Agni Arms Arjuna and Krishna; the Burning of Khandava Begins

Verse 1 (1.251.1)

एवमुक्तः स भगवान्धूमकेतुर्हुताशनः । चिन्तयामास वरुणं लोकपालं दिदृक्षया ॥

evamuktaḥ sa bhagavāndhūmaketurhutāśanaḥ | cintayāmāsa varuṇaṃ lokapālaṃ didṛkṣayā

Addressed thus, the blessed fire god Hutashana, whose banner is smoke, called Varuna, guardian of the world, to mind, wishing to see him:

Verse 2 (1.251.2)

आदित्यमुदके देवं निवसन्तं जलेश्वरम् । स च तच्चिन्तितं ज्ञात्वा दर्शयामास पावकम् ॥

ādityamudake devaṃ nivasantaṃ jaleśvaram | sa ca taccintitaṃ jñātvā darśayāmāsa pāvakam

the god, son of Aditi, lord of the waters, who dwells in the waters. And Varuna, knowing that he had been called to mind, showed himself to Pavaka.

Verse 3 (1.251.3)

तमब्रवीद्धूमकेतुः प्रतिगृह्य जलेश्वरम् । चतुर्थं लोकपालानां देवदेवं सनातनम् ॥

tamabravīddhūmaketuḥ pratigṛhya jaleśvaram | caturthaṃ lokapālānāṃ devadevaṃ sanātanam

Receiving the lord of the waters, the fourth of the world-guardians, the eternal god of gods, Dhumaketu said to him:

Note on the text: Corrected तमब्रवीद्भमकेतुः → तमब्रवीद्धूमकेतुः (misprint in Wikisource; भ for धू in धूमकेतुः, "he whose banner is smoke", as in verse 1).

Verse 4 (1.251.4)

सोमेन राज्ञा यद्दत्तं धनुश्चैवेषुधी च ते । तत्प्रयच्छोभयं शीघ्रं रथं च कपिलक्षणम् ॥

somena rājñā yaddattaṃ dhanuścaiveṣudhī ca te | tatprayacchobhayaṃ śīghraṃ rathaṃ ca kapilakṣaṇam

"The bow and the two quivers that King Soma gave you, give them both to me quickly, and the chariot that bears the ape as its emblem.

Verse 5 (1.251.5)

कार्यं च सुमहत्पार्थो गाण्डीवेन करिष्यति । चक्रेण वासुदेवश्च तन्ममाद्य प्रदीयताम् ॥

kāryaṃ ca sumahatpārtho gāṇḍīvena kariṣyati | cakreṇa vāsudevaśca tanmamādya pradīyatām

Partha will accomplish a very great task with the Gandiva, and Vasudeva with the discus. Let it be given to me today."

Verse 6 (1.251.6)

ददानीत्येव वरुणः पावकं प्रत्यभाषत । तदद्भुतं महावीर्यं यशःकीर्तिविवर्धनम् ॥

dadānītyeva varuṇaḥ pāvakaṃ pratyabhāṣata | tadadbhutaṃ mahāvīryaṃ yaśaḥkīrtivivardhanam

"I give it," Varuna replied to Pavaka. That wondrous bow of great power, which increases fame and glory,

Verse 7 (1.251.7)

सर्वशस्त्रैरनाधृष्यं सर्वशस्त्रप्रमाथि च । सर्वायुधमहामात्रं परसैन्यप्रधर्षणम् ॥

sarvaśastrairanādhṛṣyaṃ sarvaśastrapramāthi ca | sarvāyudhamahāmātraṃ parasainyapradharṣaṇam

which no weapon could overpower and which crushed every weapon, chief among all arms, the scourge of enemy armies,

Verse 8 (1.251.8)

एकं शतसहस्रेण संमितं राष्ट्रवर्धनम् । चित्रमुच्चावचैर्वर्णैः शोभितं श्लक्ष्णमव्रणम् ॥

ekaṃ śatasahasreṇa saṃmitaṃ rāṣṭravardhanam | citramuccāvacairvarṇaiḥ śobhitaṃ ślakṣṇamavraṇam

alone a match for a hundred thousand, the enlarger of kingdoms, bright with colours of every kind, beautiful, smooth and without a flaw,

