दाहकाले खाण्डवस्य कुरुक्षेत्रं गतो ह्यसौ। न च शक्यौ युधा जेतुं कथंचिदपि वासव
"Your friend, Takshaka, the foremost serpent, is not present at the burning of Khandava; he has gone to Kurukshetra.
वासुदेवार्जुनावेतौ निबोध वचनान्मम। नरनारायणावेतौ पूर्वदेवौ दिवि श्रुतौ
And, O Vasava, Krishna and Arjuna cannot be conquered in battle by any means; know this from my words.
भवानप्यभिजानाति यद्वीर्यौ यत्पराक्रमौ। नैतौ शक्यौ दुराधर्षौ विजेतुमजितौ युधि
These two are Nara and Narayana, the ancient gods renowned in heaven; you yourself know their might and valor.
अपि सर्वेषु लोकेषु पुराणावृषिसत्तमौ। पूजनीयतमावेतावपि सर्वैः सुरासुरैः
They are invincible, unconquerable in battle, even among all beings in all worlds; these two ancient, supreme sages are most worthy of honor by all gods and asuras.
यक्षराक्षसगन्धर्वनरकिन्नरपन्नगैः। तस्मादितः सुरैः सार्धं गन्तुमर्हसि वासव
Along with Yakshas, Rakshasas, Gandharvas, Naras, Kinnaras, and Nagas, you ought to depart from here together with the gods, O Indra.
दिष्टं चाप्यनुपश्यैतत्खाण्डवस्य विनाशनम्। इति वाक्यमुपश्रुत्य तथ्यमित्यमरेश्वरः
And behold, by fate, this destruction of Khandava has been ordained; hearing these words, the lord of immortals recognized them as true.
क्रोधामर्षौ समुत्सृज्य संप्रतस्थे दिवं तदा। तं प्रस्थितं महात्मानं समवेक्ष्य दिवौकसः
Casting aside anger and resentment, he then set out for heaven; seeing that great-souled one departing, the dwellers of heaven—
सहिताः सेनया राजन्ननुजग्मुः पुरन्दरम्। देवराजं तदा यान्तं सह देवैरवेक्ष्य तु
—together with their army, O King, followed Purandara; and as the king of the gods departed with the deities, observing this—
वासुदेवार्जुनौ वीरौ सिंहनादं विनेदतुः। देवराजे गते राजन्प्रहृष्टौ केशवार्जुनौ
Vasudeva and Arjuna, those heroes, roared like lions; with the king of the gods gone, O King, Keshava and Arjuna rejoiced.
निर्विशङ्कं वनं वीरौ दाहयामासतुस्तदा। स मारुत इवाभ्राणि नाशयित्वाऽर्जुनः सुरान्
Then, fearless, the two heroes set fire to the forest; like the wind dispersing clouds, Arjuna destroyed the gods—
व्यधमच्छरसङ्घातैर्देहिनः खाण्डवालयान्। न च स्म किंचिच्छक्नोति भूतं निश्चरितुं ततः
He struck down the inhabitants of Khandava with showers of arrows; and no being was able to escape from there.
संछिद्यमानमिषुभिरस्यता सव्यसाचिना। नाशक्नुवंश्च भूतानि महान्त्यपि रणेऽर्जुनम्
As Savyasachi loosed his arrows and cut them down, even the mighty beings could not withstand Arjuna in battle.
निरीक्षितुममोघास्त्रं योद्धुं चापि कुतो रणे। शतं चैकेन विव्याध शतेनैकं पतत्रिणाम्
None could gaze upon his unfailing weapons, let alone fight him in battle; with one arrow he struck a hundred, and with a hundred, one.
व्यसवस्तेऽपतन्नग्नौ साक्षात्कालहता इव। न चालभन्त ते शर्म रोधःसु विषमेषु च
Deprived of life, they fell into the fire as if slain in a quarrel; nor did they find safety in thickets or difficult places.
पितृदेवनिवासेषु सन्तापश्चाप्यजायत। भूतसङ्घाश्च बहवो दीनाश्चक्रुर्महास्वनम्
In the abodes of ancestors and gods, distress arose; and many hosts of beings, afflicted, raised a great clamor.
