Janmajeya wanted to know who were the six who escaped. He was aware of Aswasena and Maya. Who were the other four?
The sage said he would tell the story of sage Mandapala.
When he died, he went to heaven as he had led a pious life. He was not happy. Something was troubling him. One day he went to the Gods and asked them if they could tell him why he was unhappy. The Gods said that was because he had no children when he was on earth. A son would show his soul the path to heaven.
Mandapala decided to take birth on earth, have a son and the come back. He was thinking of the fastest way to do this. He realized that if he was born as a bird, he would be able to achieve his task quickly. He took birth as a bird in the Khandava forest. He mated with a female bird and soon had four sons. After that, he left the mother bird to take care of the children, and he went off to another part of the forest. Meditating, he realized one day that his sons were in danger. They were small and their wings had not yet formed. Khadava forest, where they were, was burning. He realized that Krishna and Arjuna had pledged not to let anyone escape from the forest. Only option was if Agni decided not to burn someone, that person would be saved. Mandapala started meditating on Agni. Agni appeared and agreed not to touch the birds.
The mother bird told her sons to close to her so she could protect them. The sons told their mother that if she lived she would have more children. They told her to fly away. The mother bird then flew off from there.
The sons saw Agni coming close, helped with the wind, which was blowing. They started praying to Agni. Agni said he had promised their father that they would be untouched.
The birds were thus saved.
After the burning, the Gods appeared before Krishna and Arjuna and asked them to ask for a boon, for the great task that they had done. Arjuna asked for weapons, which Indra said he woudl get once he pleased Shiva. Krishna asked for undying friendship with Arjuna.
The sage said he would tell the story of sage Mandapala.
When he died, he went to heaven as he had led a pious life. He was not happy. Something was troubling him. One day he went to the Gods and asked them if they could tell him why he was unhappy. The Gods said that was because he had no children when he was on earth. A son would show his soul the path to heaven.
Mandapala decided to take birth on earth, have a son and the come back. He was thinking of the fastest way to do this. He realized that if he was born as a bird, he would be able to achieve his task quickly. He took birth as a bird in the Khandava forest. He mated with a female bird and soon had four sons. After that, he left the mother bird to take care of the children, and he went off to another part of the forest. Meditating, he realized one day that his sons were in danger. They were small and their wings had not yet formed. Khadava forest, where they were, was burning. He realized that Krishna and Arjuna had pledged not to let anyone escape from the forest. Only option was if Agni decided not to burn someone, that person would be saved. Mandapala started meditating on Agni. Agni appeared and agreed not to touch the birds.
The mother bird told her sons to close to her so she could protect them. The sons told their mother that if she lived she would have more children. They told her to fly away. The mother bird then flew off from there.
The sons saw Agni coming close, helped with the wind, which was blowing. They started praying to Agni. Agni said he had promised their father that they would be untouched.
The birds were thus saved.
After the burning, the Gods appeared before Krishna and Arjuna and asked them to ask for a boon, for the great task that they had done. Arjuna asked for weapons, which Indra said he woudl get once he pleased Shiva. Krishna asked for undying friendship with Arjuna.
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