The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section 236

Section CCXXXVI. ( Khandava-daha Parva continued. )

Vaisampayana said, "Mandapāla then addressed his children, saying, 'I had spoken unto Agni for the safety of ye all. The illustrious deity also had assured me that he would grant my wish. At those words of Agni, and knowing the virtuous disposition of your mother as also the great energy that is in ye, I came not here earlier. Therefore, ye sons, do not harbour in your hearts any resentment towards me. Ye are all Rishis acquainted with the Vedas. Even Agni knoweth ye well.'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Having given such assurances unto his sons, the Brahmana, Mandapāla, took with him his wife and son, and leaving that region went away to some other country.

"It was thus that the illustrious god of fierce rays, having grown in strength, consumed the forest of Khāndava, with the help of Krishna and Arjuna, for the good of the world. And Agni, having drunk several rivers of fat and marrow, became highly gratified, and showed himself to Arjuna. Then Purandara, surrounded by the Marutas, descended from the firmament and addressing Pārtha and Keshava said, 'Ye have achieved a feat that a celestial even could not. Ask ye each a boon that is not obtainable by any man. I have been gratified with ye!'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Then Pārtha asked of Indra all his weapons. At this Shakra of great splendour, having fixed the time for giving them, said, 'When the illustrious Mahādeva (Siva) is pleased with thee, then, O son of Pandu, I will give thee all my weapons. O prince of the Kuru race, I shall know when the time cometh. Even for thy austere asceticism I will give thee all my weapons of fire and all my Vayavya weapons, and thou also wilt accept them all of me!' Then Vāsudeva asked that his friendship with Arjuna might be eternal. The chief of the celestials granted unto the intelligent Krishna the boon he desired. And having granted these boons unto Krishna and Arjuna, the lord of the Marutas accompanied by the celestials ascended to heaven, having also spoken to Hutāshana. And Agni also, having burnt that forest with its animals and birds for five and ten days, became gratified and extinguished himself. And having eaten flesh in abundance and drunk fat and blood, he became highly gratified, and addressing Achyuta and Arjuna said, 'I have been gratified by ye two tigers among men. At my command, ye heroes, ye shall be competent to go whithersover ye choose.' Thus addressed by the illustrious Agni, Arjuna and Vāsudeva and the Dānava Maya also,—these three—having wandered a little, at last sat themselves down on the delightful banks of a river."

Thus ends the two hundred and thirty-sixth Section in the Khāndava-dāha of the Adi Parva.

FINIS ADI PARVA.