Chapter 221

Markandeya continued, “Mudita, the favourite wife of the fire Swaha, usedto live in water. And Swaha who was the regent of the earth and sky begetin that wife of his a highly sacred fire called Advanta. There is atradition amongst learned Brahmanas that this fire is the ruler and innersoul of all creatures. He is worshipful, resplendent and the lord of allthe great Bhutas here. And that fire, under the name of Grihapati, isever worshipped at all sacrifices and conveys all the oblations that aremade in this world. That great son of Swaha–the great Adbhuta fire isthe soul of the waters and the prince and regent of the sky and the lordof everything great. His (son), the Bharata fire, consumes the deadbodies of all creatures. His first Kratu is known as Niyata at theperformance of the Agnishtoma sacrifice. That powerful prime fire (Swaha)is always missed by the gods, because when he sees Niyata approaching himhe hides himself in the sea from fear of contamination. Searching for himin every direction, the gods could not (once) find him out and onbeholding Atharvan the fire said to him, ‘O valiant being, do thou carrythe oblations for the gods! I am disabled from want of strength.Attaining the state of the red-eyed fire, do thou condescend to do methis favour!’ Having thus advised Atharvan, the fire went away to someother place. But his place of concealment was divulged by the finnytribe. Upon them the fire pronounced this curse in anger, ‘You shall bethe food of all creatures in various ways.’ And then that carrier ofoblations spoke unto Atharvan (as before). Though entreated by the gods,he did not agree to continue carrying their oblations. He then becameinsensible and instantly gave up the ghost. And leaving his materialbody, he entered into the bowels of the earth. Coming into contact withthe earth, he created the different metals. Force and scent arose fromhis pus; the Deodar pine from his bones; glass from his phlegm; theMarakata jewel from his bile; and the black iron from his liver. And allthe world has been embellished with these three substances (wood, stoneand iron). The clouds were made from his nails, and corals from hisveins. And, O king, various other metals were produced from his body.Thus leaving his material body, he remained absorbed in (spiritual)meditation. He was roused by the penance of Bhrigu and Angiras. Thepowerful fire thus gratified with penance, blazed forth intensely. But onbeholding the Rishi (Atharvan), he again sought his watery refuse. Atthis extinction of the fire, the whole world was frightened, and soughtthe protection of Atharvan, and the gods and others began to worship him.Atharvan rummaged the whole sea in the presence of all those beings eagerwith expectation, and finding out the fire, himself began the work ofcreation. Thus in olden times the fire was destroyed and called back tolife by the adorable Atharvan. But now he invariably carries theoblations of all creatures. Living in the sea and travelling aboutvarious countries, he produced the various fires mentioned in the Vedas.

The river Indus, the five rivers (of the Punjab), the Sone, the Devika,the Saraswati, the Ganga, the Satakumbha, the Sarayu, the Gandaki, theCharmanwati, the Mahi, the Medha, the Medhatithi, the three riversTamravati, the Vetravati, and the Kausiki; the Tamasa, the Narmada, theGodavari, the Vena, the Upavena, the Bhima, the Vadawa, the Bharati, theSuprayoga, the Kaveri, the Murmura, the Tungavenna, the Krishnavenna andthe Kapila, these rivers, O Bharata, are said to be the mothers of thefires! The fire called Adbhuta had a wife of the name of Priya, and Vibhuwas the eldest of his sons by her. There are as many different kinds ofSoma sacrifices as the number of fires mentioned before. All this race offires, first-born of the spirit of Brahma, sprang also from the race ofAtri. Atri in his own mind conceived these sons, desirous of extendingthe creation. By this act, the fires came out of his own Brahmic frame. Ihave thus narrated to thee the history of the origin of these fires. Theyare great, resplendent, and unrivalled in power, and they are thedestroyers of darkness. Know that the powers of those fires are the sameas those of the Adbhuta fire as related in the Vedas. For all these firesare one and same. This adorable being, the first born fire, must beconsidered as one. For like the Jyotishtoma sacrifice he came out ofAngiras body in various forms. I have thus described to thee the historyof the great race of Agni (fires) who when duly worshipped with thevarious hymns, carry the oblations of all creatures to the gods.