Chapter 47

Janamejaya said, “This history, O regenerate one, that I have heard fromthee is exceedingly wonderful, this narration, in detail, of theinstallation, according to due rites, of Skanda. O thou possessed ofwealth of asceticism, I deem myself cleansed by having listened to thisaccount. My hair stands on end and my mind hath become cheerful. Havingheard the history of the installation of Kumara and the destruction ofthe Daityas, great hath been my joy. I feel a curiosity, however, inrespect of another matter. How was the Lord of the waters installed bythe celestials in that tirtha in days of yore? O best of men, tell methat, for thou art possessed of great wisdom and art skilled innarration!”

Vaishampayana said, “Listen, O king, to this wonderful history of whattranspired truly in a former Kalpa! In days of yore, in the Krita age, Oking, all celestials, duly approaching Varuna, said unto him these words,’As Shakra, the Lord of the celestials, always protects us from everyfear, similarly be thou the Lord of all the rivers! Thou always residest,O god, in the Ocean, that home of makaras! This Ocean, the lord ofrivers, will then be under thy dominion! Thou shalt then wax and wanewith Soma!’ (Thus addressed) Varuna answered them, saying, ‘Let it beso!’ All the celestials then, assembling together, made Varuna having hisabode in the ocean the Lord of all the waters, according to the riteslaid down in the scriptures. Having installed Varuna as the Lord of allaquatic creatures and worshipping him duly, the celestials returned totheir respective abodes. Installed by the celestials, the illustriousVaruna began to duly protect seas and lakes and rivers and otherreservoirs of water as Shakra protects the gods. Bathing in that tirthaalso and giving away diverse kinds of gifts, Baladeva, the slayer ofPralamva, possessed of great wisdom, then proceeded to Agnitirtha, thatspot where the eater of clarified butter, disappearing from the view,became concealed within the entrails of the Sami wood. When the light ofall the worlds thus disappeared, O sinless one, the gods then repaired tothe Grandsire of the universe. And they said, ‘The adorable Agni hasdisappeared. We do not know the reason. Let not all creatures bedestroyed. Create fire, O puissant Lord!'”

Janamejaya said, “For what reason did Agni, the Creator of all theworlds, disappear? How also was he discovered by the gods? Tell me allthis in detail.”

Vaishampayana said, “Agni of great energy became very much frightened atthe curse of Bhrigu. Concealing himself within the entrails of the Samiwood, that adorable god disappeared from the view. Upon the disappearanceof Agni, all the gods, with Vasava at their head, in great affliction,searched for the missing god. Finding Agni then, they saw that god lyingwithin the entrails of the Sami wood. The celestials, O tiger among king,with Brihaspati at their head, having succeeded in finding out the god,became very glad with Vasava amongst them. They then returned to theplaces they had come from. Agni also, from Bhrigu’s curse, became aneater of everything, as Bhrigu, that utterer of Brahma, had said. Theintelligent Balarama, having bathed there, then proceeded to Brahmayoniwhere the adorable Grandsire of all the worlds had exercised hisfunctions of creations. In days of yore, the Lord Brahman, along with allthe gods, bathed in that tirtha, according to due rites for thecelestials. Bathing there and giving away diverse kinds of gifts,Valadeva then proceeded to the tirtha called Kauvera where the puissantAilavila, having practised severe austerities, obtained, O king, theLordship over all treasures. While he dwelt there (engaged inausterities), all kinds of wealth, and all the precious gems came to himof their own accord. Baladeva having repaired to that tirtha and bathedin its waters duly gave much wealth unto the Brahamanas. Rama beheld atthat spot the excellent woods of Kuvera. In days of yore, the high-souledKuvera, the chief of the Yakshas, having practised the severestausterities there, obtained many boons. There were the lordship of alltreasures, the friendship of Rudra possessed of immeasurable energy, thestatus of a god, the regency over a particular point of the compass (thenorth), and a son named Nakakuvera. These the chief of the Yakshasspeedily obtained there, O thou of mighty arms! The Maruts, coming there,installed him duly (in his sovereignty). He also obtained for a vehicle awell-equipped and celestial car, fleet as thought, as also all theaffluence of a god. Bathing in that tirtha and giving away much wealth,Vala using white unguents thence proceeded quickly to another tirtha.Populous with all kinds of creatures, that tirtha is known by the nameVadarapachana. There the fruits of every season are always to be foundand flowers and fruits of every kind are always abundant.”