saw Agni coming towards Khandava to burn it down.  Then the Brahmana Mandapala, knowing the intention of Agni and remembering also that his children were all young moved by fear, gratified the god, of the burning element, that regent of the universe, endued with great energy.  And he did this, desiring to put in a word for his unfledged offspring.  Addressing Agni, the Rishi said, ’Thou art, O Agni, the mouth of all the worlds!  Thou art the carrier of the sacrificial butter!  O purifier (of all sins), thou movest invisible with the frame of every creature!  The learned have spoken of thee as an One, and again as possessed of triple nature.  The wise perform their sacrifices before thee, taking thee as consisting of eight (mouths).  The great Rishis declare that this universe hath been created by thee.  O thou that feedest on sacrificial butter, without thee this whole universe would be destroyed in a single day.  Bowing to thee, the Brahmanas, accompanied by their wives and children, go to eternal regions won by them by help of their own deeds.  O Agni, the learned represent thee as the clouds in the heavens charged with lightning.  O Agni, the flames put forth by thee consume every creature.  O thou of great splendour, this universe hath been created by thee.  The Vedas are thy word.  All creatures, mobile and immobile, depend upon thee.  Water primarily dependeth on thee, so also the whole of this universe.  All offerings of clarified butter and oblations of food to the pitris have been established in thee.  O god, thou art the consumer, and thou art the creator and thou art Vrihaspati himself (in intelligence).  Thou art the twin Aswins; thou art Surya; thou art Soma; thou art Vayu.

“Vaisampayana continued, ’O monarch, thus praised by Mandapala, Agni was gratified with that Rishi of immeasurable energy; and the god, well-pleased, replied, ‘What good can I do to thee?’ Then Mandapala with joined palms said unto the carrier of clarified butter, ’While thou burnest the forest of Khandava, spare my children.’  The illustrious bearer of clarified butter replied, ‘So be it.’  It was, therefore, O monarch, that he blazed not forth, while consuming the forest of Khandava, for the destruction of Mandapala’s children.’”

SECTION CCXXXII

(Khandava-daha Parva continued)

“Vaisampayana said, ’When the fire blazed forth in the forest of Khandava, the infant birds became very much distressed and afflicted.  Filled with anxiety, they saw not any means of escape.  Their mother, the helpless Jarita, knowing that they were too young to escape, was filled with sorrow and wept aloud.  And she said, ’Oh, the terrible conflagration, illuminating the whole universe and burning the forest down, approacheth towards us, increasing my woe.  These infants with immature understanding, without feathers and feet, and the sole refuge of our deceased ancestors, afflict me.  Oh, this fire