03.212
मार्कण्डेय उवाच॥
Mārkaṇḍeya said;
आपस्य मुदिता भार्या सहस्य परमा प्रिया। भूपतिर्भुवभर्ता च जनयत्पावकं परम् ॥०३-२१२-१॥
The joyful wife of Āpa, the supreme beloved of Sahas, and the king, the sustainer of the world, generated the supreme fire. (03-212-1)
भूतानां चापि सर्वेषां यं प्राहुः पावकं पतिम्। आत्मा भुवनभर्तेति सान्वयेषु द्विजातिषु ॥०३-२१२-२॥
They call the purifier, the lord and soul, the sustainer of all beings and of everything, thus among the twice-born in the households. (03-212-2)
महतां चैव भूतानां सर्वेषामिह यः पतिः। भगवान्स महातेजा नित्यं चरति पावकः ॥०३-२१२-३॥
Agni, the glorious one of great brilliance, who is the lord of all beings and the great ones here, always moves. (03-212-3)
अग्निर्गृहपतिर्नाम नित्यं यज्ञेषु पूज्यते। हुतं वहति यो हव्यमस्य लोकस्य पावकः ॥०३-२१२-४॥
The fire, called the lord of the house, is always worshipped in sacrifices. The purifier, who carries the oblation, is the receiver of offerings for this world. (03-212-4)
अपां गर्भो महाभागः सहपुत्रो महाद्भुतः। भूपतिर्भुवभर्ता च महतः पतिरुच्यते ॥०३-२१२-५॥
He who is the embryo of the waters, greatly fortunate, wondrous with his sons, lord of the earth, sustainer of the world, and lord of the great, is called thus. (03-212-5)
दहन्मृतानि भूतानि तस्याग्निर्भरतोऽभवत्। अग्निष्टोमे च नियतः क्रतुश्रेष्ठो भरस्य तु ॥०३-२१२-६॥
Burning the dead creatures, his fire became Bharata. And in the Agniṣṭoma sacrifice, it was Bharata who performed the best among regulated sacrifices. (03-212-6)
आयान्तं नियतं दृष्ट्वा प्रविवेशार्णवं भयात्। देवास्तं नाधिगच्छन्ति मार्गमाणा यथादिशम् ॥०३-२१२-७॥
Seeing the inevitable approaching, he entered the ocean out of fear. The gods, searching for him as directed, could not find him. (03-212-7)
दृष्ट्वा त्वग्निरथर्वाणं ततो वचनमब्रवीत्। देवानां वह हव्यं त्वमहं वीर सुदुर्बलः ॥ अथर्वन्गच्छ मध्वक्षं प्रियमेतत्कुरुष्व मे ॥०३-२१२-८॥
Seeing you, Agni then spoke to Atharvan: 'You carry the offering for the gods; I am very weak, O hero. O Atharvan, go to the honey-offering and do this favor for me.' (03-212-8)
प्रेष्य चाग्निरथर्वाणमन्यं देशं ततोऽगमत्। मत्स्यास्तस्य समाचख्युः क्रुद्धस्तानग्निरब्रवीत् ॥०३-२१२-९॥
After sending Atharvan, Agni went to another region. The fishes reported this to him; angered, Agni addressed them. (03-212-9)
भक्ष्या वै विविधैर्भावैर्भविष्यथ शरीरिणाम्। अथर्वाणं तथा चापि हव्यवाहोऽब्रवीद्वचः ॥०३-२१२-१०॥
You will become food of various kinds for embodied beings, indeed. Likewise, Havyavaha (Agni) spoke these words also to Atharvan. (03-212-10)
अनुनीयमानोऽपि भृशं देववाक्याद्धि तेन सः। नैच्छद्वोढुं हविः सर्वं शरीरं च समत्यजत् ॥०३-२१२-११॥
Although greatly urged by the god's words, he did not wish to accept the whole offering and entirely gave up his body. (03-212-11)
स तच्छरीरं सन्त्यज्य प्रविवेश धरां तदा। भूमिं स्पृष्ट्वासृजद्धातून्पृथक्पृथगतीव हि ॥०३-२१२-१२॥
He, having given up that body, then entered the earth. After touching the ground, he emitted the elements separately, indeed. (3-212-12)
आस्यात्सुगन्धि तेजश्च अस्थिभ्यो देवदारु च। श्लेष्मणः स्फटिकं तस्य पित्तान्मरकतं तथा ॥०३-२१२-१३॥
From the mouth arise fragrance and radiance; from the bones, Himalayan cedar. Crystal comes from phlegm, and from bile, likewise, emerald. (03-212-13)
यकृत्कृष्णायसं तस्य त्रिभिरेव बभुः प्रजाः। नखास्तस्याभ्रपटलं शिराजालानि विद्रुमम् ॥ शरीराद्विविधाश्चान्ये धातवोऽस्याभवन्नृप ॥०३-२१२-१४॥
His liver became black iron; from the three (elements) indeed, creatures arose. His nails became the covering of clouds; the networks of his veins became coral. From his body, various and other minerals arose, O king. (03-212-14)
एवं त्यक्त्वा शरीरं तु परमे तपसि स्थितः। भृग्वङ्गिरादिभिर्भूयस्तपसोत्थापितस्तदा ॥०३-२१२-१५॥
Thus, having abandoned his body, yet remaining in the highest penance, he was then raised up again by the penance of Bhṛgu, Aṅgiras, and others. (03-212-15)
