वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तः स भगवान् धूमकेतुर्हताशनः। चिन्तयामास वरुणं लोकपालं दिदृक्षया॥ आदित्यमुदके देवं निवसन्तं जलेश्वरम्। स च तच्चिन्तितं ज्ञात्वा दर्शयामास पावकम्॥
Vaishampayana said : Having been thus addressed, the illustrious smoke-banned (deity) Agni recollected Varuna, the protector of the world, the son of Aditi and the lord of waters having his home in the waters, He too knowing that he was thought of, appeared before Agni.
तमब्रवीद् धूमकेतुः प्रतिगृह्य जलेश्वरम्। चतुर्थं लोकपालानां देवदेवं सनातनम्॥
The smoke-banned deity (Agni) with reverence welcomes the lord of the waters, the foremost of the Lokapalas, the eternal god of gods and he then thus spoke to him,
सोमेन राज्ञा यद् दत्तं धनुश्चैवेषुधी च ते। तत् प्रयच्छोभयं शीघ्रं रथं च कपिलक्षणम्॥
"Give me without delay the bow and the quiver and also the ape-banned chariot which were obtained from the king Soma.
कार्यं च सुमहत् पार्थो गाण्डीवेन करिष्यति। चक्रेण वासुदेववश्च तन्ममाद्य प्रदीयताम्॥
Partha will (today) accomplish a great deed with the Gandiva (the bow in question) and Vasudeva also with the discus. Therefore, give them both to me today."
ददानीत्येव वरुणः पावकं प्रत्यभाषत। तदद्भुतं महावीर्यं यश:कीर्तिविवर्धनम्॥ सर्वशस्त्रैरनार सर्वशस्त्रप्रमाथि च। सर्वायुधमहामात्रं परसैन्यप्रधर्षणम्॥ एकं शतसहस्रेण सम्मितं राष्ट्रवर्धनम्। चित्रमुच्चावचैर्वर्णैः शोभितं श्लक्ष्णमव्रणम्॥ देवदानवगन्धर्वैः पूजितं शाश्वतीः समाः। प्रादाच्चैव धनूरत्नमक्षय्ये च महेषुधी॥
Varuna said to Agni, “I am giving." He then gave him that jewel of a bow, Gandiva, a bow endued with great energy. It was a great enhancer of fame and achievements, it was incapable of being injured by any weapon, it was the chief of all weapons and the gem of them all, it was the smiter of hostile armies and it was alone equal to one hundred thousand bow; it was the enhancer of kingdoms and it was variegated with excellent colours; it was well-adorned and beautiful to look at without a mark of weakness and injury anywhere and it was always worshipped both by the celestial and the Gandharvas.
रथं च दिव्याश्वयुजं कपिप्रवरकेतनम्। उपेतं राजतैरश्वैर्गान्धर्हममालिभिः॥ पाण्डुराभ्रप्रतीकाशैर्मनोवायुसमैर्जवे। सर्वोपकरणैर्युक्तमजय्यं देवदानवैः॥
He also gave him a chariot filled with celestial weapons and having a large ape as its standard. Yoked to that chariot were steeds as white as the silver or the fleecy clouds, they were born in the regions of the Gandharvas and they were all adorned with golden harness. They had the speed of the wind or the mind. The chariot was equipped with every instruments of war and was incapable of being vanquished by the celestial or the Asuras.
भानुमन्तं महाघोषं सर्वरत्नमनोरमम्। ससर्ज यं सुतपसा भौमनो भुवनप्रभुः॥ प्रजापतिरनिर्देश्यं यस्य रूपं रवेरिव। यं स्म सोमः समारुह्य दानवानजयत् प्रभुः॥
Its splendour was very great and the sound of its wheels were tremendous; it delighted the heart of every creature that looked at it. It was created by Prajapati after severe ascetic mediation. It was as effulgent as the sun and its splendour was so great that none could gaze at it. It was that very chariot riding on which the lord Soma defeated the Danavas.
नवमेघप्रतीकाशं ज्वलन्तमिव च श्रिया। आश्रितौ तं रथश्रेष्ठं शक्रायुधसमावुभौ॥ तापनीया सुरुचिरा ध्वजयष्टिरनुत्तमा। तस्यां तु वानरो दिव्यः सिंहशार्दूलकेतनः॥
Resplendent with beauty, it looked like an evening could reflecting the splendour of the sun. It was furnished with an excellent flagstaff of golden colour and beauty. And there sat upon that staff a fierce-looking celestial ape which looked like a lion or a tiger.
दिधक्षन्निव तत्र स्म संस्थितो मूर्ध्यशोभत। ध्वजे भूतानि तत्रासन् विविधानि महान्ति च॥
Stationed on high the ape seemed bent upon burning everything it saw. There were other creatures also on other flags.
नादेन रिपुसैन्यानां येषां संज्ञा प्रणश्यति। स तं नानापताकाभिः शोभितं रथसत्तमम्॥ प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत्य दैवतेभ्यः प्रणम्य च। संनद्धः कवची खङ्गी बद्धगोधाङ्गुलित्रकः॥
Whose roars caused the soldiers of the enemy's army to faint away. Then walking round that excellent car adorned with various flags and banners and bowing to the celestial, Arjuna, attired in armour, armed with sword and his fingers increased in leather, ascended it as a virtuous man (on a celestial car that takes him to heaven).
