Agni's Protest and Brahma's Remedy

Verse 1 (1.7.1)

शप्तस्तु भृगुणा वह्निः क्रुद्धो वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् । किमिदं साहसं ब्रह्मन्कृतवानसि मां प्रति ॥

śaptastu bhṛguṇā vahniḥ kruddho vākyamathābravīt | kimidaṃ sāhasaṃ brahmankṛtavānasi māṃ prati

Cursed by Bhrigu, the fire grew angry and said: "What is this rash thing you have done to me, brahmin?

Verse 2 (1.7.2)

धर्मे प्रयतमानस्य सत्यं च वदतः समम् । पृष्टो यदब्रवं सत्यं व्यभिचारोऽत्र को मम ॥

dharme prayatamānasya satyaṃ ca vadataḥ samam | pṛṣṭo yadabravaṃ satyaṃ vyabhicāro'tra ko mama

I strive to keep to dharma and speak the truth impartially. When I was asked, I told the truth; what wrong have I done in that?

Verse 3 (1.7.3)

पृष्टो हि साक्षी यः साक्ष्यं जानानोऽप्यन्यथा वदेत् । स पूर्वानात्मनः सप्त कुले हन्यात्तथाऽपरान् ॥

pṛṣṭo hi sākṣī yaḥ sākṣyaṃ jānāno'pyanyathā vadet | sa pūrvānātmanaḥ sapta kule hanyāttathā'parān

A witness who is questioned and, though he knows the truth, says otherwise, destroys seven generations of his family before him and seven after.

Note on the text: Corrected हिसाक्षीयः → हि साक्षी यः (misprint in Wikisource; the words hi sākṣī yaḥ were run together, as the critical edition shows).

Verse 4 (1.7.4)

यश्च कार्यार्थतत्त्वज्ञो जानानोऽपि न भाषते । सोऽपि तेनैव पापेन लिप्यते नात्र संशयः ॥

yaśca kāryārthatattvajño jānāno'pi na bhāṣate | so'pi tenaiva pāpena lipyate nātra saṃśayaḥ

And he who knows the real facts of a matter and does not speak, though he knows, is stained by the very same sin; of that there is no doubt.

Verse 5 (1.7.5)

शक्तोऽहमपि शप्तुं त्वां मान्यास्तु ब्राह्मणा मम । जानतोऽपि च ते ब्रह्मन्कथयिष्ये निबोध तत् ॥

śakto'hamapi śaptuṃ tvāṃ mānyāstu brāhmaṇā mama | jānato'pi ca te brahmankathayiṣye nibodha tat

I too could curse you, but brahmins are to be honoured by me. Though you know it already, brahmin, I shall tell you; listen.

Verse 6 (1.7.6)

योगेन बहुधाऽऽत्मानं कृत्वा तिष्ठामि मूर्तिषु । अग्निहोत्रेषु सत्रेषु क्रियासु च मखेषु च ॥

yogena bahudhā''tmānaṃ kṛtvā tiṣṭhāmi mūrtiṣu | agnihotreṣu satreṣu kriyāsu ca makheṣu ca

By the power of yoga I make myself many and dwell in many forms: in the agnihotra rites, in sacrificial sessions, in ceremonies and in offerings.

Verse 7 (1.7.7)

वेदोक्तेन विधानेन मयि यद्धूयते हविः । देवताः पितरश्चैव तेन तृप्ता भवन्ति वै ॥

vedoktena vidhānena mayi yaddhūyate haviḥ | devatāḥ pitaraścaiva tena tṛptā bhavanti vai

The oblation poured into me by the rule the Vedas lay down satisfies the gods and the ancestors alike.

Verse 8 (1.7.8)

आपो देवगणाः सर्वे आपः पितृगणास्तथा । दर्शश्च पौर्णमासश्च देवानां पितृभिः सह ॥

āpo devagaṇāḥ sarve āpaḥ pitṛgaṇāstathā | darśaśca paurṇamāsaśca devānāṃ pitṛbhiḥ saha

The waters are all the hosts of the gods, and the waters are the hosts of the ancestors too; the new-moon and full-moon rites belong to the gods together with the ancestors.

