(Khandava-daha Parva continued)
"'Jaritari said, "The person that is wise remaineth wakeful in view of
death. Accordingly, when the hour of death approacheth, he feeleth no
pangs. But the person of perplexed soul, who remaineth not awake, when the
hour of death comes, feeleth the pangs of death and never attaineth
salvation."
"'The second brother, Sarisrikka, said, "Thou art patient and intelligent.
The time is come when our lives are threatened. Without doubt, one only
amongst many becometh wise and brave."
"'The third brother, Stamvamitra, said, "The eldest brother is called the
protector. It is the eldest brother that rescueth (the younger ones) from
danger. If the eldest himself faileth to rescue them, what can the younger
ones do?"
"'The fourth and the youngest brother, Drona, said, "The cruel god of fire,
with seven tongues and seven mouths quickly cometh towards our habitation,
blazing forth in splendour and licking up everything in his path."'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having addressed one another thus, the sons of
Mandapala then each devotedly addressed an eulogistic hymn to Agni. Listen
now, O monarch, to those hymns as I recite them.
"'Jaritari said, "Thou art, O fire, the soul of air! Thou art the body of
the Earth's vegetation! O Sukra, water is thy parent as thou art the
parent of water! O thou of great energy, thy flames, like the rays of the
sun, extend themselves above, below, behind, and on each side."
"'Sarisrikka said, "O smoke-bannered god, our mother is not to be seen, and
we know not our father! Our feathers have not grown as yet. We have none
to protect us save thee. Therefore, O Agni, infants that we are protect
us! O Agni, as we are distressed, protect us with that auspicious form
thou hast and with those seven flames of thine! We seek protection at thy
hands. Thou alone, O Agni, art the giver of heat (in the universe). O lord,
there is none else (save thee) that giveth heat to the rays of the sun. O,
protect us who are young and who are Rishis. O Havyavaha (carrier of
sacrificial butter), be pleased to go hence by some other route."
"'Stamvamitra said, "Thou alone, O Agni, art everything! This whole
universe is established in thee! Thou sustainest every creature, and thou
supportest the universe! Thou art the carrier of the sacrificial butter,
and thou art the excellent sacrificial butter itself! The wise know thee
to be one (as cause) and many (as effects)! Having created the three
worlds, thou, O Havyavaha, again destroyest them when the time cometh,
swelling thyself forth! Thou art the productive cause of the whole
universe, and thou also art the essence in which the universe dissolveth
itself!"
"'Drona said, "O lord of the universe, growing in strength and remaining
within their bodies, thou causest the food that living creatures eat to be
digested. Everything therefore, is established in thee. O Sukra, O thou
from whose mouth the Vedas have sprung, it is thou who assumests the form
of the sun, and sucking up the waters of the earth and every liquid juice
that the earth yields, givest them back in time in the form of rain and
causest everything to grow! From thee, O Sukra, are these plants and
creepers with green foliage! From thee have sprung these tanks and pools,
and the great ocean also that is ever blessed! O thou of fierce rays, this
our (human) body dependeth on Varuna (the water-god)! We are unable to
bear thy heat. Be thou, therefore, our auspicious protector! O, destroy us
not! O thou of copper-hued eyes, O thou of red neck, O thou whose path is
marked by a black colour, save us by going along any remote route, as
indeed, the ocean saveth the house on its banks!"'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by Drona--that utterer of Brahma--
Agni, well-pleased at what he heard, and remembering also the promise he
had made to Mandapala, replied unto him, saying, "Thou art a Rishi, O
Drona! For what thou hast said is Brahma (Vedic truth). I shall do your
pleasure. Fear not! Indeed, Mandapala had spoken to me of you to the
effect that I should spare his sons, while consuming the forest. The words
he spoke and thy speech also are entitled to great weight to me. Say what
I am to do. O best of Brahmanas, I have been greatly pleased with thy hymn.
Blest be thou, O Brahmana!"
"'Drona said, "O Sukra, these cats trouble us every day. O Hutasana;
consume them with their friends and relatives."'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Agni did what the Sarngakas asked him to
do, telling them of his intentions. And, O Janamejaya, growing in strength,
he began then to consume the forest of Khandava.'"