SECTION CCXXV
(Khandava-daha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then that Brahmana addressed Arjuna and Vasudeva of
the Satwata race, saying, 'Ye who are now staying so near unto Khandava
are the two foremost of heroes on earth. I am a voracious Brahmana that
always eateth much. O you of the Vrishni race, and O Partha, I solicit
you to gratify me by giving me sufficient food.' Thus addressed by the
Brahmana, Krishna and the son of Pandu answered him, saying, 'O, tell us
what kind of food will gratify you so that we may endeavour to give it
thee.' The illustrious Brahmana, thus replied to, said unto those heroes
who were enquiring after the kind of food he sought, 'I do not desire to
eat ordinary food. Know that I am Agni! Give me that food which suiteth
me. This forest of Khandava is always protected by Indra. And as it is
protected by the illustrious one, I always fail to consume it. In that
forest dwelleth, with his followers and family, a Naga, called Takshaka,
who is the friend of Indra. It is for him that the wielder of the
thunderbolt protecteth this forest. Many other creatures also are thus
protected here for the sake of Takshaka. Desiring to consume the forest I
succeed not in my attempts in consequence of Indra's prowess. Beholding
me blazing forth, he always poureth upon me water from the clouds.
Therefore, I succeed not in consuming the forest of Khandava, although I
desire very much to do so. I have now come to you--you who are both
skilled in weapons! If you help me I will surely consume this forest: for
even this is the food that is desired by me! As the are conversant with
excellent weapons, I pray you to prevent those showers from descending
and any of the creatures from escaping, when I begin to consume this
forest!'
"Janamejaya said, 'Why did the illustrious Agni desire to consume the
forest of Khandava that was filled with various living creatures and
protected by the chief of the celestials? When Agni consumed in wrath the
forest of Khandava, it is evident there was a grave cause. I desire, O
Brahmana, to hear all this in detail from thee. Tell me, O sage, how the
Khandava forest was consumed in days of yore.'
"Vaisampayana said, 'O chief of men, I will narrate to you the story of
the conflagration of Khandava as told by Rishis in the Purana. It hath
been heard, O king, in the Purana that there was a celebrated king of the
name of Swetaki who was endued with strength and prowess and who was
equal unto Indra himself. No one on earth has equalled him in sacrifices,
charity, and intelligence. Swetaki performed the five great sacrifices
and many others, at all of which the presents unto Brahmanas were large.
The heart of that monarch, O king, was always set upon sacrifices,
religious rites, and gifts of all kinds. And king Swetaki of great
intelligence, assisted by his Ritwiks performed sacrifices for many long
years, till those sacrificial priests with eyes afflicted by the
continued smoke and becoming very weak, left that monarch, wishing never
more to assist at his sacrifices. The king, however, repeatedly asked
those Ritwiks to come to him. But they came not to his sacrifice in
consequence of the painful state of their eyes. The king, therefore,
invited at the command of his own Ritwiks, others like unto them, and
completed the sacrifice that he had begun. After some days had elapsed,
king Swetaki desired to perform another sacrifice which should extend for
a hundred years. But the illustrious monarch obtained not any priest to
assist him in it. The celebrated king then, with his friends and
relatives, casting off all sloth, repeatedly courted his priests with
great persistence, by bowing down unto them, by conciliatory speeches,
and by gifts of wealth. All of them, however, refused to accomplish the
purpose which that king of immeasurable energy had in view. Then that
royal sage, getting angry, addressed those Brahmanas sitting in their
asylums, and said, 'If, the Brahmanas, I were a fallen person, or, if, I
were wanting in homage and service to you, I should then deserve to be
abandoned without scruple by you and by other Brahmanas at the same time.
But as I am neither degraded nor wanting in homage to you, it behoveth
you not to obstruct the performance by me of my sacrifice or to abandon
me thus, the foremost of Brahmanas, without adequate reason. I seek, ye
Brahmanas, your protection! It behoveth you to be propitious unto me.
But, the foremost of Brahmanas, if you abandon me from enmity alone or any
improper motive, I shall go unto other priests for their assistance in
this sacrifice of mine, and conciliating them by sweet words and gifts, I
shall represent unto them the business I have on hand, so that they may
accomplish it.' Having said this, the monarch became silent. And, O
chastiser of foes, when those priests well knew that they could not
assist at the king's sacrifice, they pretended to be angry, and
addressing that best of monarchs said, 'O best of kings, your sacrifices
are incessant! By assisting you always, we have all been fatigued. And
as we have been wearied in consequence of these labours, it behoveth thee
to give us leave. O sinless one, from loss of judgment you canst not
wait (but urgest us repeatedly). Go unto Rudra! He will assist at thy
sacrifice!' Hearing those words of censure and wrath, king Swetaki became
angry. And the monarch wending to the mountains of Kailasa, devoted
himself to asceticism there. And, O king, the monarch began to worship
Mahadeva, with fixed attention, and by observing the most rigid vows. And
foregoing all food at times, he passed a long period. The monarch ate
only fruits and roots sometimes at the twelfth and sometimes at the
sixteenth hour of the whole day. King Swetaki stood for six months, rapt
in attention, with arms upraised and steadfast eyes, like the trunk of a
tree or a column rooted to the ground. And, O Bharata, Sankara at last
gratified with that tiger among kings, who was undergoing such hard
penances, showed himself unto him. And the god spake unto the monarch in
a calm and grave voice, saying, 'O tiger among kings, O chastiser of
foes, I have been gratified with you for your asceticism! Blest be thou!
