Khandavadaha Parva — Burning of the Khandava

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.

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,

"Give me without delay the bow and the quiver and also the ape-banned chariot which were obtained from the king Soma.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

Stationed on high the ape seemed bent upon burning everything it saw. There were other creatures also on other flags.

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).

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).

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.

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.

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."

Then lord Varuna gave him (Krishna) a club, named Kaumodaki, capable of killing every Daityas and producing a roar like that of the thunder.

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.

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.

Therefore, O lord, blaze as much as you like. Surround this large forest with fire. We are quite capable of helping you. Vaishampayana said :

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.

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.

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).

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.