Brahma Sends Agni to Krishna and Arjuna; Arjuna Asks for Weapons

Verse 1 (1.250.1)

स तु नैराश्यमापन्नः सदा ग्लानिसमन्वितः । पितामहमुपागच्छत्संक्रुद्धो हव्यवाहनः ॥

sa tu nairāśyamāpannaḥ sadā glānisamanvitaḥ | pitāmahamupāgacchatsaṃkruddho havyavāhanaḥ

Then the bearer of oblations, sunk in despair and constantly afflicted with languor, went in anger to the Grandsire.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 118.

Verse 2 (1.250.2)

तच्च सर्वं यथान्यायं ब्रह्मणे संन्यवेदयत् । उवाच चैनं भगवान्मुहूर्तं स विचिन्त्य तु ॥

tacca sarvaṃ yathānyāyaṃ brahmaṇe saṃnyavedayat | uvāca cainaṃ bhagavānmuhūrtaṃ sa vicintya tu

He reported all of it to Brahma, as was proper. And the blessed one, after reflecting for a moment, said to him:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 118. Corrected चैवनं → चैनं (misprint in Wikisource; चैवनं is not a word; Appendix I No. 118 reads cainaṃ).

Verse 3 (1.250.3)

उपायः परिदृष्टो मे यथा त्वं धक्ष्यसेऽनघ । कालं च कंचित्क्षमतां ततस्तद्धक्ष्यते भवान् ॥

upāyaḥ paridṛṣṭo me yathā tvaṃ dhakṣyase'nagha | kālaṃ ca kaṃcitkṣamatāṃ tatastaddhakṣyate bhavān

"I have seen a way by which you will burn it, O sinless one. Be patient for some time; then you will burn it.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 118.

Verse 4 (1.250.4)

भविष्यतः सहायौ ते नरनारायणौ तदा । ताभ्यां त्वं सहितो दावं धक्ष्यसे हव्यवाहन ॥

bhaviṣyataḥ sahāyau te naranārāyaṇau tadā | tābhyāṃ tvaṃ sahito dāvaṃ dhakṣyase havyavāhana

At that time Nara and Narayana will be your helpers. Together with them you will burn the forest, O carrier of oblations."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 118.

Verse 5 (1.250.5)

एवमस्त्विति तं वह्निर्ब्रह्माणं प्रत्यभाषत । संभूतौ तौ विदित्वा तु नरनारायणावृषी ॥

evamastviti taṃ vahnirbrahmāṇaṃ pratyabhāṣata | saṃbhūtau tau viditvā tu naranārāyaṇāvṛṣī

"So be it," the Fire replied to Brahma. Then, learning that the seers Nara and Narayana had been born,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 118.

Verse 6 (1.250.6)

कालस्य महतो राजंस्तस्य वाक्यं स्वयंभुवः । अनुस्मृत्य जगामाथ पुनरेव पितामहम् ॥

kālasya mahato rājaṃstasya vākyaṃ svayaṃbhuvaḥ | anusmṛtya jagāmātha punareva pitāmaham

after a long time, O king, and remembering those words of the Self-born, he went once more to the Grandsire.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 118.

Verse 7 (1.250.7)

अब्रवीच्च तदा ब्रह्मा यथा त्वं धक्ष्यसेऽनल । खाण्डवं दावमद्यैव मिषतोऽस्य शचीपतेः ॥

abravīcca tadā brahmā yathā tvaṃ dhakṣyase'nala | khāṇḍavaṃ dāvamadyaiva miṣato'sya śacīpateḥ

And then Brahma said: "This is how you will burn the Khandava forest this very day, O Fire, while Shachi's lord looks on.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 118.

Verse 8 (1.250.8)

नरनारायणौ यौ तौ पूर्वदेवौ विभावसो । संप्राप्तौ मानुषे लोके कार्यार्थं हि दिवौकसाम् ॥

naranārāyaṇau yau tau pūrvadevau vibhāvaso | saṃprāptau mānuṣe loke kāryārthaṃ hi divaukasām

Nara and Narayana, those ancient gods, O Vibhavasu, have come into the world of men to accomplish the purpose of the gods.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 118.

Verse 9 (1.250.9)

अर्जुनं वासुदेवं च यौ तौ लोकोऽभिमन्यते । तावेतौ सहितावेहि खाण्डवस्य समीपतः ॥

arjunaṃ vāsudevaṃ ca yau tau loko'bhimanyate | tāvetau sahitāvehi khāṇḍavasya samīpataḥ

They are the two whom the world knows as Arjuna and Vasudeva. Go to them both, who are together near Khandava.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 118.

Verse 10 (1.250.10)

तौ त्वं याचस्व साहाय्ये दाहार्थं खाण्डवस्य च । ततो धक्ष्यसि तं दावं रक्षितं त्रिदशैरपि ॥

tau tvaṃ yācasva sāhāyye dāhārthaṃ khāṇḍavasya ca | tato dhakṣyasi taṃ dāvaṃ rakṣitaṃ tridaśairapi

Ask them for their help in burning Khandava. Then you will burn that forest, even though the thirty gods guard it.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 118.

Verse 11 (1.250.11)

तौ तु सत्वानि सर्वाणि यत्नतो वारयिष्यतः । देवराजं च सहितौ तत्र मे नास्ति संशयः ॥

tau tu satvāni sarvāṇi yatnato vārayiṣyataḥ | devarājaṃ ca sahitau tatra me nāsti saṃśayaḥ

Together they will carefully hold back all the creatures, and the king of the gods as well; of that I have no doubt."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 118.