Verse 9 (1.7.9)

देवताः पितरस्तस्मात्पितरश्चापि देवताः । एकीभूताश्च दृश्यन्ते पृथक्त्वेन च पर्वसु ॥

devatāḥ pitarastasmātpitaraścāpi devatāḥ | ekībhūtāśca dṛśyante pṛthaktvena ca parvasu

Therefore the gods are the ancestors and the ancestors are the gods. They are seen as one, and also as separate on the days that mark the moon's phases.

Verse 10 (1.7.10)

देवताः पितरश्चैव भुञ्जते मयि यद्धुतम् । देवतानां पितॄणां च मुखमेतदहं स्मृतम् ॥

devatāḥ pitaraścaiva bhuñjate mayi yaddhutam | devatānāṃ pitṝṇāṃ ca mukhametadahaṃ smṛtam

The gods and the ancestors eat what is offered into me; so I am known as the mouth of the gods and of the ancestors.

Note on the text: Corrected यद्भुतम् → यद्धुतम् (misprint in Wikisource; yad hutam, "what is offered", with भ for ध).

Verse 11 (1.7.11)

अमावास्यां हि पितरः पौर्णमास्यां हि देवताः । मन्मुखेनैव हूयन्ते भुञ्जते च हुतं हविः ॥

amāvāsyāṃ hi pitaraḥ paurṇamāsyāṃ hi devatāḥ | manmukhenaiva hūyante bhuñjate ca hutaṃ haviḥ

On the new-moon day the ancestors, and on the full-moon day the gods, receive their offerings through my mouth alone, and eat the oblation offered.

Verse 12 (1.7.12)

सर्वभक्षः कथं त्वेषां भविष्यामि मुखं त्वहम् । चिन्तयित्वा ततो वह्निश्चक्रे संहारमात्मनः ॥

sarvabhakṣaḥ kathaṃ tveṣāṃ bhaviṣyāmi mukhaṃ tvaham | cintayitvā tato vahniścakre saṃhāramātmanaḥ

How can I, who am their mouth, become an eater of all things?" Having thought this over, the fire withdrew himself

Note on the text: Corrected चके → चक्रे (misprint in Wikisource; cakre, "he made", with the र dropped, as in the critical edition).

Verse 13 (1.7.13)

द्विजानामग्निहोत्रेषु यज्ञसत्रक्रियासु च । निरोंकारवषट्काराः स्वधास्वाहाविवर्जिताः ॥

dvijānāmagnihotreṣu yajñasatrakriyāsu ca | niroṃkāravaṣaṭkārāḥ svadhāsvāhāvivarjitāḥ

from the agnihotras of the twice-born and from sacrifices, sacrificial sessions and rites. Without the syllables Om and Vashat, without Svadha and Svaha,

Verse 14 (1.7.14)

विनाऽग्निना प्रजाः सर्वास्तत आसन्सुदुःखिताः । अथर्षयः समुद्विग्ना देवान् गत्वाब्रुवन्वचः ॥

vinā'gninā prajāḥ sarvāstata āsansuduḥkhitāḥ | atharṣayaḥ samudvignā devān gatvābruvanvacaḥ

and without fire, all creatures then fell into great distress. Then the seers, alarmed, went to the gods and said:

Verse 15 (1.7.15)

अग्निनाशात्क्रियाभ्रंशाद्भ्रान्ता लोकास्त्रयोऽनघाः । विधध्वमत्र यत्कार्यं न स्यात्कालात्ययो यथा ॥

agnināśātkriyābhraṃśādbhrāntā lokāstrayo'naghāḥ | vidhadhvamatra yatkāryaṃ na syātkālātyayo yathā

"With the fire gone and the rites lapsed, the three worlds are thrown into confusion, sinless ones. Decide what must be done here, so that no time is lost."

