“Vaishampaayana said, ‘Then Havyavaahana (Agni) in anger and disappointment, with his ailment uncured, went back to
the Pitamaha (Lord Brahma). He
represented to (Lord) Brahma all that
had happened: The illustrious deity (Lord Brahma), thinking for a moment, said to him, ‘O sinless one, I see a way by
which you may consume the forest of Khandava today in the very sight of (Lord) Indra. Those old deities, Nara and
Narayana, have become incarnate in the world of men to accomplish the business
of Devas. They are called on earth Arjuna and Vaasudeva (Lord Krishna). They are now staying in the forest of
Khandava. Request them for aiding you in consuming that forest. You shall then
consume the forest if it be protected by Devas. They will certainly prevent the
population of Khandava from escaping, and foil (Lord) Indra also (in aiding anyone in the escape). I have no doubt of this!’
“Hearing these words, Agni came quickly to (Sri) Krishna and Paartha (Arjuna). O king (Janamejaya), I have already told you what he said,
having approached the illustrious pair. O tiger among kings (Janamejaya), hearing those words of Agni who was
desirous of consuming the forest of Khandava against the will of (Lord) Indra, Bibhatsu (Arjuna) said to him these words well-suited to the
occasion, ‘I have numberless excellent divine weapons with which I can fight
many wielders of Vajra (i.e. I can fight many Indras). But, O noble one, I have no bow suited to the strength of my arms,
and capable of bearing the might (Bala in Sanskrit) I may put forth in battle. In consequence of the lightness 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 divine
horses of pure white, 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 (Sri) Krishna’s energy and with which Maadhava (Sri
Krishna) can slay Naagaas and Pisaachas.
O noble one (Agni), it is your duty
to give us the means by which success may be achieved and by which we may foil (Lord) Indra in pouring his showers upon that
extensive forest. O Paavaka (Agni),
we are ready to do all that manliness and prowess can do. But, O noble one, it is
your duty to give us the adequate means.’”
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