Verse 9 (1.251.9)

देवदानवगन्धर्वैः पूजितं शाश्वतीः समाः । प्रादाच्चैव धनूरत्नमक्षय्यौ च महेषुधी ॥

devadānavagandharvaiḥ pūjitaṃ śāśvatīḥ samāḥ | prādāccaiva dhanūratnamakṣayyau ca maheṣudhī

and honoured through endless years by gods, Danavas and Gandharvas: that jewel among bows he gave, and the two great inexhaustible quivers,

Verse 10 (1.251.10)

रथं च दिव्याश्वयुजं कपिप्रवरकेतनम् । उपेतं राजतैरश्वैर्गान्धर्वैर्हेममालिभिः ॥

rathaṃ ca divyāśvayujaṃ kapipravaraketanam | upetaṃ rājatairaśvairgāndharvairhemamālibhiḥ

and the chariot yoked with celestial horses, with the foremost of apes on its banner, fitted with silver-white Gandharva horses garlanded with gold,

Verse 11 (1.251.11)

पाण्डुराभ्रप्रतीकाशैर्मनोवायुसमैर्जवे । सर्वोपकरणैर्युक्तमजय्यं देवदानवैः ॥

pāṇḍurābhrapratīkāśairmanovāyusamairjave | sarvopakaraṇairyuktamajayyaṃ devadānavaiḥ

horses like pale white clouds, as swift as the mind and the wind; a chariot furnished with every implement, which neither gods nor Danavas could conquer,

Verse 12 (1.251.12)

भानुमन्तं महाघोषं सर्वरत्नमनोरमम् । ससर्ज यं सुतपसा भौमनो भुवनप्रभुः ॥

bhānumantaṃ mahāghoṣaṃ sarvaratnamanoramam | sasarja yaṃ sutapasā bhaumano bhuvanaprabhuḥ

radiant, loud-thundering, lovely with every kind of gem, which the lord of the world, Bhaumana, had fashioned by his great austerity,

Note on the text: Corrected भावुमन्तं → भानुमन्तं (misprint in Wikisource; व for न, "radiant", as in the critical edition's bhānumantaṃ).

Verse 13 (1.251.13)

प्रजापतिरनिर्देश्यं यस्य रूपं रवेरिव । यं स्म सोमः समारुह्य दानवानजयत्प्रभुः ॥

prajāpatiranirdeśyaṃ yasya rūpaṃ raveriva | yaṃ sma somaḥ samāruhya dānavānajayatprabhuḥ

he, the Prajapati; a chariot whose form, like the sun's, was beyond description, and mounted on which the lord Soma had once conquered the Danavas.

Verse 14 (1.251.14)

नवमेघप्रतीकाशं ज्वलन्तमिव च श्रिया । आश्रितौ तं रथश्रेष्ठं शक्रायुधसमावुभौ ॥

navameghapratīkāśaṃ jvalantamiva ca śriyā | āśritau taṃ rathaśreṣṭhaṃ śakrāyudhasamāvubhau

It looked like a fresh rain-cloud and seemed to blaze with splendour. Set upon that best of chariots were two things, both like Indra's rainbow:

Note on the text: Corrected ज्ललन्तमिव → ज्वलन्तमिव (misprint in Wikisource; ल for व, "blazing", as in the critical edition's jvalantam iva).

Verse 15 (1.251.15)

तापनीया सुरुचिरा ध्वजयष्टिरनुत्तमा । तस्यां तु वानरो दिव्यः सिंहशार्दूलकेतनः ॥

tāpanīyā surucirā dhvajayaṣṭiranuttamā | tasyāṃ tu vānaro divyaḥ siṃhaśārdūlaketanaḥ

a peerless flagstaff of gold, most beautiful, and on it a celestial ape, fearsome as a lion or a tiger.

