Agni approached Varuna, the god of waters, and said, "I want the celestial chariot Somaratha, the Gandiva bow, and the Sudarshana Chakra. Arjuna and Lord Krishna will assist me using these, and I will burn the Khandava forest and satisfy my hunger."
Varuna gave Agni Somaratha, a well-equipped chariot that travelled faster than the speed of mind, the large and gem-studded Gandiva bow, two inexhaustible quivers, and the unerring Sudarshana Chakra that returned to its owner after beheading the enemy. Agni gave this chariot and weapons to Arjuna and Krishna.
"The Khandava forest is now yours," Arjuna said to Agni.
The very next moment, Agni began to wreak havoc upon the forest, which was soon engulfed in flames. Trees and bushes were reduced to ashes in the blink of an eye. The fire spared no one; the inhabitants of the forest screamed as they were burnt alive. The ponds and lakes in the forest dried up, killing all the fish inside them. The birds that tried to fly away were killed by Arjuna's arrows.
Indra noticed the burning forest. Dark clouds quickly covered the sky, and within a few minutes, heavy rain began to fall. The fire would have been extinguished, but Arjuna unleashed a shower of arrows into the sky, forming a large umbrella over the forest. Lightning flashed across the sky, but Arjuna was able to overcome Indra. With the Sudarshana Chakra, Krishna beheaded wild boars, elephants, and tigers.
Just then, a demon came scurrying towards Arjuna. "Please save me from the fire," he pleaded earnestly.
"The fire will not touch you," Arjuna assured him.