रुरुदुर्वारणाश्चैव तथा मृगतरक्षवः। तेन शब्देन वित्रेसुर्गङ्गोदधिचरा झषाः
The elephants wailed, as did the deer and tigers; by that sound, the fish dwelling in the Ganga and the ocean were terrified.
विद्याधरगणाश्चैव ये च तत्र वनौकसः। न त्वर्जुनं महाबाहो नापि कृष्णं जनार्दनम्
And the hosts of Vidyadharas and those forest-dwellers there—none among them, O mighty-armed one, could look upon Arjuna, nor upon Krishna, Janardana.
निरीक्षितुं वै शक्नोति कश्चिद्योद्धुं कुतः पुनः। एकायनगता येऽपि निष्पेतुस्तत्र केचन
No one was able to gaze upon them, much less fight them in battle; yet some who had gathered in one place emerged there.
राक्षसा दानवा नागा जघ्ने चक्रेण तान्हरिः। ते तु भिन्नशिरोदेहाश्चक्रवेगाद्गतासवः
Rakshasas, Danavas, and Nagas—Hari struck them down with his discus; their heads and bodies severed by the speed of the discus, their lives departed.
पेतुरन्ये महाकायाः प्रदीप्ते वसुरेतसि। समांसरुधिरौधैश्च वसाभिश्चापि तर्पितः
Other great-bodied ones fell into the blazing, fertile earth; and the ground was saturated with flesh, blood, and fat.
उपर्याकाशगो भूत्वा विधूमः समपद्यत। दीप्ताक्षो दीप्तजिह्वश्च संप्रदीप्तमहाननः
Having become one who moves in the sky above, he appeared without smoke; with blazing eyes, a flaming tongue, and a mouth wide with fire.
दीप्तोर्ध्वकेशः पिङ्गाक्षः पिबन्प्राणभृतां वसाम्। तां स कृष्णार्जुनकृतां सुधां प्राप्य हुताशनः
With flaming, upraised hair, tawny eyes, drinking the fat of living beings—having obtained that nectar prepared by Krishna and Arjuna, the fire-god—
बभूव मुदितस्तृप्तः परां निर्वृतिमागतः। तथाऽसुरं मयं नाम तक्षकस्य निवेशनात्
Thus, Maya the Asura, having come from Takshaka’s abode, became joyful, satisfied, and attained supreme contentment.
विप्रद्रवन्तं सहसा ददर्श मधुसूदनः। तमग्निः प्रार्थयामास दिधक्षुर्वातसारथिः
Madhusudana saw him suddenly fleeing in fear, and Agni, eager to burn, requested the Wind-charioteer.
शरीरवाञ्जटी भूत्वा नदन्निव बलाहकः। विज्ञाय दानवेन्द्राणां मयं वै शिल्पिनां वरम्
Taking on a bodily form with matted hair, roaring like a storm cloud, Agni recognized Maya, the foremost of the Danava artisans.
जिघांसुर्वासुदेवस्तं चक्रमुद्यम्य धिष्ठितः। स चक्रमुद्यतं दृष्ट्वा दिधक्षन्तं च पावकम्
Desiring to slay him, Vasudeva stood ready, raising his discus; seeing the discus raised and Agni intent on burning him—
अभिधावार्जुनेत्येवं मयस्त्राहीति चाब्रवीत्। तस्य भीतस्वनं श्रुत्वा मा भैरिति धनंजयः
Maya cried out, 'Arjuna, help!' and, terrified, called for protection; hearing his frightened voice, Dhananjaya replied, 'Do not fear.'
प्रत्युवाच मयं पार्थो जीवयन्निव भारत। तं न भेतव्यमित्याह मयं पार्थो दयापरः
Partha spoke to Maya, as if granting him life, saying, 'You need not be afraid,' showing compassion.
तं पार्थेनाभये दत्ते नमुचेर्भ्रातरं मयम्। न हन्तुमैच्छद्दाशार्हः पावको न ददाह च
When Partha granted safety to Maya, the brother of Namuci, neither Dasharha wished to kill him, nor did Agni burn him.
तद्वनं पावको धीमान्दिनानि दश पञ्च च। ददाह कृष्णपार्थाभ्यां रक्षितः पाकशासनात्
Protected by Krishna and Partha, and by Indra’s command, the wise Agni burned that forest for fifteen days.