Verse 16 (1.251.16)

हनूमान्नाम तेजस्वी कामरूपी महाबलः । दिधक्षन्निव तत्र स्म संस्थितो मूर्ध्न्यशोभत । ध्वजे भूतानि तत्रासन्विविधानि महान्ति च ॥

hanūmānnāma tejasvī kāmarūpī mahābalaḥ | didhakṣanniva tatra sma saṃsthito mūrdhnyaśobhata | dhvaje bhūtāni tatrāsanvividhāni mahānti ca

He was Hanuman by name, full of fire, able to take any form at will and of great strength. Perched there at the very top, as though eager to burn everything up, he shone. In that banner dwelt great beings of many kinds,

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and closing quote) around the first line, which Wikisource marks as an addition. The first line (naming Hanuman) is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 17 (1.251.17)

नादेन रिपुसैन्यानां येषां संज्ञा प्रणश्यति । स तं नानापताकाभिः शोभितं रथसत्तमम् ॥

nādena ripusainyānāṃ yeṣāṃ saṃjñā praṇaśyati | sa taṃ nānāpatākābhiḥ śobhitaṃ rathasattamam

at whose roar enemy armies lose their senses. That finest of chariots, adorned with many pennants,

Verse 18 (1.251.18)

प्रदक्षिणमुपावृत्य दैवतेभ्यः प्रणम्य च । सन्नद्धः कवची खड्गी बद्धगोधाङ्गुलित्रकः ॥

pradakṣiṇamupāvṛtya daivatebhyaḥ praṇamya ca | sannaddhaḥ kavacī khaḍgī baddhagodhāṅgulitrakaḥ

he circled, keeping it to his right, and bowed to the gods; then, armed, in his coat of mail, sword at his side and lizard-skin finger-guards bound on,

Verse 19 (1.251.19)

आरुरोह तदा पार्थो विमानं सुकृती यथा । तच्च दिव्यं धनुः श्रेष्ठं ब्रह्मणा निर्मितं पुरा ॥

āruroha tadā pārtho vimānaṃ sukṛtī yathā | tacca divyaṃ dhanuḥ śreṣṭhaṃ brahmaṇā nirmitaṃ purā

Partha mounted it, as a man of good deeds mounts a celestial car. And that celestial, excellent bow, made long ago by Brahma,

Verse 20 (1.251.20)

गाण्डीवमुपसंगृह्य बभूव मुदितोऽर्जुनः । हुताशनं पुरस्कृत्य ततस्तदपि वीर्यवान् ॥

gāṇḍīvamupasaṃgṛhya babhūva mudito'rjunaḥ | hutāśanaṃ puraskṛtya tatastadapi vīryavān

the Gandiva, Arjuna took into his hands, and he rejoiced. Then, honouring the fire god before all, the mighty hero

Verse 21 (1.251.21)

जग्राह बलमास्थाय ज्यया च युयुजे धनुः । मौर्व्यां तु योज्यमानायां बलिना पाण्डवेन ह ॥

jagrāha balamāsthāya jyayā ca yuyuje dhanuḥ | maurvyāṃ tu yojyamānāyāṃ balinā pāṇḍavena ha

grasped it, putting forth his strength, and strung the bow. As the mighty Pandava fitted the string,

Verse 22 (1.251.22)

येऽशृण्वन्कूजितं यत्र तेषां वै व्यथितं मनः । लब्ध्वा रथं धनुश्चैव तथाऽक्षय्ये महेषुधी ॥

ye'śṛṇvankūjitaṃ yatra teṣāṃ vai vyathitaṃ manaḥ | labdhvā rathaṃ dhanuścaiva tathā'kṣayye maheṣudhī

all who heard its twang were shaken in their hearts. Having gained the chariot, the bow and the two inexhaustible great quivers,

Note on the text: Corrected येऽशृष्वन् → येऽशृण्वन् (misprint in Wikisource; ष्व for ण्व in अशृण्वन्, "they heard").

