bhagavāḿs tatra nivasan
svānāḿ priya-cikīrṣayā
agnaye khāṇḍavaḿ dātum
arjunasyāsa sārathiḥ
bhagavan -- the Supreme Lord; tatra -- there; nivasan -- residing; svanam -- for His own (devotees); priya -- pleasure; cikirshaya -- desiring to give; agnaye -- to Agni, the demigod of fire; khandavam -- the Khandava forest; datum -- in order to give; arjunasya -- of Arjuna; asa -- He became; sarathih -- the chariot driver.
The Supreme Lord stayed in that city for some time to please His devotees. On one occasion, Sri Krishna wanted to give the Khandava forest as a gift to Agni, and so the Lord became Arjuna's charioteer.
Srila Jiva Gosvami explains the sequence of events that occurred during Lord Krishna's stay with the Pandavas. He states that first the Khandava forest was burned, then Kalindi was found, then the city was constructed, and then the assembly hall was presented to the Pandavas.
