53. Adi Parva 51. Arjuna Agrees to help Agni

Vaisampayana began to narrate the story of why Agni wanted to consume the Khandava forest.

There was a king by name Swetaki who was equal to Indra himself, in prowess and strength. No one on earth equaled him in sacrifices, charity, and intelligence.

Swetaki performed the five great sacrifices and many other sacrifices, his heart having always been set upon sacrifices, religious rites, and presenting gifts of all kinds to others.

Swetaki performed sacrifices for so many years that at one stage, the priests conducting the sacrifices had their eyes afflicted by the continued smoke. Having become very weak, they left the king, not willing to assist him in his sacrifices any more. The king managed to complete the sacrifices with the help of some other people.

After some time, the king wanted to perform another sacrifice which would take a hundred years. But he couldn’t get any priest to conduct this sacrifice, in spite of his beseeching them, offering them great wealth etc. 

The Brahmins told him, “O, king! Your sacrifices go on endlessly. By helping you in the sacrifices for such a long time, we have become fatigued. Give us leave. Go to Rudra. He will help you in conducting the sacrifice.”

Swetaki was angered by the Brahmins’ response. He went to the Kailasa mountain and began to meditate on Lord Siva. He performed rigorous penances for several months. Pleased by his austerity, Lord Siva appeared before him and offered to grant him any boon he would seek.

Swetaki said, “O God of gods, assist me in my sacrifice!"

Lord Siva said, “We do not ourselves assist at sacrifices. But since you have performed a rigorous penance, I will assist you in your sacrifice, on one condition. If you pour libations of butter into the fire for twelve years without intermission, leading the life of a Brahmachari, you will get what you want.”

Swetaki did what Lord Siva asked him to do for 12 years. After 12 years, he came back to Lord Siva. 

Lord Siva told him, “I have been gratified by your deed. But the duty of assisting in sacrifices properly belongs to the Brahmins. Therefore, I will not myself assist you in your sacrifice. There is an exalted Brahmin called Durvasa, who is a portion of my own self. He will assist you in your sacrifice. You may make preparations for the sacrifice.”

The king returned to the capital and collected everything for the sacrifice. He then came back to Lord Siva and told him, “O lord! I have made all the preparations for the sacrifice. Please let me start the sacrifice tomorrow."

Siva summoned Durvasa and and asked him to assist Swetaka in the sacrifice.

The sacrifice was conducted by the king with the help of Durvasa. 

After the sacrifice was successfully completed, the king presented huge gifts to the Brahmins who participated in the sacrifice. The king was praised by the Brahmins. He then returned to his palace. The citizens were also happy.

Since Swetaka spent so much of his life in conducting sacrifices, he was called Rajarishi (Royal Sage).

When the time came, Swetaka ascended to the Heaven.

Agni had drunk clarified butter for twelve years in Sweraka’s sacrifice.  Butter was poured into Agni's mouth in a continuous stream for 12 years. Having drunk so much butter, Agni became satiated and didn’t want  to consume butter again from the hand of anybody else in any other sacrifice.

Agni lost his color and became pale. He could not shine as before. He felt a loss of appetite. His energy levels came down. He was even afflicted by sickness.

Finding that his energy was gradually diminishing, Agni went to Brahma and told him, “O exalted one, Swetaki  has, by his sacrifice, gratified me to excess. Even now I am suffering from the surfeit of butter consumed by me. I have been steadily losing both my splendour and my strength. With your grace, I would like to regain my own permanent nature.”

Brahma said, “You have been afflicted by this sickness because you have consumed a continuous stream of butter poured into your month for twelve years! Don’t worry. The time for regaining your strength has come.

“Once, at the request of the gods, you had consumed the dreadful Khandava forest, the abode of the enemies of the gods. It has now become the home of numerous creatures. When you eat the fat of those creatures, you will regain your nature. So, consume that forest with its living population. You will then be cured of the malady afflicting you.”

