Khandavadaha Parva — Rescue of Maya

Vaishampayana said : The dwellers of the Khandava the Danavas, the Rakshasas, the Nagas the wolves and the bears, the other wild animals, the elephants with their temples rent, the tigers, the lions with manes, hundred of deer and buffaloes, birds and various other creatures, all being frightened by the falling stones and afflicted with anxiety, began to fly in all directions.

They saw the fire and also two Krishnas ready with their weapons. Frightened at the fearful sounds, they lost their power of locomotion. Seeing the fire burning in innumerable places and seeing also Krishna with weapons to shoot them down they all set up a terrible roar.

The whole of the firmament resounded with a terrible roar and with also the roar of the fire, as when the clouds roar at the time of the great dissolution.

The mighty-armed Krishna (dark) Keshava hurled at them for their destruction his large, fierce and greatly effulgent discuss.

The dwellers of that forest, including the Danavas and the Rakshasas, were struck by that weapon; and being cut into hundred of pieces, they fill into the mouth of Agni (fire).

Mangled by Krishna's discus, the Daityas were covered with fat and blood; and they looked like the evening clouds.

O descendant of Bharata, the Vrishni hero Krishna, moving about like Death himself, killed again and again thousands of birds, the Pishachas, the Nagas and other creatures.

The discus, being hurled from the hands of Krishna, the slayer of foes killed innumerable creatures, and then it came back again to his hands.

While he was thus engaged in killing the Pishachas, the Nagas and the Rakshasas, the face and the feature of Krishna, the soul of all creatures, became fearful to look at.

Now the celestial that came to fight and mustered there could not defeat Krishna and Arjuna in battle.

When the celestial found that they could not extinguish the fire or protect the forest from the prowess (of Arjuna and Krishna), they retired.

O king, the deity of one hundred sacrifices (Indra),seeing the immortals retreat (from the battle), became exceedingly glad and much praised Keshava (Krishna) and Arjuna.

When the celestial retreated, an invisible voice thus spoke in a loud and deep voice to the deity of one thousand sacrifices (Indra).

"Your friend, that best of the Nagas, Takshaka, has not been slain. Before the fire broke out in the Khandava, he had gone to Kurukshetra.

O Vasava, known from what I say that none can ever defeat in battle Vasudeva (Krishna) and Arjuna. They are Nara and Narayana. These two Rishis were formerly heard of in heavens. You will know what is their prowess and energy. They are invincible in battle; these two best of old Rishis are incapable of ever being defeated by any in all the worlds.

They deserve worship from all the celestial, the Asuras, the Yakshas, the Rakshasas, the Gandharvas, the human beings, the Asuras and the Nagas.

O Vasava, therefore, you should go away from this place with all the celestial. The destruction of the Khandava (forest) has been ordained by fate."

Having ascertained these words to be true, the lord of the immortals Indra gave up his wrath and jealousy and went back to heaven.

O king, seeing that illustrious celestial gone away, the dwellers of heaven all followed Indra with their soldiers.

When those two heroes, Vasudeva and Arjuna, saw the chief of the celestial retreat with all the dwellers of heaven, they set up a leonine roar.

O king, when Indra had gone away Keshava and Arjuna became exceedingly glad. Those two heroes then fearlessly assisted Agni to consume that forest.

Having scattered the celestial as the wind scatters the cloud, Arjuna killed with the showers of arrows numberless creatures who dwelt in the Khandava.

Cut off by Savyasachi's (Arjuna's) arrows, not one among those innumerable creatures could escape (from that burning forest).

Not to speak of fighting with him none amongst the strongest creatures, who mustered together to fight, could even look at Arjuna with infallible arms. Sometimes piercing one hundred creatures with arrow and sometimes piercing one creature with one hundred arrows.

Arjuna (whirled about one his car). All creatures fell into the mouth of Agni as if struck dead by (Death himself). The creatures found no ease on the banks of the river, or on uneven plains, of in Sakshatas (crematoriums).

Everywhere they were afflicted with great heat. Innumerable creatures yelled in pain.

Elephants, deer and wolves all wept and set up cries of affliction. At the sound the fishes that lived in the waters of the Ganges and the sea.. one

The various classes of Vidhyadharas, the dwellers of that forest became very much alarmed. O mighty-armed hero, not to speak of fighting with Arjuna and Krishna dark Janardana, none could even look at them.

(Krishna) killed with his discus all the Rakshasas, the Nagas and the Danavas who rushed out in crowds.

Those creatures of huge bodies, their heads and trunks cut off by the swift discus, deprived of their lives, fell down into the burning fire.

Being gratified with a large quantity of flesh, blood and fat, the flames rose up to a great height with curling wreath of smoke. Agni with fiery and coppery eyes and with flaming tongue and large mouth.

Agni with fiery hair on his head, drank with the assistance of Krishna and Arjuna that nectar-like stream of fat. He was filled with great joy and thus being much gratified, he enjoyed much happiness.

Then the slayer of Madhu saw an Asura, named maya suddenly escaping from the abode of Takshaka.

Agni, whose charioteer was the wind, immediately assuming a body with (fiery) matted looks on his head and roaring like the clouds, pursued the Asura with the intention of consuming him.

Seeing the Asura, Vasudeva stood with his weapon upraised, ready to cut him down. Seeing the discus upraised and Agni after him, with the intention of burning him, Maya said "O Arjuna, come soon to me and protect me".

Having heard his frightened voice, Dhananjaya (Arjuna) exclaimed, “Do not fear." O descendant of Bharata, the reply of Partha seemed to give (Maya) his life.

As the kind Partha said to Maya not to fear, the Dasharha hero (Krishna) did not desire to kill him who was the brother of Namuchi. Agni also did not burn him down.

Having been protected by Krishna and Partha from the attacks of the chastiser of Paka (Indra), the greatly intelligent Agni burnt the forest for fifteen days.

In the burning of that forest, he (Agni) speared the lives of only six creatures, (namely) Ashvasena, Maya and the four Sharangakas (a kind of feathery creatures).