Agni Hides in the Waters; the Dhishnya Fires

Verse 1 (3.224.1)

आपस्य मुदिता भार्या सा चास्य परमाप्रिया । भूपतिं भूतकर्तारं जनयामास पावकम् ॥

āpasya muditā bhāryā sā cāsya paramāpriyā | bhūpatiṃ bhūtakartāraṃ janayāmāsa pāvakam

Mudita was the wife of Apa, and very dear to him; she bore the fire Bhupati, the maker of beings.

Verse 2 (3.224.2)

भूतानां साऽपि सर्वेषां यं प्राहुः पावकं पतिम् । आत्मा भुवनकर्ता च सोऽध्वरेषु द्विजातिभिः ॥

bhūtānāṃ sā'pi sarveṣāṃ yaṃ prāhuḥ pāvakaṃ patim | ātmā bhuvanakartā ca so'dhvareṣu dvijātibhiḥ

She also bore him whom men call the fire, the lord of all beings; at the sacrifices the twice-born call him the Self and the Maker of the World.

Verse 3 (3.224.3)

महतां चैव भूतानां सर्वेषामिह यः पतिः । भगवान्स महातेजा नित्यं चरति पावकः ॥

mahatāṃ caiva bhūtānāṃ sarveṣāmiha yaḥ patiḥ | bhagavānsa mahātejā nityaṃ carati pāvakaḥ

He who is lord of all the great beings here, that blessed fire of great splendour, moves about for ever.

Verse 4 (3.224.4)

अग्निर्गृहपतिर्नाम नित्यं यज्ञेषु पूज्यते । आज्यं वहतियो हव्यं सर्वलोकस्य पावकः ॥

agnirgṛhapatirnāma nityaṃ yajñeṣu pūjyate | ājyaṃ vahatiyo havyaṃ sarvalokasya pāvakaḥ

The fire named Grihapati, lord of the household, is ever worshipped at sacrifices; he is the fire who carries the ghee and the oblations of the whole world.

Note on the text: Corrected सर्वलोकस् → सर्वलोकस्य (misprint in Wikisource; the final akshara of the genitive had dropped, leaving the pada a syllable short). The second half otherwise differs from the critical edition (hutaṃ vahati yo havyam asya lokasya) and is kept.

Verse 5 (3.224.5)

अपांगर्भो महाभागः सत्वभुग्यो महाद्भुतः । भूपतिर्भूतकर्ता च महतः पतिरुच्यते ॥

apāṃgarbho mahābhāgaḥ satvabhugyo mahādbhutaḥ | bhūpatirbhūtakartā ca mahataḥ patirucyate

The child of the waters, most fortunate and most wondrous, the devourer of creatures, lord of the earth and maker of beings, is called the lord of the Great.

Verse 6 (3.224.6)

मता वहन्तो हव्यानि तस्याग्नेरप्रजाऽभवन् । अग्निष्टोमस्तु नियतः क्रतुश्रेष्ठो भवत्युत ॥

matā vahanto havyāni tasyāgneraprajā'bhavan | agniṣṭomastu niyataḥ kratuśreṣṭho bhavatyuta

The fires esteemed as bearers of the oblations were born as that fire's offspring; and Niyata is the fire of the Agnishtoma, the best of rites.

Note on the text: Only the second line corresponds to the critical edition (3.212.6cd, agniṣṭome ca niyataḥ kratuśreṣṭho bharasya tu); the first line differs entirely (CE dahan mṛtāni bhūtāni tasyāgnir bharato 'bhavat) and is obscure; Wikisource's reading is kept.

Verse 7 (3.224.7)

स वह्निः प्रथमो नित्यं देवैरन्विष्यते प्रभुः । आयान्तं नियतं दृष्ट्वाप्रविवेशार्णवं भयात् ॥

sa vahniḥ prathamo nityaṃ devairanviṣyate prabhuḥ | āyāntaṃ niyataṃ dṛṣṭvāpraviveśārṇavaṃ bhayāt

That foremost fire, the lord, is always sought by the gods. Seeing Niyata approaching, he plunged into the ocean out of fear.

Note on the text: Removed the square brackets around the first line (Wikisource's mark for an added line). That line is not in the critical edition's constituted text (found in the vulgate recension; its apparatus gives it as 3.212.6d*1054); the second line is CE 3.212.7ab.

Verse 8 (3.224.8)

देवास्तं नाधिगच्छन्ति मार्गमाणा यथातथम् । दृष्ट्वा त्वग्निरथर्वाणं ततो वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

devāstaṃ nādhigacchanti mārgamāṇā yathātatham | dṛṣṭvā tvagniratharvāṇaṃ tato vacanamabravīt

The gods, searching for him in every way, could not find him. Then the fire, seeing Atharvan, spoke these words:

Note on the text: This verse is CE 3.212.7cd and 8ab (Wikisource divides the lines differently); यथातथम् is Wikisource's reading for yathādiśam.

Verse 9 (3.224.9)

देवानां वह हव्यं त्वमहं वीर सुदुर्बलः । अथ त्वं गच्छ मध्वक्षं प्रियमेतत्कुरुष्व मे ॥

devānāṃ vaha havyaṃ tvamahaṃ vīra sudurbalaḥ | atha tvaṃ gaccha madhvakṣaṃ priyametatkuruṣva me

"Carry the oblation of the gods, O hero; I have grown very weak. Go now, become the honey-eyed fire. Do me this kindness."

Note on the text: This verse is CE 3.212.8cd–ef (Wikisource reads अथ त्वं for atharvan). Speaker: Agni's words to Atharvan, filling the whole verse (no heading in Wikisource).

