03.212
Mārkaṇḍeya said;
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)
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)
Agni, the glorious one of great brilliance, who is the lord of all beings and the great ones here, always moves. (03-212-3)
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)
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)
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)
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)
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)
After sending Atharvan, Agni went to another region. The fishes reported this to him; angered, Agni addressed them. (03-212-9)
You will become food of various kinds for embodied beings, indeed. Likewise, Havyavaha (Agni) spoke these words also to Atharvan. (03-212-10)
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)
He, having given up that body, then entered the earth. After touching the ground, he emitted the elements separately, indeed. (3-212-12)
From the mouth arise fragrance and radiance; from the bones, Himalayan cedar. Crystal comes from phlegm, and from bile, likewise, emerald. (03-212-13)
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)
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)
The brilliant flame, greatly blazing and strengthened by asceticism, upon seeing the sages, out of fear, entered the great ocean. (03-212-16)
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)
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)
Thus, Agni, having been purified by the venerable Atharvan in the past, when invoked, always carries the oblations of all beings. (03-212-19)
Thus, he produced many wise sacrificial seats as prescribed by the Veda; wandering through various regions, he roamed about there indeed. (03-212-20)
Apart from the Sindhu, the five rivers are Devikā, Sarasvatī, Gaṅgā, Śatakumbhā, and the Sarayū called Gaṇḍasāhvayā. (03-212-21)
Carmaṇvatī, Mahī, and also Medhyā and Medhātithi, as well as Tāmrāvatī and Vetravatī—three rivers—and then Kauśikī. (03-212-22)
O Bhārata, [there are] the Tamasā, Narmadā, river Godāvarī as well as Veṇṇā, Praveṇī, Bhīmā, and Medrathā. (03-212-23)
Bharati, Suprayoga, Kaveri, Murmura, Krishna, Krishnavenna, Kapila, and Shona—these rivers are spoken of as the mothers of the sacred seats. (03-212-24)
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)
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)
Thus I have described these great-souled fires, immeasurable as they have arisen, resplendent and dispelling darkness. (03-212-27)
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)
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)
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)
