इच्छेयं त्वत्प्रसादेन स्वात्मनः प्रकृतिं स्थिराम्। एतच्छ्रुत्वा हुतवहाद्भगवान्सर्वलोककृत्
'By your grace, I wish to regain my own steady nature.' Having heard this from the fire-god, the blessed creator of all worlds—
हव्यवाहमिदं वाक्यमुवाच प्रहसन्निव। त्वया द्वादश वर्षाणि वसोर्धाराहुतं हविः
—spoke to the carrier of offerings, smiling as if in amusement: 'For twelve years you have consumed clarified butter as your offering.'
उपयुक्तं महाभाग तेन त्वां ग्लानिराविशत्। तेजसा विप्रहीणत्वात्सहसा हव्यवाहन
'That has been enough, O illustrious one; therefore, weariness has come upon you, O fire-god, because you have been deprived of energy.'
मागमस्त्वं व्यथां वह्ने प्रकृतिस्थो भविष्यसि। अरुचिं नाशयिष्येऽहं समयं प्रतिपद्य ते
'Do not be troubled, O Fire; you will return to your own nature. I will remove your distaste, making a promise to you.'
पुरा देवनियोगेन यत्त्वया भस्मसात्कृतम्। आलयं देवशत्रूणां सुघोरं खाण्डवं वनम्
'Long ago, by the command of the gods, you burned to ashes the dreadful Khandava forest, the abode of the enemies of the gods.'
तत्र सर्वाणि सत्वानि निवसन्ति विभावसो। तेषां त्वं मेदसा तृप्तः प्रकृतिस्थो भविष्यसि
'There, O radiant one, all creatures dwell; by consuming their fat, you will be satisfied and restored to your own nature.'
गच्छ शीघ्रं प्रदग्धुं त्वं ततो मोक्ष्यसि किल्विषात्। एतच्छुत्वा तु वचनं परमेष्ठिमुखाच्च्युतम्
Go quickly to burn it; then you will be freed from your sin. Hearing these words, which fell from the mouth of the Lord of Creation,
उत्तमं जवमास्थाय प्रदुद्राव हुताशनः। आगम्य खाण्डवं दावमुत्तमं वीर्यमास्थितः। सहसा प्राज्वलच्चाग्निः क्रुद्धो वायुसमीरितः
Taking up his utmost speed, the Fire-god rushed forth. Arriving at the Khandava forest, filled with great energy, Agni suddenly blazed forth, fanned by the wind, in anger.
प्रदीप्तं खाण्डवं दृष्ट्वा ये स्युस्तत्र निवासिनः। परमं यत्नेमातिष्ठन्पावकस्य प्रशान्तये
Seeing the Khandava forest set aflame, all those who dwelled there exerted themselves with the greatest effort to extinguish the fire.
करैस्तु करिणः शीघ्रं जलमादाय सत्वराः। सिषिचुः पावकं क्रुद्धाः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
The elephants, quickly taking water with their trunks, hurriedly and angrily poured it on the fire by the hundreds and thousands.
बहुशीर्षास्ततो नागाः शिरोभिर्जलसन्ततिम्। मुमुचुः पावकाभ्याशे सत्वराः क्रोधमूर्च्छिताः
Then the many-headed serpents, filled with wrath, swiftly released streams of water from their heads near the fire.
तथैवान्यानि सत्वानि नानाप्रहरणोद्यमैः। विलयं पावकं शीघ्रमनयन्भरतर्षभ
Likewise, other creatures, employing various weapons and means, quickly subdued the fire, O best of the Bharatas.
अनेन तु प्रकारेण भूयोभूयश्च प्रज्वलन्। सप्तकृत्वः प्रशमितः खाण्डवे हव्यवाहनः
In this way, though he blazed forth again and again, the fire in Khandava was extinguished seven times.
स तु नैराश्यमापन्नः सदा ग्लानिसमन्वितः। पितामहमुपागच्छत्संक्रुद्धो हव्यवाहनः
Then, falling into despair and always afflicted with fatigue, the Fire-god, filled with anger, approached the Grandsire.
