Shloka 48
Aṃśāvataraṇa-kathana (Catalog of Divine/Asuric Portions in Human Births) — Chapter 61
इषुधी चाक्षयैर्बाणै रथं च कपिलक्षणम् | मोक्षयामास बीभत्सुर्मयं यत्र महासुरम्,तदनन्तर अग्निदेवने संतुष्ट हो अर्जुनको उत्तम गाण्डीव धनुष, अक्षय बाणोंसे भरे हुए दो तूणीर और एक कपिध्वज रथ प्रदान किया। उसी समय अर्जुनने महान् असुर मयको खाण्डव वनमें जलनेसे बचाया था
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
iṣudhī cākṣayair bāṇaiḥ rathaṃ ca kapilakṣaṇam |
mokṣayāmāsa bībhatsur mayaṃ yatra mahāsuram ||
Vaiśampāyana nói: Arjuna (Bībhatsu) đã ban cho ông hai ống tên đầy những mũi tên vô tận và một chiến xa mang dấu hiệu hình khỉ. Sau đó, trong rừng Khāṇḍava, Arjuna cứu đại a-tu-la Maya khỏi bị lửa nuốt chửng—một hành vi đặt sức mạnh chiến trận vào khuôn phép, khi nó đi cùng lòng tri ân, sự che chở kẻ cầu xin, và sự tiết chế giữa cảnh hủy diệt.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power and victory are ethically grounded when accompanied by restraint and gratitude: even amid sanctioned destruction (the Khāṇḍava conflagration), Arjuna protects one who seeks refuge (Maya), showing that dharma includes compassion and honoring reciprocal bonds.
In the Khāṇḍava episode, after divine assistance and gifts (inexhaustible arrows, quivers, and a monkey-emblem chariot), Arjuna saves the Asura Maya from the forest fire, which later leads to Maya’s association with the Pāṇḍavas (notably through his craftsmanship).