Nagas and Khandava Vana Daha
Kasyapa had by his wife Krodhavasa ten daughters: Mrgi, Mrgamanda, Hari, Bhadramata, Matairgi, Sardili, Sveta, Surabhi, Surasa and Kadru.
The Kasyapas grandsons from Kadru and Surasa were called Uragas and Nagas.
Suarasa had three daughters Anala, Ruha and Virudha and all sarpas and nagas are descended from them.
Shesha is her eldest son. Surasa was reborn as Rohini, wife to Vasudev. Vasuki and Takshaka are younger brothers to Shesha.
Vasuki being eldest son of Kadru, he is also called Uraga and Pannaga. Vasuki at request of Aryaka gave the divine serpent juice to Bhima adding 8000 elephants strength to him. Arjuna kidnapped his sister and married her.
Takshaka did not agree with the nature of other Nagas like his oldest brother Seshanaga and left the Naga coalition early on.
He has a younger brother Srutasena who acted as his lieutenant in this early Naga civil war.
These the righteous sons of Kadru were cursed by their mother to die in the Sarpa-satra.
Many years back, Parasurama had created a huge gold dias for conducting Yagnas. When he donated all his lands, gold and weapons, a group of Brahamans could not agree on ownership of the dias and broke it (khand khand kar diya) into small pieces. The place became famous as Khandava Vana.
King Svetaki did a grand sacrifice under the supervision of Durvasas. Due to excess oblations of ghee, Fire god caught dysentery. His face became pale, body became lean, and he had no taste for food. On advice of Brahma, he was told that in the forest of Khandava there lived so many creatures which were enemies of the devas (gods) and that by eating their fat the disease of Agni would be cured. He tried to burn the forest seven times but Indra backed by Yama saved the forest each time. He was advised that only Nara-Narayana on his side can he burn the forest.
Accordingly Agni came to the Khandava forest and then approached Krishna and Arjuna. While the Pandavas were living in Indraprastha, the hot season became so unbearable that Arjuna took Krishna with him and went to the forest of Khandava to cool off. On the way they met Lady Kalindi and Krishna got a new wife.
Khandava vana was ruled by Ashwasena, son of Takshaka and his mother. Indra fought on side of Ashwasena in this. Takshaka does not appear at all in the entire story. Takshaka had gone some where during this time.
When Krishna and Arjuna stood ready Agni began to consume the forest. Krishna and Arjuna guarded the boundaries of the forest so that the inmates of the forest might not escape. The living creatures ran hither and thither finding no way to escape. Many died of suffocation. At that time the hermits who were dwellers of that forest were allowed to leave and they ran to Indra and informed him of the great calamity. Indra instantly got ready to fight and save the forest. He covered the whole of the sky with clouds and a heavy rain was showered on the forest. Arjuna created a covering of arrows like an umbrella over the fire and saved him from the rain. Aswasena s mother helped by Indra managed to throw Ashwasena outside the forest but Agni cursed him that he will get refuge no where. Aswasena's mother was killed by Arjuna with three arrows.
The serpents and hawks as well Pisachas who were also the residents of forest attacked Arjuna who fought them off. Meanwhile, lot of Asuras attacked Krishna who also knocked them out with that new discus he just got from Varuna.
Indra backed by Kala, Kubera, Skanda, Asvinidevas and lot of Asuras attacked and he was also held off by Nara-Narayana reincarnate. They informed Indra during battle that Takshaka is not here but lives at Kurukshetra. Indra blesses the pair and retreats.
Agni now began the final death knell of the forest. Maya, the architect of the Asuras, came out of the house of Takshaka and ran to Krishna and Arjuna and entreated them to save him. Accordingly Arjuna saved him from the Agni.
Also in the forest lived a hermit named Mandapala. He had died and went
Khandava Vana is a story of Arjuna son-in-law of Agni fighting his father Indra. It is a major time indicator in the epic, Dhritrashtra remembering that 33 years had elapsed since Khandava vana daha when Pandava exile ended.
Also, Arjuna had gifted Takshaka some years back with a grandson. Takshaka' s eldest son was killed by Garuda and his cheerless widow had given up hope and retreated to her father's abode. There she met Arjuna and got a son, A Parakshetraja son.
The son Iravan was considered grandson of Takshaka and his heir rather than a son of Arjuna
. Aswasena hated Iravan and drove him away from Khandava vana and this may be Arjuna's way of ensuring that his son got his birthright.
Takshaka was conspicuously absent in the whole sequence of events...
info regarding takshak in MB 😃 ..
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