Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 7
Kṛṣṇa Swallows the Forest Fire (Dāvāgni-līlā) and Restores the Herd
तत: समन्ताद्देवधूमकेतु- र्यदृच्छयाभूत् क्षयकृद् वनौकसाम् । समीरित: सारथिनोल्बणोल्मुकै- र्विलेलिहान: स्थिरजङ्गमान् महान् ॥ ७ ॥
tataḥ samantād dava-dhūmaketur yadṛcchayābhūt kṣaya-kṛd vanaukasām samīritaḥ sārathinolbaṇolmukair vilelihānaḥ sthira-jaṅgamān mahān
Suddenly a great forest fire appeared on all sides, threatening to destroy all the forest creatures. Like a chariot driver, the wind swept the fire onward, and terrible sparks shot in all directions. Indeed, the great fire extended its tongues of flame toward all moving and nonmoving creatures.
Just as Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and the cowherd boys were about to take their cows back home, the forest fire previously mentioned raged out of control and surrounded all of them.
FAQs
In this verse, a sudden, all-consuming forest fire threatens all living beings, setting the stage for Krishna’s protective role—showing that overwhelming dangers can arise unexpectedly, yet the Lord remains the ultimate shelter for those in His care.
He uses vivid imagery to convey the fire’s organized, unstoppable advance—intensified by wind—so the listener feels the urgency and understands the scale of danger surrounding Vraja.
Unexpected crises can spread quickly like wildfire; this verse encourages steadiness and taking shelter in the Divine through prayer, remembrance, and right action rather than panic.