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.
तस्मिन्वने दह्यमाने षडग्निर्न ददाह च। अश्वसेनं मयं चैव चतुरः शार्ङ्गकांस्तथा
While that forest was burning, Agni did not consume Ashvasena, Maya, nor the four Sharngakas.
किमर्थं शार्ङ्गकानग्निर्न ददाह तथा गते। तस्मिन्वने दह्यमाने ब्रह्मन्नेतत्प्रचक्ष्व मे
O Brahman, tell me why Agni did not burn the Sharngakas as the forest was being consumed.
अदाहे ह्यश्वसेनस्य दानवस्य मयस्य च। कारणं कीर्तितं ब्रह्मञ्शार्ङ्गकाणां न कीर्तितम्
O Brahman, the reason for not burning Ashvasena and the Danava Maya has been stated, but not that of the Sharngakas.
तदेतदद्भुतं ब्रह्मञ्शार्ङ्गकाणामनामयम्। कीर्तयस्वाग्निसंमर्दे कथं ते न विनाशिताः
O Brahman, this is a wondrous and auspicious thing regarding the Sharngakas; tell me how they were not destroyed in Agni’s conflagration.
यदर्थं शार्ङ्गकानग्निर्न ददाह तथा गते। तत्ते सर्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि यथा भूतमरिन्दम
O subduer of enemies, I will tell you everything, as it truly happened, about why Agni did not burn the Sharngakas at that time.
धर्मज्ञानां मुख्यतमस्तपस्वी संशितव्रतः। आसीन्महर्षिः श्रुतवान्मन्दपाल इति श्रुतः
There was a great sage named Mandapala, renowned as the foremost among the righteous, devoted to austerity and firm in his vows.
स मार्गमाश्रितो राजन्नृषीणामूर्ध्वरेतसाम्। स्वाध्यायवान्धर्मरतस्तपस्वी विजितेन्द्रियः
He followed the path of the sages who observe celibacy, devoted to study, delighting in righteousness, practicing austerity, and having conquered his senses.
स गत्वा तपसः पारं देहमुत्सृज्य भारत। जगाम पितृलोकाय न लेभे तत्र तत्फलम्
Having reached the limit of asceticism, he abandoned his body and went to the world of the ancestors, but did not obtain the fruit there.
स लोकानफलान्दृष्ट्वा तपसा निर्जितानपि। पप्रच्छ धर्मराजस्य समीपस्थान्दिवौकसः
Seeing that the worlds he had attained through austerity were fruitless, he questioned the celestial beings near Dharmaraja.
किमर्थमावृता लोका ममैते तपसाऽर्जिताः। किं मया न कृतं तत्र यस्यैतत्कर्मणः फलम्
He asked, 'Why are these worlds, gained by my austerity, closed to me? What did I fail to do, that I receive this result for my actions?'