Verse 12 (1.250.12)

एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं त्वरितो हव्यवाहनः । कृष्णपार्थावुपागम्य यमर्थं त्वभ्यभाषत ॥

etacchrutvā tu vacanaṃ tvarito havyavāhanaḥ | kṛṣṇapārthāvupāgamya yamarthaṃ tvabhyabhāṣata

Hearing these words, the carrier of oblations went in haste to Krishna and Partha; and the purpose for which he addressed them

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives this passage only in Appendix I, No. 118.

Verse 13 (1.250.13)

तं ते कथितवानस्मि पूर्वमेव नृपोत्तम । तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं त्वग्नेर्बीभत्सुर्जातवेदसम् ॥

taṃ te kathitavānasmi pūrvameva nṛpottama | tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tvagnerbībhatsurjātavedasam

I have already told you, O best of kings. Hearing those words of Agni, Bibhatsu said to Jatavedas,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition as printed (found in the vulgate recension). The second line corresponds to the first line of critical edition 1.215.12 in a different wording (evam ukte pratyuvāca bībhatsur jātavedasam); the first line closes the passage that the critical edition gives only in Appendix I, No. 118.

Verse 14 (1.250.14)

अब्रवीन्नृपशार्दूल तत्कालसदृशं वचः । दिधक्षुं खाण्डवं दावमकामस्य शतक्रतोः ॥

abravīnnṛpaśārdūla tatkālasadṛśaṃ vacaḥ | didhakṣuṃ khāṇḍavaṃ dāvamakāmasya śatakratoḥ

O tiger among kings, words fitting the moment, to the Fire who wished to burn the Khandava forest against the will of Shatakratu:

Note on the text: The second line is critical edition 1.215.12b; the first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 15 (1.250.15)

उत्तमास्त्राणि मे सन्ति दिव्यानि च बहूनि च । यैरहं शक्नुयां योद्धुमपि वज्रधरान्बहून् ॥

uttamāstrāṇi me santi divyāni ca bahūni ca | yairahaṃ śaknuyāṃ yoddhumapi vajradharānbahūn

Arjuna said: I have many excellent divine weapons, with which I could fight even many wielders of the thunderbolt.

Verse 16 (1.250.16)

धनुर्मे नास्ति भगवन्बाहुवीर्येण संमितम् । कुर्वतः समरे यत्नं वेगं यद्विषहेन्मम ॥

dhanurme nāsti bhagavanbāhuvīryeṇa saṃmitam | kurvataḥ samare yatnaṃ vegaṃ yadviṣahenmama

But I have no bow, Lord, equal to the strength of my arms, one that could bear my force as I exert myself in battle.

Verse 17 (1.250.17)

शरैश्च मेऽर्थो बहुभिरक्षयैः क्षिप्रमस्यतः । न हि वोढुं रथः शक्तः शरान्मम यथेप्सितान् ॥

śaraiśca me'rtho bahubhirakṣayaiḥ kṣipramasyataḥ | na hi voḍhuṃ rathaḥ śaktaḥ śarānmama yathepsitān

And since I shoot swiftly, I need many arrows that never run out; nor can a chariot carry as many arrows as I would wish.

Verse 18 (1.250.18)

अश्वांश्च दिव्यानिच्छेयं पाण्डुरान्वातरंहसः । रथं च मेघनिर्घोषं सूर्यप्रतिमतेजसम् ॥

aśvāṃśca divyāniccheyaṃ pāṇḍurānvātaraṃhasaḥ | rathaṃ ca meghanirghoṣaṃ sūryapratimatejasam

I would want divine horses, white and swift as the wind, and a chariot that rumbles like the clouds and shines with a splendour like the sun's.

Verse 19 (1.250.19)

तथा कृष्णस्य वीर्येण नायुधं विद्यते समम् । येन नागान्पिशाचांश्च निहन्यान्माधवो रणे ॥

tathā kṛṣṇasya vīryeṇa nāyudhaṃ vidyate samam | yena nāgānpiśācāṃśca nihanyānmādhavo raṇe

Likewise there is no weapon equal to Krishna's might with which Madhava could slay nagas and pishachas in battle.

Verse 20 (1.250.20)

उपायं कर्मसिद्धौ च भगवन्वक्तुमर्हसि । निवारयेयं येनेन्द्रं वर्षमाणं महावने ॥

upāyaṃ karmasiddhau ca bhagavanvaktumarhasi | nivārayeyaṃ yenendraṃ varṣamāṇaṃ mahāvane

And, Lord, you should tell me a means of accomplishing this task, by which I may hold back Indra as he rains down upon the great forest.

Note on the text: Corrected भघवन् → भगवन् (misprint in Wikisource; घ for ग; the critical edition reads bhagavan).

Verse 21 (1.250.21)

पौरुषेण तु यत्कार्यं तत्कर्ताऽहं स्म पावक । करणानि समर्थानि भगवन्दातुमर्हसि ॥

pauruṣeṇa tu yatkāryaṃ tatkartā'haṃ sma pāvaka | karaṇāni samarthāni bhagavandātumarhasi

Whatever is to be done by manly effort, that I will do, O Pavaka; but you, Lord, should give us the instruments equal to the task.