Shloka 14
नाशव्नुवञ्छमयितुं तदाभूवन् पराड्मुखा: । जब देवतालोग उन दोनोंके बलसे खाण्डववनकी रक्षा करने और उस आगको बुझानेमें सफल न हो सके, तब पीठ दिखाकर चल दिये ।। १३ $ || शतक्रतुस्तु सम्प्रेक्ष्य विमुखानमरांस्तथा,कृष्णमशभ्युद्यतास्त्रं च नादं मुमुचुरुल्बणम् | उन्होंने उस जलते हुए वनको और मारनेके लिये अस्त्र उठाये हुए श्रीकृष्ण तथा अर्जुनको देखा। उत्पात और आर्तनादके शब्दसे उस वनमें खड़े हुए वे सभी प्राणी संत्रस्त- से हो उठे थे। उस वनको अनेक प्रकारसे दग्ध होते देख और अस्त्र उठाये हुए श्रीकृष्णपर दृष्टि डाल भयानक आर्तनाद करने लगे
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
na aśaknuvan śamayituṃ tadābhūvan parāṅmukhāḥ |
śatakratus tu samprekṣya vimukhān amarāṃs tathā |
kṛṣṇam abhyudyatāstraṃ ca nādaṃ mumucur ulbaṇam ||
Vaiśampāyana said: When the gods were unable to quell that fire, they turned away and withdrew. Then Śatakratu (Indra), seeing the immortals thus retreating, beheld Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna with weapons raised, and a fierce, tumultuous cry arose—an ominous uproar as the forest burned.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the ethical tension between determined human (and divinely supported) agency and cosmic opposition: even gods may withdraw when a destined or sanctioned course cannot be stopped, reminding the reader that power alone does not guarantee moral or practical success, and that destructive acts carry an atmosphere of dread and consequence.
During the burning of the Khāṇḍava forest, the gods fail to extinguish the fire and retreat. Indra observes their withdrawal and sees Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna standing ready with raised weapons; amid the conflagration, a fierce uproar/cry arises as the forest is consumed.