Jaritari said : The intelligent men always remain wakeful in view of death. When the house of death approaches, he feels no pangs.

But a man with perplexed soul who does not remain wakeful (in view of death) feels the pangs of death when the hours of death come. He never gets salvation.

Sarisrikka said : You are patient and intelligent. The time has come when our lives are in danger. There is no doubt one only amongst many becomes wise and brave..

Stambamitra said : The elder brother is called the protector. It is the eldest brother who rescues (the younger brothers) from danger. If the eldest fails to rescue them what can the younger brothers do?

Drona said: The cruel deity of fire with seven tongues and the seven mouths is coming towards our abode with all speed, blazing forth in his great splendour and licking up every thing on his way.

Vaishampayana said : Having thus addressed one another, the sons of Mandapala then each with reverence uttered an eulogistic hymn to Agni. O king, listen to them as I recite.

Jaritari said: O fire, you are the soul of our body you are the body of the earth's visitation. O Shukra, you are the progenitor of the water and the water is your progenitor as well.

O effulgent deity, your flame like the rays of the sun exists above, below, behind and on every side.

Sarisrikka said: O smoke-banned deity, we cannot see our mother; we know not our father. Our feathers have not grown as yet. We have no one except you who can protect us. We are infants, therefore, O Agni protect us.

O Agni, we are in (great) distress. Protect us with your auspicious form and with your seven flames. We pray for your protection.

O deity, O carrier of the (sacrificial) ghee, O Agni, you are the giver of heat, you alone give heat to the rays of the sun. We are young, we are Rishis, protect us, and be pleased to go from this place by some other way.

Stambamitra said : O Agni, you are every thing. The whole universe is established in you. You uphold every creature and you support the worlds.

O Agni, you are the career of (sacrificial) ghee, you are the great (sacrificial) ghee itself. The wise know you to be one and (at the same time) Many.

O carrier of (sacrificial) ghee (Agni), you create the three worlds and you again destroy them when the time comes for their destruction by swelling (your body to a fearful dimension). You are the progenerating mother of the whole universe; you are the essence also in which the universe dissolves.

Drona said: O lord of the universe, growing in strength and remaining within their bodies, you cause to be digested the food that creatures eat. Every thing is established in you.

O Shukra, O deity from whose mouth the Vedas have sprung, in the form of the sun you suck up the waters of the earth and every liquid juice that earth yields. You then again in proper time and in proper season give them back in the form of rains; and you thus cause every thing to grow.

O Shukra, these plants and creepers with green leaves have all sprung through you. These tanks and ponds and the ever blessed great ocean also, have all sprung from you.

O deity of fearful rays, this our (mortal) body depends on Varuna (the god of waters). We are incapable of bearing your heat. Therefore, (O deity) be our blessed protector. Do not destroy us today.

O Agni of copper-coloured eyes and of red neck, o deity whose path is marked by black colour, save us as the ocean saves the houses on its banks by going away (from this place) by some other way.

Vaishampayana said : Having been thus addressed by that utterer of the Vedas, Drona, the deity from whose mouth the Vedas have sprung (Agni) being well-pleased and remembering his promise to Mandapala, thus spoke.

Agni said : O Drona, you are a Rishi, what you have said is the Vedic truth. I shall do your pleasure. You have nothing to fear.

I was formerly asked by Mandapala to spare his sons when consuming the forest. The words be spoke and your speech also both are entitled to great weight. Tell me what I am to do. O excellent Brahmana, I have been greatly pleased with your blessed hymn.

Drona said: O Shukra, these eats trouble us every day. O fire, consume them with their friends and relatives.

Vaishampayana said : O Janamejaya, telling them what were his intentions, Agni then accomplished all that the Sharanagakas asked him to do. Growing in strength, he then again began to consume the Khandava.