The Burning of the
Forest
The story begins with Krishna and Arjuna at a great picnic
that the Pandavas had going. The women there were heavily intoxicated, and the
men were giving them many gifts to be with them. Krishna and Arjuna were sitting
together telling old stories when a brahmin approached them. The men stand not
knowing what to do and they ask if he is hungry. The man says that he is hungry
and that desires to eat the Khandava forest. The brahmin turns out to be a fired
god. He tells them that he has tried to devour it many times but each time he
tries Indra has always been there to thwart him. Every time his fire sought to
eat the trees Indra would put it out with rain. Agni asked the two heroes to
help him for he had consumed a lot of this drink called ghee that had made him
weak. The only way to fix this was for Agni to consume the Khandava forest. The
heroes both agreed to help on the condition that each of them would receive celestial
weapons. Agni agreed and gave them a bow from a god called Varuna along with
arrows and a chariot full of weapons. Krishna also received a mace and a discus.
The battle with Indra ensued as the two heroes fought off the rain Indra sent
their way. While the forest was being devoured the two heroes extinguished the
rain with the arrows they received. Many animals were devoured in the flame.
Only a few survived, among them was a snake called Ashwasena and four birds
from Maya the demon. At the end of their battle Agni was full and satisfied.
Now he was more vibrant than before having filled himself with the life of the
forest. The two heroes walked away with weapons in hand.
Bibliography: Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie
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