“Vaisampayana continued, ’At that sacrifice of Swetaki, 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, satiated, desired not to drink butter again from the hand of anybody else at any other sacrifice.  Agni became pale, having lost his colour, and he could not shine as before.  He felt a loss of appetite from surfeit, and his energy itself decreased and sickness afflicted him.  Then when the drinker of sacrificial libations perceived that his energy was gradually diminishing, he went to the sacred abode of Brahman that is worshipped by all.  Approaching the great Deity seated on his seat, Agni said, ’O exalted one, Swetaki hath (by his sacrifice) gratified me to excess.  Even now I am suffering from surfeit which I cannot dispel.  O Lord of the universe, I am being reduced both in splendour and strength.  I desire to regain, through thy grace, my own permanent nature.’  Hearing these words from Hutavaha, the illustrious Creator of all things smilingly replied unto him, saying, ’O exalted one, thou hast eaten, for twelve years, a continuous stream of sacrificial butter poured into thy mouth!  It is for this that illness hath seized thee.  But, O Agni, grieve not for it.  Thou shalt soon regain thy own nature.  I shall dispel this surfeit of thine and the time for it is even come.  The dreadful forest Khandava, that abode of the enemies of the gods, which thou hadst of old once consumed to ashes at the request of the gods, hath now become the home of numerous creatures.  When thou will have eaten the fat of those creatures, thou shalt regain thy own nature.  Proceed thither in haste to consume that forest with its living population.  Thou wilt then be cured of thy malady.’  Hearing the words that fell from the lips of the Supreme Deity, Hutasana proceeded with great speed and soon reached the forest of Khandava in great vigour.  Arrived there, he suddenly blazed forth in anger, assisted by Vayu.  Beholding Khandava on fire the dwellers (in the forest) that were there, made great efforts to extinguish the conflagration.  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)