“Vaishampaayana said, ‘Then that Brahmana addressed Arjuna and Vaasudeva
of the Saatwata race, saying, ‘You who are now staying so near to Khaandava are
the two foremost of heroes (Veera in Sanskrit) on earth. I am a unsatisfiable Brahmana that always eats much. O you
of the Vrishni race (Sri Krishna)
and O Paartha (Arjuna), I request
you to satisfy me by giving me sufficient food.’ Thus addressed by the
Brahmana, (Sri) Krishna and the son
of Pandu (Arjuna) answered him,
saying, ‘O, tell us what kind of food will satisfy you so that we may try to
give it you.’
“The respected Brahmana, thus replied to, said to those heroes (Veera
in Sanskrit) who were enquiring after
the kind of food he sought, ‘I do not desire to eat ordinary food. Know that I
am Agni (God of fire)! Give me that
food which suits me. This forest of Khaandava is always protected by (Lord) Indra. As it is protected by the
illustrious one (Lord Indra), I
always fail to consume it. In that forest stays, with his followers and family,
a Naagaa, called Takshaka, who is the friend of (Lord) Indra. It is for him that the wielder of Vajra (Lord Indra) protects this forest. Many other creatures
also are thus protected here for the sake of Takshaka. Desiring to consume the
forest I do not succeed in my attempts in consequence of (Lord) Indra’s capabilities. Seeing me blazing
forth, He (Lord Indra) always pours
upon me water from the clouds. Therefore, I do not succeed in consuming the
forest of Khaandava, 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 this is the food that is desired by me! As you are knowledgeable
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 Khaandava that was filled with various living creatures and protected
by the chief of Devas (Lord Indra)?
When Agni consumed in anger the forest of Khaandava, it is evident there was an
important cause. I desire, O Brahmana (Rishi Vaishampaayana), to hear all this in detail from you. Tell
me, O Rishi, how the Khaandava forest was consumed in ancient days.’
“Vaishampaayana said, ‘O chief of men (Janamejaya), I will narrate to you the story of the fire
of Khaandava (forest) as told by
Rishis in the Purana. O king (Janamejaya), it has been heard in the Purana that there was a celebrated king of
the name of Shwetaki who was filled with strength and prowess and who was equal
to (Lord) Indra Himself. No one on
earth has equalled him in yagnas, charity, and intelligence. (King) Shwetaki performed the five Mahaayagnas
and many others, at all of which the gifts to Brahmanas were large. The heart
of that monarch, O king (Janamejaya),
was always set upon yagnas, rites of Dharma, and gifts of all kinds. King Shwetaki
of great intelligence, assisted by his Ritwiks performed yagnas for many long
years, till those yagna priests with eyes pained by the continued smoke and
becoming very weak, left that monarch, wishing never more to assist at his yagnas.
The king (Shwetaki), however,
repeatedly asked those Ritwiks to come to him. But they did not arrive at his yagna
in consequence of the painful state of their eyes. The king (Shwetaki), therefore, invited at the command of his
own Ritwiks, others like to them, and completed the yagna that he had begun.
“After some days had elapsed, king Shwetaki desired to perform another yagna
which should extend for a hundred years. But the illustrious monarch (Shwetaki), did not obtain any priest to assist him
in it. The celebrated king (Shwetaki)
then, with his friends and relatives, leaving off all reluctance, repeatedly asked
his priests with great determination, by bowing down to them, by appeasing
speeches, and by gifts of wealth. All of them, however, refused to accomplish
the purpose which that king (Shwetaki)
of immeasurable energy had in view. Then that Rajarishi (Shwetaki), getting angry, addressed those Brahmanas
sitting in their ashramas, and said, ‘O Brahmanas, if I were a fallen person,
or, if, I were wanting in respect and service to you, I should then deserve to
be abandoned without hesitation by you and by other Brahmanas at the same time.
But as I am neither degraded nor wanting in respect to you, it is your duty not
to obstruct the performance by me of my yagna or to abandon me thus, O foremost
of Brahmanas, without adequate reason. I seek, O Brahmanas, your protection! It
is your duty to be favourable to me. But, O foremost of Brahmanas, if you
abandon me from enmity alone or any improper motive, I shall go to other
priests for their assistance in this yagna of mine, and appeasing them by sweet
words and gifts, I shall represent to them the business I have on hand, so that
they may accomplish it.’
“Having said this, the monarch (Shwetaki) became silent. O punisher of enemies, when those priests well knew
that they could not assist at the king’s yagna, they pretended to be angry, and
addressing that best of monarchs said, ‘O best of kings, your yagnas are unending!
By assisting you always, we have all been tired. As we have been tired in
consequence of these labours, it is your responsibility to give us leave. O
sinless one (Shwetaki), from loss of
judgment you cannot wait (but urge us repeatedly). Go to Rudra (Lord Shiva)!
He will assist at your yagna!’
“Hearing those words of criticism and angry, king Shwetaki became
angry. The monarch went to the mountains of Kailasha, devoted himself to Tapas
there. O king, the monarch (Shwetaki)
began to worship Mahadeva (Lord Shiva),
with fixed attention, and by observing the most rigid vows (Vrata in
Sanskrit). Foregoing all food at times,
he passed a long period. The monarch (Shwetaki) ate only fruits and roots sometimes at the twelfth and sometimes at
the sixteenth hour of the whole day. King Shwetaki stood for six months, absorbed
in attention, with arms upraised and fixed eyes, like the trunk of a tree or a
column rooted to the ground. O Bharata (Janamejaya), Shankara (Lord Shiva) at
last satisfied with that tiger among kings (Shwetaki), who was undergoing such hard penances, showed Himself to him. The Deva
(Lord Shiva) spoke to the monarch in
a calm and grave voice, saying, ‘O tiger among kings, O punisher of enemies, I
have been pleased with you for your Tapas! Blessed be you! O king, ask now the
boon that you desire.’