Ask now the boon that thou, O king, desirest.' Hearing these words of
Rudra of immeasurable energy, the royal sage bowed unto that deity and
replied, saying, 'O illustrious one, O you that are worshipped by the
three worlds, if you hast been gratified with me, then, O god of gods,
assist me thyself, O lord of the celestials, in my sacrifice!' Hearing
these words spoken by the monarch, the illustrious god was gratified, and
smilingly said, 'We do not ourselves assist at sacrifices: but as thou, O
king, hast undergone severe penances, desirous of obtaining a boon, I
will, O chastiser of foes, assist at your sacrifice, upon, O king, this
condition.' And Rudra continued, 'If, O king of kings, you canst, for
twelve years, pour without intermission libations of clarified butter
into the fire, thyself leading all the while the life of a Brahmacharin
with rapt attention, then you shalt obtain from me what you askest.'
King Swetaki, thus addressed by Rudra, did all that he was directed to do
by the wielder of the trident. And after twelve years had elapsed, he
again came unto Maheswara. And Sankara, the Creator of the worlds upon
seeing Swetaki, that excellent monarch, immediately said, in great
gratification, 'I have been gratified by thee, O best of kings, with this
thy own act! But, O chastiser of foes, the duty of assisting at
sacrifices properly belongeth to Brahmanas. Therefore, O oppressor of
foes, I will not myself assist at your sacrifice today. There is on earth
an exalted Brahmana who is even a portion of my own self. He is known by
the name of Durvasa. Even that Brahmana endued with great energy will
assist you in your sacrifice. Let, therefore, every preparation be made.'
Hearing these words uttered by Rudra, the king, returning to his own
capital, began to collect all that was necessary. After everything had
been collected, the monarch again presented himself before Rudra and
said, 'Every necessary article hath been collected, and all my
preparations are complete, through your grace, O god of gods! Let me,
therefore, be installed at the sacrifice tomorrow.' Having heard these
words of that illustrious king, Rudra summoned Durvasa before him and
said. 'This, O Durvasa, is that best of monarchs called Swetaki. At my
command, O best of Brahmanas, assist even this king in his sacrifice.'
And the Rishi Durvasa said unto Rudra, 'So be it.' Then the sacrifice for
which king Swetaki had made those preparations, took place. And the
illustrious monarch's sacrifice was performed according to the ordinance
and in proper season. And the gifts, on that occasion, unto the Brahmanas
were large. And after that monarch's sacrifice had come to an end, all
the other priests who had come to assist at it went away with Durvasa's
leave. All other Sadasyas also of immeasurable energy, who had been
installed at that sacrifice, then went away. That exalted monarch then
entered his own palace, worshipped by exalted Brahmanas conversant with
the Vedas, eulogised by chanters of panegyrical hymns and congratulated
by the citizens.
"Such was the history of that best of monarchs, the royal sage Swetaki,
who, when the time came, ascended to heaven, having won great renown on
earth, and accompanied by the Ritwiks and the Sadasyas that had helped
him in life.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'At that sacrifice of Swetaki, Agni had drunk
clarified butter for twelve years. Indeed, clarified butter had been
poured into Agni's mouth in a continuous stream for that period. Having
drunk so much butter, Agni, satiated, desired not to drink butter again
from the hand of anybody else at any other sacrifice. Agni became pale,
having lost his colour, and he could not shine as before. He felt a loss
of appetite from surfeit, and his energy itself decreased and sickness
afflicted him. Then when the drinker of sacrificial libations perceived
that his energy was gradually diminishing, he went to the sacred abode of
Brahman that is worshipped by all. Approaching the great Deity seated on
his seat, Agni said, 'O exalted one, Swetaki hath (by his sacrifice)
gratified me to excess. Even now I am suffering from surfeit which I
cannot dispel. O Lord of the universe, I am being reduced both in
splendour and strength. I desire to regain, through your grace, my own
permanent nature.' Hearing these words from Hutavaha, the illustrious
Creator of all things smilingly replied unto him, saying, 'O exalted one,
thou hast eaten, for twelve years, a continuous stream of sacrificial
butter poured into your mouth! It is for this that illness hath seized
thee. But, O Agni, grieve not for it. Thou shalt soon regain your own
nature. I shall dispel this surfeit of yours and the time for it is even
come. The dreadful forest Khandava, that abode of the enemies of the
gods, which you had of old once consumed to ashes at the request of
the gods, hath now become the home of numerous creatures. When you will
have eaten the fat of those creatures, you shalt regain your own nature.
Proceed thither in haste to consume that forest with its living
population. Thou wilt then be cured of your malady.' Hearing the words
that fell from the lips of the Supreme Deity, Hutasana proceeded with
great speed and soon reached the forest of Khandava in great vigour.
Arrived there, he suddenly blazed forth in anger, assisted by Vayu.
Beholding Khandava on fire the dwellers (in the forest) that were there,
made great efforts to extinguish the conflagration. Elephants by hundreds
of thousands, speeding in anger, brought water in their trunks and
scattered it upon the fire. Thousands of many-hooded snakes, mad with
anger, hastily began to scatter upon fire much water from those many
hoods of theirs. And so, O bull of Bharata's race, the other creatures
dwelling in that forest, by various appliances and efforts, soon
extinguished the fire. In this way, Agni blazed forth in Khandava
repeatedly, even for seven times. And it was in this way that the blazing
fire was extinguished there as often by the denizens of that forest.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 1 : UPA-PARVA 225 ---------------------