आरुरोह तदा पार्थो विमानं सुकृती यथा। तच्च दिव्यं धनुः श्रेष्ठं ब्रह्मणा निर्मितं पुरा॥ गाण्डीवमुपसंगृह्य बभूव मुदितोऽजुनः। हुताशनं पुरस्कृत्य ततस्तदपि वीर्यवान्॥ जग्राह बलमास्थाय ज्यया च युयुजे धनुः। मौ। तु योज्यमानायां बलिना पाण्डवेन ह॥ येऽशृण्वन् कूजितं तत्र तेषां वै व्यथितं मनः।
Taking upto that celestial and the best of all bows, that which was created by Brahma in days of yore and which was called Gandiva, Arjuna became exceedingly glad. Bowing down to Agni, the greatly powerful hero took up the bow with force and stringed it. His heart trembled who heard the noise that was made while the bow was stringed by the mighty Pandava (Arjuna).
लब्ध्वा रथं धनुश्चैव तथाक्षय्ये महेषुधी॥ बभूव कल्यः कौन्तेयः प्रहृष्टः साह्यकर्मणि। वज्रनाभं ततश्चक्रं ददौ कृष्णाय पावकः॥
Having obtained that chariot and bow and the two inexhaustible quivers the son of Kunti became exceedingly glad; and he then thought that he was competent to assist Agni in the task. Then (Agni) gave Krishna a discuss with a piece of iron attached to its centre.
आग्नेयमस्त्रं दयितं स च कल्योऽभवत् तदा। अब्रवीत् पावकश्चैवमेतेन मधुसूदन।॥ अमानुषानपि रणे जेष्यसि त्वमसंशयम्। अनेन तु मनुष्याणां देवानामपि चाहवे॥ रक्षःपिशाचदैत्यानां नागानां चाधिकस्तथा। भविष्यसि न संदेहः प्रवरोऽपि निबर्हणे॥
It was a desirable fiery weapon and on receiving it, he too became competent to assist Agni. Then Agni said, “O slayer of Madhu Krishna, you shall certainly, with the help of this weapon, be able to defeat you enemies, even if they are not human. O Madhava, with this weapon you shall certainly be superior to men and gods, to Rakshasas and Pishachas, to Daityas and Nagas. You shall certainly be able to kill all creatures with this weapon.
क्षिप्तं क्षिप्तं रणे चैतत् त्वया माधव शत्रुषु। हत्वाप्रतिहतं संख्ये पाणिमेष्यति ते पुनः॥
Being hurled at your enemy by you in battle, it will irresistibly kill the enemy and it will then again come back to your hands."
वरुणश्च ददौ तस्मै गदामशनिनिःस्वनाम्। दैत्यान्तकरणी घोरां नाम्ना कौमोदकी प्रभुः॥
Then lord Varuna gave him (Krishna) a club, named Kaumodaki, capable of killing every Daityas and producing a roar like that of the thunder.
ततः पावकमबूतां प्रहृष्टावर्जुनाच्युतौ। कृतास्त्रौ शस्त्रसम्पन्नौ रथिनौ ध्वजिनावपि॥ कल्यौ स्वो भगवन् योद्धमपि सर्वैः सुरासुरैः। किं पुनर्वज्रिणैकेन पन्नगार्थे युयुत्सता॥
Then Arjuna and Achyuta (Krishna) thus spoke to Agni in joy, “O illustrious one, furnished ass we are now with great weapons and well conversant with their use and possessed as we are of cars with flats and flatstaff, we are now able to fight even with all the celestial and the Asuras put together, not to speak of the wielder of thunder (Indra) who desire to fight for the sake of the Naga Takshaka.
अर्जुन उवाच चक्रपाणिर्हषीकेशो विचरन् युधि वीर्यवान्। चक्रेण भस्मसात् सर्वं विसृष्टेन तु वीर्यवान्। त्रिषु लोकेषु तन्नास्ति यन्न कुर्याज्जनार्दनः॥ गाण्डीवं धनुरादाय तथाक्षय्ये महेषुधी। अहमप्युत्सहे लोकान् विजेतुं युधि पावक॥
Arjuna said : O Agni, when the greatly powerful Hrishikesha Krishna moves on the field of battle with this discuss in hand, there is nothing in the three worlds which he is not able to consume by hurling his weapon. Having obtained the bow Gandiva and these two inexhaustible quivers, I am also ready to vanquish the three worlds.
सर्वतः परिवायैवं दावमेतं महाप्रभो। कामं सम्प्रज्वलाद्यैव कल्यौ स्वः साह्यकर्मणि॥
Therefore, O lord, blaze as much as you like. Surround this large forest with fire. We are quite capable of helping you. Vaishampayana said :
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तः स भगवान् दाशार्हेणार्जुनेन च। तैजसं रूपमास्थाया दावं दग्धुं प्रचक्रमे॥
Having been thus addressed by Dasharha (Krishna) and Arjuna, the illustrious (Agni) put forth his most energetic form and he then prepared himself to consume that forest.
सर्वतः परिवार्याथ सप्ताचिर्खलनस्तथा। ददाह खाण्डवं दावं युगान्तमिव दर्शयन्॥
Having sur Sunded it from all sides with his seven flames and appearing as fearful as he appears at the end of a Yuga, he begin to consume the Khandava.
प्रतिगृह्य समाविश्य तद् वनं भरतर्षभ। मेघस्तनितनिर्घोषः सर्वभूतान्यकम्पयत्॥
best of the Bharata race, having surrounded that forest and catching it on all sides, he roared like that of the clouds and made every creature within it tremble (with fear).
दह्यतस्तस्य च बभौ रूपं दावस्य भारत। मेरोरिव नगेन्द्रस्य कीर्णस्यांशुमर्तोऽशुभिः॥
O descendant of Bharata, that burning forest looked like, the resplendent Meru, the king of the mountains, blazing with the rays of the sun falling on it.