Verse 23 (1.251.23)

बभूव कल्यः कौन्तेयः प्रहृष्टः साह्यकर्मणि । वज्रनाभं ततश्चक्रं ददौ कृष्णाय पावकः ॥

babhūva kalyaḥ kaunteyaḥ prahṛṣṭaḥ sāhyakarmaṇi | vajranābhaṃ tataścakraṃ dadau kṛṣṇāya pāvakaḥ

Kunti's son was ready, and glad to give his help. Then Pavaka gave Krishna a discus with a hub of adamant

Verse 24 (1.251.24)

आग्नेयमस्त्रं दयितं स च कल्योऽभवत्तदा । अब्रवीत्पावकश्चैवमेतेन मधुसूदन ॥

āgneyamastraṃ dayitaṃ sa ca kalyo'bhavattadā | abravītpāvakaścaivametena madhusūdana

and the cherished fire-weapon, and he too was then ready. And Pavaka said: "With this, slayer of Madhu,

Verse 25 (1.251.25)

अमानुषानपि रणे जेष्यसि त्वमसंशयम् । अनेन तु मनुष्याणां देवानामपि चाहवे ॥

amānuṣānapi raṇe jeṣyasi tvamasaṃśayam | anena tu manuṣyāṇāṃ devānāmapi cāhave

you will without doubt conquer in battle even beings who are not human. With this, in combat, among men and even among the gods,

Verse 26 (1.251.26)

रक्षःपिशाचदैत्यानां नागानां चाधिकस्तथा । भविष्यसि न सन्देहः प्रवरोऽपि निबर्हणे ॥

rakṣaḥpiśācadaityānāṃ nāgānāṃ cādhikastathā | bhaviṣyasi na sandehaḥ pravaro'pi nibarhaṇe

among Rakshasas, Pishachas, Daityas and Nagas, you will stand above all, there is no doubt, and be foremost in destroying them.

Verse 27 (1.251.27)

क्षिप्तं क्षिप्तं रणे चैतत्त्वया माधव शत्रुषु । हत्वाऽप्रतिहतं सङ्ख्ये पाणिमेष्यति ते पुनः ॥

kṣiptaṃ kṣiptaṃ raṇe caitattvayā mādhava śatruṣu | hatvā'pratihataṃ saṅkhye pāṇimeṣyati te punaḥ

Each time you hurl it at your enemies in battle, Madhava, it will kill and, never checked in the fight, come back to your hand again."

Verse 28 (1.251.28)

वरुणश्च ददौ तस्मै गदामशनिनिःस्वनाम् । दैत्यान्तकरणीं घोरां नाम्ना कौमोदकीं प्रभुः ॥

varuṇaśca dadau tasmai gadāmaśaniniḥsvanām | daityāntakaraṇīṃ ghorāṃ nāmnā kaumodakīṃ prabhuḥ

And the lord Varuna gave him a terrible mace named Kaumodaki, roaring like the thunderbolt, bringer of death to the Daityas.

Verse 29 (1.251.29)

ततः पावकमब्रूतां प्रहृष्टावर्जुनाच्युतौ । कृतास्त्रौ शस्त्रसंपन्नौ रथिनौ ध्वजिनावपि ॥

tataḥ pāvakamabrūtāṃ prahṛṣṭāvarjunācyutau | kṛtāstrau śastrasaṃpannau rathinau dhvajināvapi

Then Arjuna and Achyuta, overjoyed, said to Pavaka: "Now that we have weapons and the skill to use them, now that we have chariots and banners,

Verse 30 (1.251.30)

कल्यौ स्वो भगवन्योद्धुमपि सर्वैः सुरासुरैः । किं पुनर्वज्रिणैकेन पन्नगार्थे युयुत्सता ॥

kalyau svo bhagavanyoddhumapi sarvaiḥ surāsuraiḥ | kiṃ punarvajriṇaikena pannagārthe yuyutsatā

we are able, lord, to fight even all the gods and asuras together, let alone the lone wielder of the thunderbolt who wants to fight for the serpent's sake."

Verse 31 (1.251.31)

चक्रपाणिर्हृषीकेशो विचरन्युधि वीर्यवान् । चक्रेण भस्मसात्सर्वं विसृष्टेन तु वीर्यवान् । त्रिषु लोकेषु तन्नास्ति यन्न कुर्याज्जनार्दनः ॥

cakrapāṇirhṛṣīkeśo vicaranyudhi vīryavān | cakreṇa bhasmasātsarvaṃ visṛṣṭena tu vīryavān | triṣu lokeṣu tannāsti yanna kuryājjanārdanaḥ

"Hrishikesha, discus in hand, ranging the battlefield in his might, can turn everything to ashes with the discus he lets fly. There is nothing in the three worlds that Janardana could not do.

