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खाण्डवदहनपर्वन् (khANDavadahanaparvan)

 
Mahabharata
English
[Khāṇḍavadahanaparvan(ºva)], the 19th of the minor parvans, in C., including also Mayadarśanaparvan, in all I, 222--34 (cf. Khāṇḍavadāha). § 254: At the instance of Dhṛtarāshṭra and Bhīshma the Pāṇḍavas at Indraprastha began to bring other kings under their sway. All the subjects lived happily. Once, in the summer, Arjuna and Kṛshṇa sported on the banks of the Yamunā with Draupadī and Subhadrā, etc. They were then approached by a brahman, whose complexion was like molten gold (I, 222). It was Agni. He asked them to help him to consume the forest of Khāṇḍava and the creatures therein
for Indra always prevented him from consuming it, because he was a friend of the Nāga Takshaka, who dwelt there with his followers and family.--§§ 255--6, a (Agniparābhava, q.v.): the antecedents of the Khāṇḍavad. (I, 223, 224).--§ 256, b: Arjuna said that he wanted a stronger bow and inexhaustible arrows, and a resplendent chariot to ride in, and that Kṛshṇa needed a weapon with which he could slay Nāgas and Piśācas (I, 224). --§ 257: Then Agni thought of Varuṇa (b), who presented Arjuna with: (1) the Gāṇḍīva bow (c)
(2) two inexhaustible quivers
(3) a chariot yoked with horses. Then Agni gave to Kṛshṇa: (1) a discus (Sudarśana) (d). Varuṇa, after this, gave to Kṛshṇa: (2) the mace Kaumodakī (e). They were then ready to fight, and Agni began to consume the forest (I, 225).--§ 258: Arjuna and Kṛshṇa prevented the creatures from escaping. Even the gods became afraid and applied to Indra. Indra poured down showers of rain, that were at first dried up in the sky by the heat of the fire (I, 226). When more rain was poured down, Arjuna dispelled it with a shower of his weapons. Takshaka was not present, having gone to Kurukshetra. But his son Aśvasena was there
his mother, a she-snake, attempted to swallow him, but had her head cut off by Arjuna
Indra, raising a violent wind, for a moment deprived Arjuna of his consciousness, during which time Aśvasena effected his escape, being cursed by Kṛshṇa, Arjuna, and Agni (“never shalt thou be famous”). Indra assailed Arjuna with clouds, which were dispersed by the Vāyavya weapon, and with a shower of stones, and with a peak from the Mandara, but in vain. Garutmat (Garuḍa) and other birds, and Nāgas, who also assailed Kṛshṇa and Arjuna, were vanquished
and As., G., Y., Rā., and Nāgas were defeated by Arjuna, as were the Dai. and Dā. by Kṛshṇa with his discus. They were also attacked by Yama with his death-dealing mace, Kubera with his spiked club, Varuṇa with his noose and beautiful missile, Skanda with his long lance, the Aśvins with resplendent plants, Dhātṛ with his bow, Jaya with a thick club, Tvashṭṛ with a huge mountain, Sūrya with a bright śakti, Mṛtyu with a battleaxe, Aryaman with a bludgeon furnished with sharp spikes, Mitra with a discus sharp as a razor, Pūshan, Bhaga, Savitṛ, R., V., M., V.-D., and S. (I, 227). With his discus Kṛshṇa slaughtered Pś., N., Rā., Dā., As., etc. The gods retired from the scene. Indra became filled with joy and applauded Kṛshṇa and Arjuna. An incorporeal voice addressed him, saying that Takshaka was in Kurukshetra, and that Kṛshṇa and Arjuna, being the old ṛshis and gods Nara and Nārāyaṇa, were invincible, and that the destruction of the forest of Khāṇḍava had been ordained by fate. Then also Indra went back to heaven. The Vidyādharas, etc., dwelling in that forest, all became frightened. Agni, drinking the nectarlike stream of animal fat, became filled with joy. When the Asura Maya, the brother of Namuci, was about to be slain by Kṛshṇa and burnt by Agni, Arjuna rescued him. Agni burnt the forest for fifteen days, sparing only six of its dwellers: Aśvasena, Maya, and four śārṅgakas (a sort of birds, Nīl.) (I, 228).--§ 259 (Śārṅgakopākhyāna, q.v.): I, 229, 1-234, 4, (8331--8464).--§ 260: When Agni had consumed fat, marrow, and flesh in abundance, and burnt the forest for fifteen days, he became gratified and extinguished himself. Indra, with M., appeared before Kṛshṇa and Arjuna, and granted them a boon. Arjuna asked him to give him all his weapons (both the Āgneya and the Vāyavya), and Indra promised to give them when Mahādeva had been pleased with him. To Kṛshṇa he granted that his friendship with Arjuna should be eternal. Then he ascended to heaven with the celestials. Arjuna, Vāsudeva, and the Dānava Maya, having wandered a little, sat down on the bank of a river (I, 234).