Hearing these words of Brahma, Agni proceeded with great speed to Khandava forest. He blazed, assisted by Vayu, the Wind God. The creatures dwelling there, made great efforts to extinguish the fire. Elephants came by thousands, bringing water in their trunks and poured it on the fire. Thousands of snakes poured water through their hoods. All the other creatures living in the forest attempted to extinguish the fire through various means.

Agni tried to consume the forest seven times and it was extinguished all the seven times by the creatures living there. Agni became frustrated and angry. He went back to Brahma and narrated his experience to him.

Brahma said, “I see a way by which you may consume the forest of Khandava today in the very sight of Indra. Those old deities, Nara and Narayana, have become incarnate in the world to accomplish the business of the celestials. They are called Arjuna and Krishna. 

"They are now staying in the forest of Khandava. Solicit their help in consuming that forest. They will prevent the population of Khandava from escaping, and thwart Indra’s efforts to help them escape. You will thus be able to consume the forest even if it be protected by the celestials!”

Agni narrated these events to Arjuna and Krishna and requested their help.

Arjuna said, “I have the skills and the weapons to fight anyone and Krishna has the energy to defeat anyone. I have numerous excellent celestial weapons with which I can fight even many Indras holding the Vajrayuta but I have no bow suited to the strength of my arms, and capable of bearing the might I may put forth in battle. 

"Considering the swiftness of my hands, I also require arrows that must never be exhausted. My chariot also is scarcely able to bear load of arrows that I would desire to keep by me. I desire celestial white horses possessing the speed of the wind and a chariot possessing the splendour of the sun and the clatter of whose wheels should resemble the roar of the clouds. 

"Then, there is no weapon suited to Krishna's energy and with which he can slay Nagas and Pisachas. O, Agni, we are ready to do all that manliness and prowess can do. But, you need to provide us the adequate means."

After listening to Arjuna, Agni wanted to meet Varuna, the rain god who was residing in water, Varuna immediately appeared before Agni. Agni requested Varuna to give him the bow and quiver and the ape bannered chariot given to him by King Soma, using which Arjuna could fight Indra.

Varuna gave the bow, two inexhaustible quivers and a chariot furnished with celestial weapons and a banner bearing the image of an ape to Agni, as desired by him. The bow was the chief of all the weapons. It was always worshipped both by the celestials and the Gandharvas. The chariot was made by Viswakarma, the celestial architect, after performing an austere meditation.

The chariot had a splendour matching that of the Sun, making it difficult for people even to gaze at it. This was the chariot from which Lord Siva had fought and vanquished the Dhanavas.

Agni gave Krishna a discus with an iron pole attached to its center.

Arjuna, armed with the sword, and wearing  leather gloves over his palms, walked around that excellent car adorned with numerous flags. He bowed to the gods and ascended the chariot, like a virtuous man riding in the celestial car that would take him to heaven.

Arjuna took in his hands, the celestial bow called Gandiva created by Brahma, bowed to Krishna and strung the bow. Those who heard the sound made by Arjuna’s stringing of the bow quivered with fear. He then felt competent to perform the task. He told Krishna, “Oh, slayer of Madhu, using this weapon  one can vanquish  men, gods, Rakshasas, Pissachas, Daityas and Nagas.”

Varuna then gave Krishna a mace called Kaumodaki, capable of slaying every Daitya and producing, when hurled, a roar like that of the thunder.

Then Arjuna and Krishana, filled with joy, told Agni, "Having been furnished with weapons and a chariot, we will be able to fight all the Devas and Asuras together, let alone the Vajra-holding Indra, who wants to fight  for the sake of his friend Takshaka."

Arjuna said, “Oh,Agni! When Krishna moves on the battlefield with this discus in hand, there is nothing in the three worlds that he will not be able to consume by hurling this weapon. Having obtained the bow Gandiva and this couple of inexhaustible quivers I also am ready to conquer the three worlds. Therefore, you can now blaze forth through the forest as you like, surrounding this large forest on all  sides.”

Next: Adi Parva - 52. The Burning of Khandava Forest


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