Note on the text: Corrected क्रियाभ्रांशाद् → क्रियाभ्रंशाद् (misprint in Wikisource; kriyābhraṃśāt, "through the lapse of the rites", as in the critical edition).

Verse 16 (1.7.16)

अथर्षयश्च देवाश्च ब्रह्माणमुपगम्य तु । अग्नेरावेदयञ्शापं क्रियासंहारमेव च ॥

atharṣayaśca devāśca brahmāṇamupagamya tu | agnerāvedayañśāpaṃ kriyāsaṃhārameva ca

Then the seers and the gods went to Brahma and told him of Agni's curse and of the halt of all rites.

Verse 17 (1.7.17)

भृगुणा वै महाभाग शप्तोऽग्निः कारणान्तरे । कथं देवमुखो भूत्वा यज्ञभागाग्रभुक् तथा ॥

bhṛguṇā vai mahābhāga śapto'gniḥ kāraṇāntare | kathaṃ devamukho bhūtvā yajñabhāgāgrabhuk tathā

"Illustrious one, Agni has been cursed by Bhrigu for some cause. How can he, who is the mouth of the gods and first to eat of the sacrificial shares,

Verse 18 (1.7.18)

हुतभुक्सर्वलोकेषु सर्वभक्षत्वमेष्यति । श्रुत्वा तु तद्वचस्तेषामग्निमाहूय विश्वकृत् ॥

hutabhuksarvalokeṣu sarvabhakṣatvameṣyati | śrutvā tu tadvacasteṣāmagnimāhūya viśvakṛt

the eater of oblations in all the worlds, become an eater of all things?" Hearing their words, the maker of the universe summoned Agni,

Verse 19 (1.7.19)

उवाच वचनं श्लक्ष्णं भूतभावनमव्ययम् । लोकानामिह सर्वेषां त्वं कर्ता चान्त एव च ॥

uvāca vacanaṃ ślakṣṇaṃ bhūtabhāvanamavyayam | lokānāmiha sarveṣāṃ tvaṃ kartā cānta eva ca

the imperishable source of beings, and spoke gently to him: "You are the maker of all the worlds here, and their end as well.

Verse 20 (1.7.20)

त्वं धारयसि लोकांस्त्रीन्क्रियाणां च प्रवर्तकः । स तथा कुरु लोकेश नोच्छिद्येरन्यथा क्रियाः ॥

tvaṃ dhārayasi lokāṃstrīnkriyāṇāṃ ca pravartakaḥ | sa tathā kuru lokeśa nocchidyeranyathā kriyāḥ

You uphold the three worlds and set the rites in motion. So act, lord of the world, that the rites are not cut off.

Verse 21 (1.7.21)

कस्मादेवं विमूढस्त्वमीश्वरः सन् हुताशनः । त्वं पवित्रं सदा लोके सर्वभूतगतिश्च ह ॥

kasmādevaṃ vimūḍhastvamīśvaraḥ san hutāśanaḥ | tvaṃ pavitraṃ sadā loke sarvabhūtagatiśca ha

Why are you so bewildered, eater of oblations, when you are the lord? You are ever the purifier in the world and the course of all beings.

Note on the text: Corrected हुताशेन → हुताशनः (misprint in Wikisource; the nominative hutāśanaḥ, "eater of oblations", is required beside īśvaraḥ san, as in the critical edition).