“Hearing these words of Rudra (Lord Shiva) of immeasurable energy, the Rajarishi (Shwetaki) bowed to that deity (Lord Shiva) and replied, saying, ‘O illustrious one, O
You that are worshipped by the three worlds, if You have been pleased with me,
then, O Devon ke Dev (Lord Shiva), O
lord of Devas, assist me Yourself in my yagna!’ Hearing these words spoken by
the monarch, the illustrious Deva (Lord Shiva) was pleased, and smilingly said, ‘We do not ourselves assist at yagnas:
but as you, O king, have undergone severe penances, desirous of obtaining a
boon, I will, O punisher of enemies, O king, assist at your yagna upon this
condition.’
“Rudra continued, 'If, O king of kings, you can, for twelve years, pour
without intermission offerings of clarified butter into the fire, yourself
leading all the while the life of a Brahmachari with complete attention, then you
shall obtain from me what you ask.’
“King Shwetaki, thus addressed by Rudra (Lord Shiva), did all that he was directed to do by the
wielder of Trishul (Lord Shiva).
After twelve years had elapsed, he again came to Maheshwara (Lord Shiva). Shankara, the Creator of the worlds upon
seeing Shwetaki, that excellent monarch, immediately said, in great
gratification, ‘I have been satisfied by you, O best of kings, with this your
own act! But, O punisher of enemies, the duty of assisting at yagnas properly
belongs to Brahmanas. Therefore, O oppressor of enemies, I will not myself
assist at your yagna today. There is on earth a noble Brahmana who is a portion
of my own self. He is known by the name of (Maharishi) Durvasa. That Brahmana filled with great energy will assist you in your
yagna. Let, therefore, every preparation be made.’
“Hearing these words uttered by Rudra (Lord Shiva), the king (Shwetaki), 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
has been collected, and all my preparations are complete, through Your grace, O
Devon ke Dev! Let me, therefore, be installed at the yagna tomorrow.’
“Having heard these words of that illustrious king, Rudra summoned (Maharishi) Durvasa before Him and said, ‘This, O
Durvasa, is that best of monarchs called Shwetaki. At my command, O best of
Brahmanas, assist this king in his yagna.’ The Rishi Durvasa said to Rudra, ‘So
be it.’ Then the yagna for which king Shwetaki had made those preparations,
took place. The illustrious monarch’s yagna was performed according to the Shastras
and in proper season. The gifts, on that occasion, to the Brahmanas were large.
After that monarch’s yagna had come to an end, all the other priests who had
come to assist at it went away with (Maharishi) Durvasa’s leave. All other Sadasyas also of immeasurable energy, who
had been installed at that yagna, then went away. That noble monarch then
entered his own palace, worshipped by noble Brahmanas knowledgeable with the
Vedas, praised by chanters of formal praise hymns and congratulated by the
citizens.
“Such was the history of that best of monarchs, the Rajarishi Shwetaki,
who, when the time came, ascended to heaven, having won great fame on earth,
and accompanied by the Ritwiks and the Sadasyas that had helped him in life.’
“Vaishampaayana continued, ‘At that yagna of Shwetaki, 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, fully satisfied, desired not to drink butter again from the hand
of anybody else at any other yagna. Agni became pale, having lost his colour,
and he could not shine as before. He felt a loss of appetite from oversupply,
and his energy itself decreased and sickness pained him. Then when the drinker
of offerings of yagnas perceived that his energy was gradually diminishing, he
went to the sacred Brahmaloka that is worshipped by all. Approaching the great
Deity (Lord Brahma) seated on his
seat, Agni said, ‘O noble one, Shwetaki has (by his yagna) satisfied me to excess. Now I am suffering
from overdose which I cannot eliminate. O Lord of the universe (Lord
Brahma), I am being reduced both in
splendour and strength. I desire to regain, through Your grace, my own permanent
nature.’
“Hearing these words from Hutavahaa (Agni), the illustrious Creator of all things (Lord Brahma) smilingly replied to him, saying, ‘O noble
one, you have eaten, for twelve years, a continuous stream of sacrificial
butter poured into your mouth! It is for this that illness has catched you.
But, O Agni, grieve not for it. You shall soon regain your own nature. I shall eliminate
this overdose of yours and the time for it is come. The dreadful forest
Khandava, that house of the enemies of Devas, which you had once in ancient
times consumed to ashes at the request of Devas, has now become the home of
numerous creatures. When you will have eaten the fat of those creatures, you
shall regain your own nature. Proceed there quickly to consume that forest with
its living population. You will then be cured of your illness.’
“Hearing the words that fell from the lips of the Supreme Deity (Lord
Brahma), Hutaashana (Agni) proceeded with great speed and soon
reached the forest of Khandava in great energy. Arrived there, he suddenly
blazed forth in anger, assisted by Vaayu. Looking Khandava (forest) on fire the dwellers (in the forest) that were there, made great efforts to
extinguish the forest fire. 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, quickly began to throw upon fire much
water from those many hoods of theirs. O bull of Bharata’s race (Janamejaya), the other creatures dwelling in that
forest, by various appliances and efforts, soon extinguished the fire. In this
way, Agni blazed forth in Khandava (forest) repeatedly, for seven times. It was in this way that the blazing fire
was extinguished there as often by the denizens of that forest.’”
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