03.207
आङ्गिरसम्
āṅgirasam – pertaining to or derived from Ṛṣi Angiras;
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
श्रुत्वेमां धर्मसंयुक्तां धर्मराजः कथां शुभाम्। पुनः पप्रच्छ तमृषिं मार्कण्डेयं तपस्विनम् ॥०३-२०७-१॥
After hearing this auspicious story associated with dharma, Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira) once again questioned the sage Mārkaṇḍeya, the great ascetic. (3-207-1)
युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
कथमग्निर्वनं यातः कथं चाप्यङ्गिराः पुरा। नष्टेऽग्नौ हव्यमवहदग्निर्भूत्वा महानृषिः ॥०३-२०७-२॥
How did Agni go into the forest, and how did Aṅgirā do so in former times? When the fire was lost, Agni, having assumed the form of a great sage, conveyed the oblation. (3-207-2)
अग्निर्यदा त्वेक एव बहुत्वं चास्य कर्मसु। दृश्यते भगवन्सर्वमेतदिच्छामि वेदितुम् ॥०३-२०७-३॥
O revered one, I wish to know about all this: how fire, though one, appears as many in its actions. (03-207-3)
कुमारश्च यथोत्पन्नो यथा चाग्नेः सुतोऽभवत्। यथा रुद्राच्च सम्भूतो गङ्गायां कृत्तिकासु च ॥०३-२०७-४॥
And Kumara was born in the same way—he became the son from Agni, was born from Rudra, in the Ganga and among the Krittikas. (03-207-4)
एतदिच्छाम्यहं त्वत्तः श्रोतुं भार्गवनन्दन। कौतूहलसमाविष्टो यथातथ्यं महामुने ॥०३-२०७-५॥
O descendant of Bhṛgu, O great sage, filled with curiosity, I desire to hear this from you exactly as it truly is. (03-207-5)
मार्कण्डेय उवाच॥
Mārkaṇḍeya said.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। यथा क्रुद्धो हुतवहस्तपस्तप्तुं वनं गतः ॥०३-२०७-६॥
Here too, they relate this ancient story: how, in anger, Fire went to the forest to perform austerities. (03-207-6)
यथा च भगवानग्निः स्वयमेवाङ्गिराभवत्। सन्तापयन्स्वप्रभया नाशयंस्तिमिराणि च ॥०३-२०७-७॥
Just as the Lord Agni himself became Angiras, burning with his own radiance and destroying darkness.
आश्रमस्थो महाभागो हव्यवाहं विशेषयन्। तथा स भूत्वा तु तदा जगत्सर्वं प्रकाशयन् ॥०३-२०७-८॥
While residing in the hermitage, the greatly fortunate one, distinguishing the sacrificial fire, thus at that moment he illumined the entire world. (03-207-8)
तपश्चरंश्च हुतभुक्सन्तप्तस्तस्य तेजसा। भृशं ग्लानश्च तेजस्वी न स किञ्चित्प्रजज्ञिवान् ॥०३-२०७-९॥
Performing austerity, and the fire (Agni) scorched by his energy, he became greatly weakened; that radiant one did not become aware of anything. (03-207-9)
अथ सञ्चिन्तयामास भगवान्हव्यवाहनः। अन्योऽग्निरिह लोकानां ब्रह्मणा सम्प्रवर्तितः ॥ अग्नित्वं विप्रनष्टं हि तप्यमानस्य मे तपः ॥०३-२०७-१०॥
Then the venerable Agni thought to himself: 'Brahmā has indeed established another fire for the worlds here. My state as Agni has truly been lost; this is the austerity of my suffering.' (03-207-10)
कथमग्निः पुनरहं भवेयमिति चिन्त्य सः। अपश्यदग्निवल्लोकांस्तापयन्तं महामुनिम् ॥०३-२०७-११॥
Thinking, 'How might I become Agni again?', he, the great sage, saw a figure burning the worlds like Agni. (03-207-11)
सोपासर्पच्छनैर्भीतस्तमुवाच तदाङ्गिराः। शीघ्रमेव भवस्वाग्निस्त्वं पुनर्लोकभावनः ॥ विज्ञातश्चासि लोकेषु त्रिषु संस्थानचारिषु ॥०३-२०७-१२॥
He, afraid, approached slowly, and then Aṅgiras said to him: “Quickly, become fire again, you who are the benefactor of the worlds. You are known in the worlds among the three moving abodes.” (03-207-12)
त्वमग्ने प्रथमः सृष्टो ब्रह्मणा तिमिरापहः। स्वस्थानं प्रतिपद्यस्व शीघ्रमेव तमोनुद ॥०३-२०७-१३॥
O Agni, you are the first created by Brahmā, the remover of darkness; attain your own place quickly, O dispeller of darkness. (03-207-13)
अग्निरुवाच॥
Agni said.
नष्टकीर्तिरहं लोके भवाञ्जातो हुताशनः। भवन्तमेव ज्ञास्यन्ति पावकं न तु मां जनाः ॥०३-२०७-१४॥
In this world, my fame is lost; you, born as fire, people will know only as the purifier, and not me. (03-207-14)
निक्षिपाम्यहमग्नित्वं त्वमग्निः प्रथमो भव। भविष्यामि द्वितीयोऽहं प्राजापत्यक एव च ॥०३-२०७-१५॥
I entrust the state of being Agni; you, Agni, become the first. I shall become the second, only as the one related to Prajāpati and. (03-207-15)
अङ्गिरा उवाच॥
Angiras said.
कुरु पुण्यं प्रजास्वर्ग्यं भवाग्निस्तिमिरापहः। मां च देव कुरुष्वाग्ने प्रथमं पुत्रमञ्जसा ॥०३-२०७-१६॥
Perform a meritorious act that brings progeny to heaven; O Agni, remover of darkness, make me, O god, your first son, in the right manner. (03-207-16)
मार्कण्डेय उवाच॥
Mārkaṇḍeya said.
तच्छ्रुत्वाङ्गिरसो वाक्यं जातवेदास्तथाकरोत्। राजन्बृहस्पतिर्नाम तस्याप्यङ्गिरसः सुतः ॥०३-२०७-१७॥
Having heard Aṅgiras' words, Jātavedas did accordingly. O king, Bṛhaspati by name was also the son of Aṅgiras. (03-207-17)
ज्ञात्वा प्रथमजं तं तु वह्नेराङ्गिरसं सुतम्। उपेत्य देवाः पप्रच्छुः कारणं तत्र भारत ॥०३-२०७-१८॥
O Bhārata, having recognized him, the eldest son of Agni and descendant of Aṅgiras, the gods went to him and asked the reason there. (03-207-18)
स तु पृष्टस्तदा देवैस्ततः कारणमब्रवीत्। प्रत्यगृह्णंस्तु देवाश्च तद्वचोऽङ्गिरसस्तदा ॥०३-२०७-१९॥
But he, having been questioned at that time by the gods, then spoke the reason. And the gods, along with Angiras, then accepted those words. (03-207-19)
अत्र नानाविधानग्नीन्प्रवक्ष्यामि महाप्रभान्। कर्मभिर्बहुभिः ख्यातान्नानात्वं ब्राह्मणेष्विह ॥०३-२०७-२०॥
Here I will explain the fires of various kinds and great splendour that are well-known through many rites, and the variety that exists among Brāhmaṇas here. (03-207-20)
