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, hastily began to scatter upon fire
much water from those many hoods of theirs. And so, O bull of Bharata's
race, the other creatures dwelling in that forest, by various appliances
and efforts, soon extinguished the fire. In this way, Agni blazed forth in
Khandava repeatedly, even for seven times. And it was in this way that the
blazing fire was extinguished there as often by the denizens of that
forest.'"
SECTION CCXXVI
(Khandava-daha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then Havyavahana (Agni) in anger and disappointment,
with his ailment uncured, went to the Grandsire. And he represented unto
Brahman all that had happened: The illustrious deity, reflecting for a
moment, said unto him, 'O sinless one, I see a way by which thou mayest
consume the forest of Khandava today in the very sight of Indra. Those old
deities, Nara and Narayana, have become incarnate in the world of men to
accomplish the business of the celestials. They are called on earth Arjuna
and Vasudeva. They are even now staying in the forest of Khandava. Solicit
them for aiding thee in consuming that forest. Thou shalt then consume the
forest even if it be protected by the celestials. They will certainly
prevent the population of Khandava from escaping, and thwart Indra also
(in aiding any one in the escape).
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