Krishna and Arjuna Burn the Khandava Forest
The god of fire, Agni, rages through the Khandava forest, consuming everything. Krishna and Arjuna stand guard with divine weapons, slaughtering every creature that tries to flee and feeding them to the flames. Even the gods, led by Indra, arrive to save the forest but are utterly repulsed by the two warriors.
The mountain fell, and the forest screamed. Every inhabitant of Khandava — danavas (demons), rakshasas (ogres), serpents, hyenas, bears, rutting elephants, tigers, lions, deer, buffaloes, and hundreds of birds — slithered and scrambled in terror. They saw the fire raging and the two Krishnas standing ready with their weapons. The roar of the blaze and the warriors terrified them.
Janardana (Krishna) let fly his chakra (discus), radiant with its own energy. Small creatures, danavas, and nishacharas (night-wanderers) were instantly cut down in hundreds and hurled into the fire. Mangled by the spinning disc and covered in fat and blood, the rakshasas looked like twilight clouds. Varshneya (Krishna) moved like destiny itself, killing pishachas (ghouls), birds, serpents, and animals by the thousands. Released from the hand of the enemy-slayer, the chakra would kill many beings and then return to his palm. As he went about this slaughter, the form of he who is the soul of all beings became dreadful.
All the assembled gods and danavas together could not vanquish Krishna and the Pandava (Arjuna) in battle. They could not save the forest with their strength or quench the fire, so they retreated. Seeing the masses of gods turned away, Shatakratu (Indra) was pleased and praised the two warriors.
Arjuna, having vanquished the gods the way wind scatters clouds, used showers of arrows to kill every being who lived in Khandava. Not a single creature could escape; they were all cut down by Savyasachi’s (Arjuna’s) arrows. The greatest of beings could not even look upon the invincible Arjuna in battle, let alone fight him. Like the god of death, he pierced one being with a hundred arrows and a hundred beings with one arrow, and the dead descended into the flames. They found no refuge on the riverbanks, in the uneven plains, or in the abodes of the ancestors and gods.
The heat increased. Thousands of herds cried out loudly in pain. Elephants, deer, and birds shrieked, and the sound scared those who lived in the Ganga and the ocean. No one dared gaze at the mighty-armed Arjuna and the immensely strong Krishna. With his chakra, Hari (Krishna) slew rakshasas, danavas, and nagas (serpents) who ventured onto solitary paths. Heads and trunks sliced by the force of the discus, giant bodies fell into the mouth of the blazing fire.
Aided by torrents of blood, flesh, and fat, the flames rose into the sky without a trace of smoke. Agni’s eyes blazed, his tongue blazed, his wide-open mouth blazed. His hair stood up, drinking the fat of life, and his eyes were tawny. The fire fed on the nectar that Krishna and Arjuna provided and was extremely happy, satiated, and content.
Then Madhusudana (Krishna) saw an asura (demon) named Maya suddenly attempting to escape from Takshaka’s burning abode. Agni, whose charioteer was the wind, assumed the form of a hermit with matted hair, roared like clouds, and pursued him, intent on consumption. Vasudeva stood with his chakra raised, ready to kill. Seeing the raised discus and the fire ready to consume him, Maya cried out, “O Arjuna! Save me.” Hearing these scared words, Arjuna replied, “Do not be frightened.” Partha’s words seemed to instill new life into Maya. When Arjuna told Maya he need not fear, Dasharha (Krishna) no longer desired to kill him, and the fire did not burn him either. In that flaming forest, Agni did not burn six beings: Ashvasena, Maya, and the four Sharngakas.