तच्च सर्वं यथान्यायं ब्रह्मणे संन्यवेदयत्। उवाच चैवनं भगवान्मुहूर्तं स विचिन्त्य तु
He reported everything properly to Brahma, and after considering for a moment, the Blessed Lord spoke to him.
उपायः परिदृष्टो मे यथा त्वं धक्ष्यसेऽनघ। कालं च कंचित्क्षमतां ततस्तद्धक्ष्यते भवान्
I have discerned a means by which you, O sinless one, will be able to burn it. Be patient for a while, and then you shall consume it.
भविष्यतः सहायौ ते नरनारायणौ तदा। ताभ्यां त्वं सहितो दावं धक्ष्यसे हव्यवाहन
At that time, you will have two allies: Nara and Narayana. With their help, O Fire-god, you will burn the forest.
एवमस्त्विति तं वह्निर्ब्रह्माणं प्रत्यभाषत। संभूतौ तौ विदित्वा तु नरनारायणावृषी
‘So be it,’ replied Agni to Brahma. Knowing that Nara and Narayana had appeared,
कालस्य महतो राजंस्तस्य वाक्यं स्वयंभुवः। अनुस्मृत्य जगामाथ पुनरेव पितामहम्
Remembering the words of the self-born Lord about the great destined time, the king of fires again went to the Grandsire.
अब्रवीच्च तदा ब्रह्मा यथा त्वं धक्ष्यसेऽनल। खाण्डवं दावमद्यैव मिषतोऽस्य शचीपतेः
Then Brahma said to him, ‘Now, as you watch, O slayer of foes, you shall burn the Khandava forest today, in the presence of the lord of Sachi.’
नरनारायणौ यौ तौ पूर्वदेवौ विभावसो। संप्राप्तौ मानुषे लोके कार्यार्थं हि दिवौकसाम्
Those two, Nara and Narayana, the ancient gods, O blazing one, have now come to the world of men for the sake of the gods’ purpose.
अर्जुनं वासुदेवं च यौ तौ लोकोऽभिमन्यते। तावेतौ सहितावेहि खाण्डवस्य समीपतः
Those whom the world knows as Arjuna and Vasudeva—know that these two, together, are near Khandava.
तौ त्वं याचस्व साहाय्ये दाहार्थं खाण्डवस्य च। ततो धक्ष्यसि तं दावं रक्षितं त्रिदशैरपि
Seek their help for burning Khandava; then you will burn that forest, even if it is protected by the gods.
तौ तु सत्वानि सर्वाणि यत्नतो वारयिष्यतः। देवराजं च सहितौ तत्र मे नास्ति संशयः
Those two will strive to hold back all the beings, and even the king of the gods, together; of this I have no doubt.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं त्वरितो हव्यवाहनः। कृष्णपार्थावुपागम्य यमर्थं त्वभ्यभाषत
Hearing these words, the swift bearer of offerings, Agni, approached Krishna and Arjuna and spoke to them about the matter.
तं ते कथितवानस्मि पूर्वमेव नृपोत्तम। तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं त्वग्नेर्बीभत्सुर्जातवेदसम्
I have already told you this before, O best of kings; upon hearing Agni's words, Bhībhatsu addressed the fire-born deity.
अब्रवीन्नृपशार्दूल तत्कालसदृशं वचः। दिधक्षुं खाण्डवं दावमकामस्य शतक्रतोः
The tiger among kings spoke words suited to the occasion, desiring to burn the Khāṇḍava forest against the wishes of Śatakratu.
उत्तमास्त्राणि मे सन्ति दिव्यानि च बहूनि च। यैरहं शक्नुयां योद्धुमपि वज्रधरान्बहून्
I possess excellent and many divine weapons, with which I could fight even numerous bearers of the thunderbolt.
धनुर्मे नास्ति भगवन्बाहुवीर्येण संमितम्। कुर्वतः समरे यत्नं वेगं यद्विषहेन्मम
But, O Lord, I do not have a bow that matches the strength of my arms; for my effort in battle, I need one that can withstand my force.
शरैश्च मेऽर्थो बहुभिरक्षयैः क्षिप्रमस्यतः। न हि वोढुं रथः शक्तः शरान्मम यथेप्सितान्
I also require many inexhaustible arrows, for as I shoot them swiftly, no chariot is able to bear the arrows as I desire.