick that even he fell from his seat.
Quick Facts
| Sanskrit name | मातलि |
|---|---|
| Title / Epithet | Charioteer of the Thunderer |
| Faction | Divine Beings |
| Key traits | Steady, Skilled, Devoted, Fatherly |
| Notable relationships | Master: Indra, Charioteer To: Arjuna, Guide: Narada |
| Featured in | 5 stories |
About Matali
Indra's beloved charioteer, versed in equine lore, who brought the celestial car down to Gandhamadana to carry Arjuna up to Amaravati and drove him through the Nivatakavacha war, where the darkness grew so thick that even he fell from his seat. In a quieter tale he went looking through the nether worlds for a bridegroom worthy of his daughter Gunakesi, guided by Narada past Rasatala and Bhogavati until he settled on the Naga prince Sumukha.
In Their Words
Mount, son of Kunti. The car of the thousand-eyed one has come down for you.
Matali
Traits
- Steady
- Skilled
- Devoted
- Fatherly
Story Appearances
Stories Featuring Matali
4 further tales on this site name Matali, in canonical reading order.
- The Blind King Counts the OddsA father adds up his enemies and hears whose fault it was
- The Weapons That Must Not Be ShownA demonstration the three worlds could not survive
- The Testimony of the ElementsWhat Rama said when she was brought back to him
- The Order Yudhishthira GaveA king overrules the guard his brother posted
Character Arc
- The DescentBrings Indra's car down for a mortal archer
- The SearchFinds no bridegroom in heaven and goes below the earth
- The FallThrown from his seat in the darkness of the Danava battle
Key Relationships
Places in Matali's Story
Drawn from the stories Matali appears in.
Related Characters
Others counted among the Divine Beings.