Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
On the day Kālīyanāga was subdued, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma and the gopas and gopīs could not return to their residences in Chaṭṭīkarā as night had already fallen. They moved away from the poisonous Kālīya-daha to a lake a little distance away to the east. The water of this lake was clean and sweet, and after drinking water they rested here. Seeing a good opportunity to kill Kṛṣṇa and His associates, the servants of the wicked Kaṁsa set this forest ablaze in all directions. Very soon, a devastating fire raged throughout the forest. Kṛṣṇa told everyone to close his eyes. He also closed His eyes, and at once swallowed that devastating forest fire as if it were cool water. The pond where this pastime took place is called Dāvānala-kuṇḍa. Dāvānala means “forest fire”.
Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
This was the last place visited by Raghava Pandita, Shrinivasa Acharya, and Narottama Dasa during their parikrama of Vrindavana, which also brought to an end their Vraja Mandala Parikrama. From this place they went to Radha Damodara to meet Jiva Goswami and tell him about all the wonderful places they had visited during the course of their parikrama. The Bhakti-ratnakara says “O Shrinivasa, the same day after chastising Kaliya, Krishna swallowed the forest fire here. Whoever sees this place, known as Davanala-kunda, is relieved from the fire of material life.” This is the celebrated kunda where Krishna extinguished a blazing forest fire. The word ‘davanala’ means a ‘devastating forest fire’. After Krishna had subdued the poisonous Kaliya serpent, because it was already late in the day and darkness was slowly descending, the Vrajavasis decided to spend the night camped out at this place some distance from the Yamuna. During the night, everyone was suddenly awakened by a tumultuous roaring noise that sounded like a large herd of elephants were rampaging through the forest. Suddenly everyone noticed the deadly flames of an enormous forest fire that was rapidly moving towards them. The Vrajavasis thought that their lives were now coming to an end and they all looked toward their beloved Krishna to save them. Krishna was not happy to see the great distress the forest fire was causing to the Vrajavasis and not wasting another moment, Krishna immediately opened his mouth and while inhaling swallowed-up the forest fire in a moment. The Vrajavasis were feeling great relief that Krishna had saved them. After subguing the forest fire Krishna and the Vrajavasis rested for some time at Vishrama-kunda and when dawn approached, they decided it was a good time to leave and everyone happily made their way back to their homes at Sakatikara (Chhatikara).