Note on the text: The middle line (चक्रेण भस्मसात्सर्वं…) is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 32 (1.251.32)

गाण्डीवं धनुरादाय तथाऽक्षय्ये महेषुधी । अहमप्युत्सहे लोकान्विजेतुं युधि पावक ॥

gāṇḍīvaṃ dhanurādāya tathā'kṣayye maheṣudhī | ahamapyutsahe lokānvijetuṃ yudhi pāvaka

And I too, taking up the Gandiva bow and the two inexhaustible great quivers, have the strength to conquer the worlds in battle, Pavaka.

Verse 33 (1.251.33)

सर्वतः परिवार्यैवं दावमेतं महाप्रभो । कामं संप्रज्वलाद्यैव कल्यौ स्वः साह्यकर्मणि ॥

sarvataḥ parivāryaivaṃ dāvametaṃ mahāprabho | kāmaṃ saṃprajvalādyaiva kalyau svaḥ sāhyakarmaṇi

So surround this forest on every side, great lord, and blaze up as you please this very day. We two are ready to help.

Verse 34 (1.251.34)

यदि खाण्डवमेष्यति प्रमादात्सगणो वा परिरक्षितुं महेन्द्रः । शरताडितगात्रकुण्डलानां कदनं द्रक्ष्यति देववाहिनीनाम् ॥

yadi khāṇḍavameṣyati pramādātsagaṇo vā parirakṣituṃ mahendraḥ | śaratāḍitagātrakuṇḍalānāṃ kadanaṃ drakṣyati devavāhinīnām

If great Indra should rashly come to Khandava with his hosts to protect it, he will see the slaughter of the armies of the gods, their bodies and earrings struck by arrows."

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and closing quote) with which Wikisource marks this verse as an addition, and the doubled end-of-verse danda. Wikisource prints the four padas on four lines, breaking प्रमादा-त्सगणो with a hyphen; the verse (in puṣpitāgrā metre) is set here as two half-verses. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 35 (1.251.35)

एवमुक्तः स भगवान्दाशार्हेणार्जुनेन च । तैजसं रूपमास्थाय दावं दग्धुं प्रचक्रमे ॥

evamuktaḥ sa bhagavāndāśārheṇārjunena ca | taijasaṃ rūpamāsthāya dāvaṃ dagdhuṃ pracakrame

Addressed thus by the Dasharha and by Arjuna, the blessed god took on his fiery form and set about burning the forest.

Note on the text: Corrected रपमास्थाय → रूपमास्थाय (misprint in Wikisource; dropped ू in रूपम्, "form", as in the critical edition's rūpam āsthāya).

Verse 36 (1.251.36)

सर्वतः परिवार्याथ सप्तार्चिर्ज्वलनस्तथा । ददाह खाण्डवं दावं युगान्तमिव दर्शयन् ॥

sarvataḥ parivāryātha saptārcirjvalanastathā | dadāha khāṇḍavaṃ dāvaṃ yugāntamiva darśayan

Surrounding it on every side, the seven-flamed blazing fire burned the Khandava forest, as though showing the end of an age.

Verse 37 (1.251.37)

प्रतिगृह्य समाविश्य तद्वनं भरतर्षभ । मेघस्तनितनिर्घोषः सर्वभूतान्यकम्पयत् ॥

pratigṛhya samāviśya tadvanaṃ bharatarṣabha | meghastanitanirghoṣaḥ sarvabhūtānyakampayat

Seizing that forest and entering it, bull of the Bharatas, with a roar like the thunder of clouds he made all creatures tremble.

Verse 38 (1.251.38)

दह्यतस्तस्य च बभौ रूपं दावस्य भारत । मेरोरिव नगेन्द्रस्य कीर्णस्यांशुमतोऽंशुभिः ॥

dahyatastasya ca babhau rūpaṃ dāvasya bhārata | meroriva nagendrasya kīrṇasyāṃśumato'ṃśubhiḥ

And the look of that burning forest, Bharata, was like Meru, king of mountains, covered with the rays of the sun.

Note on the text: Corrected कीर्णस्यांशुमतोंशुभिः → कीर्णस्यांशुमतोऽंशुभिः (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha for the elided अ of अंशुभिः).