03.207
āṅgirasam
āṅgirasam – pertaining to or derived from Ṛṣi Angiras;
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
śrutvemāṃ dharmasaṃyuktāṃ dharmarājaḥ kathāṃ śubhām। punaḥ papraccha tam ṛṣiṃ mārkaṇḍeyaṃ tapasvinam ॥03-207-1॥
After hearing this auspicious story associated with dharma, Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira) once again questioned the sage Mārkaṇḍeya, the great ascetic. (3-207-1)
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
katham agniḥ vanaṃ yātaḥ kathaṃ ca api aṅgirāḥ purā. naṣṭe agnau havyam avahat agniḥ bhūtvā mahān ṛṣiḥ ॥03-207-2॥
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)
agnir yadā tv eka eva bahutvaṃ cāsya karmasu। dṛśyate bhagavan sarvam etad icchāmi veditum ॥03-207-3॥
O revered one, I wish to know about all this: how fire, though one, appears as many in its actions. (03-207-3)
kumāraś ca yathotpanno yathā cāgneḥ suto'bhavat। yathā rudrāc ca sambhūto gaṅgāyāṃ kṛttikāsu ca ॥03-207-4॥
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)
etadicchāmyahaṃ tvattaḥ śrotuṃ bhārgavanandana। kautūhalasamāviṣṭo yathātathyaṃ mahāmune ॥03-207-5॥
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)
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca॥
Mārkaṇḍeya said.
atrāpy udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ purātanam। yathā kruddho hutavahas tapas taptaṃ vanaṃ gataḥ ॥03-207-6॥
Here too, they relate this ancient story: how, in anger, Fire went to the forest to perform austerities. (03-207-6)
yathā ca bhagavān agniḥ svayam eva aṅgirā abhavat। santāpayan sva-prabhayā nāśayan timirāṇi ca ॥03-207-7॥
Just as the Lord Agni himself became Angiras, burning with his own radiance and destroying darkness.
āśramastho mahābhāgo havyavāhaṃ viśeṣayan। tathā sa bhūtvā tu tadā jagatsarvaṃ prakāśayan॥03-207-8॥
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)
tapaś caraṃś ca hutabhuk santaptaḥ tasya tejasā। bhṛśaṃ glānaś ca tejasvī na sa kiñcit prajajñivān॥03-207-9॥
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)
atha sañcintayāmāsa bhagavān havya-vāhanaḥ। anyo'gnir iha lokānāṃ brahmaṇā sampravartitaḥ॥ agnitvaṃ vipra-naṣṭaṃ hi tapyamānasya me tapaḥ॥03-207-10॥
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)
katham agniḥ punar ahaṃ bhaveyam iti cintya saḥ। apaśyad agnivat lokān tāpayantam mahāmunim ॥03-207-11॥
Thinking, 'How might I become Agni again?', he, the great sage, saw a figure burning the worlds like Agni. (03-207-11)
sopāsarapcchanairbhītastamuvāca tadāṅgirāḥ। śīghrameva bhavasvāgnistvaṃ punarlokabhāvanaḥ॥ vijñātaścāsi lokeṣu triṣu saṃsthānacāriṣu॥03-207-12॥
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)
tvam agne prathamaḥ sṛṣṭo brahmaṇā timirāpahaḥ। svasthānaṃ pratipadyasva śīghrameva tamonuda ॥03-207-13॥
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)
agnir uvāca॥
Agni said.
naṣṭakīrtirahaṁ loke bhavāñjāto hutāśanaḥ। bhavantameva jñāsyanti pāvakaṁ na tu māṁ janāḥ॥03-207-14॥
In this world, my fame is lost; you, born as fire, people will know only as the purifier, and not me. (03-207-14)
nikṣipāmy aham agnitvaṃ tvam agniḥ prathamo bhava। bhaviṣyāmi dvitīyo'ham prājāpatyaka eva ca॥03-207-15॥
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)
aṅgirā uvāca॥
Angiras said.
kuru puṇyaṃ prajāsvar̥gyaṃ bhavāgnistimirāpahaḥ। māṃ ca deva kuruṣvāgne prathamaṃ putramañjasā॥03-207-16॥
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)
mārkaṇḍeya uvāca॥
Mārkaṇḍeya said.
tac chrutvāṅgiraso vākyaṃ jātavedās tathākarot। rājan bṛhaspatir nāma tasyāpy aṅgirasah sutaḥ ॥03-207-17॥
Having heard Aṅgiras' words, Jātavedas did accordingly. O king, Bṛhaspati by name was also the son of Aṅgiras. (03-207-17)
jñātvā prathamajaṃ taṃ tu vahnērāṅgirasaṃ sutam। upetya devāḥ papracchuḥ kāraṇaṃ tatra bhārata॥03-207-18॥
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)
sa tu pṛṣṭas tadā devais tataḥ kāraṇam abravīt। pratyagṛhṇas tu devāś ca tad vaco'ṅgirasas tadā ॥03-207-19॥
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)
atra nānā-vidhān agnīn pravakṣyāmi mahā-prabhān । karmabhiḥ bahubhiḥ khyātān nānātvaṃ brāhmaṇeṣv iha ॥03-207-20॥
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)