भृशं जज्वाल तेजस्वी तपसाप्यायितः शिखी। दृष्ट्वा ऋषीन्भयाच्चापि प्रविवेश महार्णवम् ॥०३-२१२-१६॥
The brilliant flame, greatly blazing and strengthened by asceticism, upon seeing the sages, out of fear, entered the great ocean. (03-212-16)
तस्मिन्नष्टे जगद्भीतमथर्वाणमथाश्रितम्। अर्चयामासुरेवैनमथर्वाणं सुरर्षयः ॥०३-२१२-१७॥
When it was lost and the world was terrified, the divine sages then took refuge in Atharvan and indeed worshipped him, Atharvan. (03-212-17)
अथर्वा त्वसृजल्लोकानात्मनालोक्य पावकम्। मिषतां सर्वभूतानामुन्ममाथ महार्णवम् ॥०३-२१२-१८॥
Atharvā, observing the fire by his own Self, created the worlds. As all living beings looked on, he churned the great ocean. (03-212-18)
एवमग्निर्भगवता नष्टः पूर्वमथर्वणा। आहूतः सर्वभूतानां हव्यं वहति सर्वदा ॥०३-२१२-१९॥
Thus, Agni, having been purified by the venerable Atharvan in the past, when invoked, always carries the oblations of all beings. (03-212-19)
एवं त्वजनयद्धिष्ण्यान्वेदोक्तान्विबुधान्बहून्। विचरन्विविधान्देशान्भ्रममाणस्तु तत्र वै ॥०३-२१२-२०॥
Thus, he produced many wise sacrificial seats as prescribed by the Veda; wandering through various regions, he roamed about there indeed. (03-212-20)
सिन्धुवर्जं पञ्च नद्यो देविकाथ सरस्वती। गङ्गा च शतकुम्भा च शरयूर्गण्डसाह्वया ॥०३-२१२-२१॥
Apart from the Sindhu, the five rivers are Devikā, Sarasvatī, Gaṅgā, Śatakumbhā, and the Sarayū called Gaṇḍasāhvayā. (03-212-21)
चर्मण्वती मही चैव मेध्या मेधातिथिस्तथा। ताम्रावती वेत्रवती नद्यस्तिस्रोऽथ कौशिकी ॥०३-२१२-२२॥
Carmaṇvatī, Mahī, and also Medhyā and Medhātithi, as well as Tāmrāvatī and Vetravatī—three rivers—and then Kauśikī. (03-212-22)
तमसा नर्मदा चैव नदी गोदावरी तथा। वेण्णा प्रवेणी भीमा च मेद्रथा चैव भारत ॥०३-२१२-२३॥
O Bhārata, [there are] the Tamasā, Narmadā, river Godāvarī as well as Veṇṇā, Praveṇī, Bhīmā, and Medrathā. (03-212-23)
भारती सुप्रयोगा च कावेरी मुर्मुरा तथा। कृष्णा च कृष्णवेण्णा च कपिला शोण एव च ॥ एता नद्यस्तु धिष्ण्यानां मातरो याः प्रकीर्तिताः ॥०३-२१२-२४॥
Bharati, Suprayoga, Kaveri, Murmura, Krishna, Krishnavenna, Kapila, and Shona—these rivers are spoken of as the mothers of the sacred seats. (03-212-24)
अद्भुतस्य प्रिया भार्या तस्याः पुत्रो विडूरथः। यावन्तः पावकाः प्रोक्ताः सोमास्तावन्त एव च ॥०३-२१२-२५॥
The beloved wife of Adbhuta had a son named Viḍūratha. As many fires as have been mentioned, just so many Somas also are there. (03-212-25)
अत्रेश्चाप्यन्वये जाता ब्रह्मणो मानसाः प्रजाः। अत्रिः पुत्रान्स्रष्टुकामस्तानेवात्मन्यधारयत् ॥ तस्य तद्ब्रह्मणः कायान्निर्हरन्ति हुताशनाः ॥०३-२१२-२६॥
In the lineage of Atri also, the mental offspring of Brahmā were born. When Atri desired to create sons, he kept them within himself. Then, from the body of that Brahmā, the fires bring them forth. (3-212-26)
एवमेते महात्मानः कीर्तितास्तेऽग्नयो मया। अप्रमेया यथोत्पन्नाः श्रीमन्तस्तिमिरापहाः ॥०३-२१२-२७॥
Thus I have described these great-souled fires, immeasurable as they have arisen, resplendent and dispelling darkness. (03-212-27)
अद्भुतस्य तु माहात्म्यं यथा वेदेषु कीर्तितम्। तादृशं विद्धि सर्वेषामेको ह्येष हुताशनः ॥०३-२१२-२८॥
But know that the greatness of the marvelous, as is celebrated in the Vedas, such is this very one Fire (Agni) alone among all. (03-212-28)
एक एवैष भगवान्विज्ञेयः प्रथमोऽङ्गिराः। बहुधा निःसृतः कायाज्ज्योतिष्टोमः क्रतुर्यथा ॥०३-२१२-२९॥
This revered one, the first Aṅgirās, is to be understood as one alone, who, just as the Jyotiṣṭoma sacrifice emerges in many forms from the body, has emerged in manifold ways. (03-212-29)
इत्येष वंशः सुमहानग्नीनां कीर्तितो मया। पावितो विविधैर्मन्त्रैर्हव्यं वहति देहिनाम् ॥०३-२१२-३०॥
Thus, I have recounted this very great lineage of fires. Purified by various mantras, the offering of embodied beings is carried (to the gods). (03-212-30)