Verse 22 (1.7.22)

न त्वं सर्वशरीरेण सर्वभक्षत्वमेष्यसि । अपाने ह्यर्चिषो यास्ते सर्वं भक्ष्यन्ति ताः शिखिन् ॥

na tvaṃ sarvaśarīreṇa sarvabhakṣatvameṣyasi | apāne hyarciṣo yāste sarvaṃ bhakṣyanti tāḥ śikhin

You will not become an eater of all things with your whole body. It is the flames in your lower parts that will consume everything, O flame-crested one,

Verse 23 (1.7.23)

क्रव्यादा च तनुर्या ते सा सर्वं भक्षयिष्यति । यथा सूर्यांशुभिः स्पृष्टं सर्वं शुचि विभाव्यते ॥

kravyādā ca tanuryā te sā sarvaṃ bhakṣayiṣyati | yathā sūryāṃśubhiḥ spṛṣṭaṃ sarvaṃ śuci vibhāvyate

and your flesh-eating form will consume everything. Just as all that the sun's rays touch is held pure,

Note on the text: The first line (क्रव्यादा च तनुर्या … भक्षयिष्यति) is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 24 (1.7.24)

तथा त्वदर्चिर्निर्दग्धं सर्वं शुचि भविष्यति । त्वमग्ने परमं तेजः स्वप्रभावाद्विनिर्गतम् ॥

tathā tvadarcirnirdagdhaṃ sarvaṃ śuci bhaviṣyati | tvamagne paramaṃ tejaḥ svaprabhāvādvinirgatam

so all that your flames burn will become pure. You, Agni, are the supreme splendour, come forth by your own power.

Verse 25 (1.7.25)

स्वतेजसैव तं शापं कुरु सत्यमृषेर्विभो । देवानां चात्मनो भागं गृहाण त्वं मुखे हुतम् ॥

svatejasaiva taṃ śāpaṃ kuru satyamṛṣervibho | devānāṃ cātmano bhāgaṃ gṛhāṇa tvaṃ mukhe hutam

By your own power make the seer's curse come true, lord, and accept in your mouth the oblation that is the share of the gods and your own."

Verse 26 (1.7.26)

एवमस्त्विति तं वह्निः प्रत्युवाच पितामहम् । जगाम शासनं कर्तुं देवस्य परमेष्ठिनः ॥

evamastviti taṃ vahniḥ pratyuvāca pitāmaham | jagāma śāsanaṃ kartuṃ devasya parameṣṭhinaḥ

"So be it," the fire replied to the grandsire, and went to carry out the command of the god, the supreme lord.

Verse 27 (1.7.27)

देवर्षयश्च मुदितास्ततो जग्मुर्यथागतम् । ऋषयश्च यथा पूर्वं क्रियाः सर्वाः प्रचक्रिरे ॥

devarṣayaśca muditāstato jagmuryathāgatam | ṛṣayaśca yathā pūrvaṃ kriyāḥ sarvāḥ pracakrire

The divine seers, rejoicing, went back as they had come, and the seers performed all their rites as before.

Verse 28 (1.7.28)

दिवि देवा मुमुदिरे भूतसङ्घाश्च लौकिकाः । अग्निश्च परमां प्रीतिमवाप हतकल्मषः ॥

divi devā mumudire bhūtasaṅghāśca laukikāḥ | agniśca paramāṃ prītimavāpa hatakalmaṣaḥ

The gods in heaven rejoiced, and so did the hosts of beings on earth, and Agni, freed of his stain, felt the greatest joy.

Verse 29 (1.7.29)

एवं स भगवाञ्छापं लेभेऽग्निर्भृगुतः पुरा । एवमेष पुरा वृत्त इतिहासोऽग्निशापजः । पुलोम्नश्च विनाशोऽयं च्यवनस्य च संभवः ॥

evaṃ sa bhagavāñchāpaṃ lebhe'gnirbhṛgutaḥ purā | evameṣa purā vṛtta itihāso'gniśāpajaḥ | pulomnaśca vināśo'yaṃ cyavanasya ca saṃbhavaḥ

In this way, long ago, the blessed Agni received his curse from Bhrigu. This is the ancient tale that grew from Agni's curse: the destruction of Puloman and the birth of Chyavana.

Note on the text: Corrected हतिहासो → इतिहासो (misprint in Wikisource; itihāso, "the tale", with ह for इ, as in the critical edition). The first line (एवं स भगवाञ्छापं … पुरा) is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).