01.215
Pancharatra: Agni seeks Arjuna and Krishna's help to burn Kandava forest.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
so'bravīd arjunaṃ caiva vāsudevaṃ ca sātvatam। lokapravīrau tiṣṭhantau khāṇḍavasya samīpataḥ ॥1-215-1॥
He spoke to Arjuna and to Vāsudeva, the Sātvata, the two greatest heroes in the world, who were standing near Khāṇḍava.
brāhmaṇo bahubhoktāsmi bhuñje'parimitaṃ sadā। bhikṣe vārṣṇeyapārthau vāmekāṃ tṛptiṃ prayacchatām ॥1-215-2॥
I am a brāhmaṇa who eats much and always enjoys unlimited food. O Vārṣṇeya and Pārtha, I beg you both, please grant me a single satisfaction.
evam-uktau tam abrūtāṃ tatas tau kṛṣṇa-pāṇḍavau। kena annena bhavāṃs tṛpyet tasyānnasya yatā vahe॥1-215-3॥
After these words were spoken, Kṛṣṇa and Pāṇḍava said to him: "By what food would you be satisfied? Of that food, as you wish, we will bring it."
evam-uktaḥ sa bhagavān abravīt tau ubhau tataḥ। bhāṣamāṇau tadā vīrau kim annaṃ kriyatām iti ॥1-215-4॥
Thus addressed, the venerable one then said to both: "While the two heroes were speaking, what food should be prepared?"
nāham annaṃ bubhukṣe vai pāvakaṃ māṃ nibodhatam। yad annam anurūpaṃ me tad yuvāṃ samprayacchatam॥1-215-5॥
I do not desire food; know me as fire. Give me that food which is suitable for me, you both.
idam indraḥ sadā dāvaṃ khāṇḍavaṃ parirakṣati। taṃ na śaknomy ahaṃ dagdhuṃ rakṣyamāṇaṃ mahātmanā ॥1-215-6॥
Indra always protects the Khandava forest. I am unable to burn it while it is being guarded by the great-souled one.
vasaty atra sakhā tasya takṣakaḥ pannagaḥ sadā। sagaṇas tatkṛte dāvaṃ parirakṣati vajrabhṛt ॥1-215-7॥
Here, Takshaka the serpent, his friend, always resides; Indra, the wielder of the thunderbolt, along with his attendants, protects the forest fire for his sake.
tatra bhūtānyanekāni rakṣyante sma prasaṅgataḥ। taṃ didhakṣur na śaknomi dagdhuṃ śakrasya tejasā ॥1-215-8॥
There, many beings are incidentally protected. I, desiring to burn him, am not able to burn him due to the energy of Śakra (Indra).
sa māṃ prajvalitaṃ dṛṣṭvā meghāmbhobhiḥ pravarṣati। tato dagdhuṃ na śaknomi didhakṣur dāvam īpsitam ॥1-215-9॥
He, seeing me blazing, pours down with rain from the clouds. Therefore, though I wish to burn the desired forest fire, I am unable to do so.
sa yuvābhyāṃ sahāyābhyām astravidbhyāṃ samāgataḥ। daheyaṃ khāṇḍavaṃ dāvam etad annaṃ vṛtaṃ mayā॥1-215-10॥
He has come together with you two, who are helpers and knowers of weapons; I should burn the Khandava forest, for this food has been chosen by me.
yuvāṃ hyudakadhārāstā bhūtāni ca samantataḥ। uttamāstravido samyaksarvato vārayiṣyathaḥ ॥1-215-11॥
You two, being excellent knowers of weapons and water-bearers, will properly ward off all those beings from every side.
evam-ukte pratyuvāca bībhatsur-jātavedasam| didhakṣuṃ khāṇḍavaṃ dāvam-akāmasya śatakratoḥ ॥1-215-12॥
When these words were spoken, Arjuna (Bībhatsu) replied to Agni (Jātavedas), who wished to burn the Khāṇḍava forest, which Indra (Śatakratu) was unwilling to allow.
uttamāstrāṇi me santi divyāni ca bahūni ca। yairahaṃ śaknuyāṃ yoddhumapi vajradharānbahūn ॥1-215-13॥
I possess many excellent and divine weapons, by which I could even fight many wielders of the thunderbolt.
dhanur me nāsti bhagavan bāhuvīryeṇa saṃmitam। kurvataḥ samare yatnaṃ vegaṃ yad viṣaheta me ॥1-215-14॥
O Lord, there is no bow equal to the strength of my arm; in battle, while exerting effort, there is no force which could withstand me.
śaraiś ca me 'rtho bahubhir akṣayaiḥ kṣipram asyataḥ। na hi voḍhuṃ rathaḥ śaktaḥ śarān mama yathepsitān ॥1-215-15॥
By my many inexhaustible arrows, quickly shot, the chariot is not indeed capable of bearing as many arrows as I desire.
aśvāṁś ca divyān iccheyaṁ pāṇḍurān vātaraṁhasaḥ। rathaṁ ca meghanirghoṣaṁ sūryapratimatejasam ॥1-215-16॥
I desire divine horses, white and swift as the wind, and a chariot that thunders like a cloud and shines with the brilliance of the sun.
tathā kṛṣṇasya vīryeṇa nāyudhaṃ vidyate samam। yena nāgān piśācāṃś ca nihanyān mādhavo raṇe ॥1-215-17॥
Likewise, by the strength of Kṛṣṇa, there is no weapon equal to his, by which Mādhava could slay serpents and demons in battle.
upāyaṃ karmaṇaḥ siddhau bhagavan vaktum arhasi। nivārayeyaṃ yena indraṃ varṣamāṇaṃ mahāvane ॥1-215-18॥
O revered one, please tell me the means by which I may accomplish the act of restraining Indra, who is causing rain in the great forest.
pauruṣeṇa tu yat kāryaṃ tat kartārau sva pāvaka। karaṇāni samarthāni bhagavan dātum arhasi ॥1-215-19॥
O Pāvaka (Agni), by courage, whatever is to be accomplished, your two agents, being capable, O Lord, you ought to provide the necessary means.