Verse 10 (3.224.10)

प्रेष्य चाग्निरथर्वाणमन्यं देशं ततोऽगमत् । मत्स्यास्तस्य समाचख्युः क्रुद्धस्तानग्निरब्रवीत् । भक्ष्या वै विविधैर्भावैर्भविष्यथ शरीरिणाम् ॥

preṣya cāgniratharvāṇamanyaṃ deśaṃ tato'gamat | matsyāstasya samācakhyuḥ kruddhastānagnirabravīt | bhakṣyā vai vividhairbhāvairbhaviṣyatha śarīriṇām

Having sent Atharvan off, the fire went away to another region. The fish revealed where he was, and the fire in anger said to them: "You shall become food for embodied creatures in many different ways."

Note on the text: This verse is CE 3.212.9 and 10ab (Wikisource divides the lines differently).

Verse 11 (3.224.11)

अथर्वाणं तथा चापि हव्यवाहोऽब्रवीद्वचः ॥

atharvāṇaṃ tathā cāpi havyavāho'bravīdvacaḥ

And the bearer of oblations spoke the same words to Atharvan.

Note on the text: This one-line verse is CE 3.212.10cd; the critical edition has no more here.

Verse 12 (3.224.12)

अनुनीयमानो हि भृशं देववाक्यान्वितेन सः । नैच्छद्वोढुं हविः सर्वं शरीरं चापि सोऽत्यजत् ॥

anunīyamāno hi bhṛśaṃ devavākyānvitena saḥ | naicchadvoḍhuṃ haviḥ sarvaṃ śarīraṃ cāpi so'tyajat

Though entreated earnestly with the words of the gods, he would not carry all the oblation, and he gave up his body as well.

Note on the text: Corrected हवि → हविः (misprint in Wikisource; the visarga of the neuter accusative had dropped; critical edition haviḥ).

Verse 13 (3.224.13)

स तच्छरीरं संत्यज्य प्रविवेश धरां तदा । भूमिं स्पृष्ट्वाऽसृजद्धातून्पृथक्पृथगतीव हि ॥

sa taccharīraṃ saṃtyajya praviveśa dharāṃ tadā | bhūmiṃ spṛṣṭvā'sṛjaddhātūnpṛthakpṛthagatīva hi

Abandoning that body, he entered the earth; and touching the ground he created the minerals, each one distinct.

Note on the text: Corrected भ्रातून् → धातून् (misprint in Wikisource; "minerals", as the next verses and the page's own commentary, धातून् मनःशिलादीन्, show; critical edition dhātūn).

Verse 14 (3.224.14)

आस्यात्सुगन्धं तेजश्च अस्थिभ्यो देवदारु च । श्लेष्मणः स्फाटिकं तस्य पित्तान्मारकतं तथा ॥

āsyātsugandhaṃ tejaśca asthibhyo devadāru ca | śleṣmaṇaḥ sphāṭikaṃ tasya pittānmārakataṃ tathā

From his mouth came fragrant things and lustre, from his bones the deodar, from his phlegm crystal, and from his bile emerald;

Note on the text: Corrected तस् → तस्य (misprint in Wikisource; the final akshara had dropped; critical edition tasya).

Verse 15 (3.224.15)

वातात्कृष्णायसं तस्य त्रिभिरेतैर्बहु प्रजाः । त्वचस्तस्याभ्रपटलं स्नायुजं चापि विद्रुमम् ॥

vātātkṛṣṇāyasaṃ tasya tribhiretairbahu prajāḥ | tvacastasyābhrapaṭalaṃ snāyujaṃ cāpi vidrumam

from his wind came black iron, and by these three creatures flourish; from his skin came mica, and from his sinews coral.

Note on the text: This verse is CE 3.212.14ab–cd, with different readings (yakṛt for वातात्, tribhir eva babhuḥ for त्रिभिरेतैर्बहु, nakhās for त्वचः, śirājālāni for स्नायुजं); Wikisource's readings are kept.

Verse 16 (3.224.16)

शरीरास्थिविधाश्चान्ये धातवोऽस्याभवन्नृप । एवं कृत्वा शरीरं च परमे तपसि स्थितः ॥

śarīrāsthividhāścānye dhātavo'syābhavannṛpa | evaṃ kṛtvā śarīraṃ ca parame tapasi sthitaḥ

Other minerals of many kinds came from his body and bones, O king. Having thus dealt with his body, he remained in supreme austerity.

Note on the text: This verse is CE 3.212.14ef and 15ab (Wikisource divides the lines differently and reads शरीरास्थिविधाः for śarīrād vividhāḥ and कृत्वा for tyaktvā).

Verse 17 (3.224.17)

भृग्वङ्गिरादिभिर्भूयस्तपसोत्थापितस्तदा । भृशं जज्वाल तेजस्वी तपसाऽऽप्यायितः शिखी ॥

bhṛgvaṅgirādibhirbhūyastapasotthāpitastadā | bhṛśaṃ jajvāla tejasvī tapasā''pyāyitaḥ śikhī

Roused again then by the austerities of Bhrigu, Angiras and the others, the radiant crested fire blazed up fiercely, nourished by austerity.

Note on the text: This verse is CE 3.212.15cd and 16ab (Wikisource divides the lines differently). Corrected तपसाऽऽप्याधितः → तपसाऽऽप्यायितः (misprint in Wikisource; आप्याधित is not a word; critical edition tapasāpyāyitaḥ).

Verse 18 (3.224.18)

दृष्ट्वा ऋषीन्भयाच्चापि प्रविवेश महार्णवम् । तस्मिन्नष्टे जगद्भीतमथर्वाणमथाश्रितम् । अर्चयामासुरेवैनमथर्वाणं सुरादयः ॥

dṛṣṭvā ṛṣīnbhayāccāpi praviveśa mahārṇavam | tasminnaṣṭe jagadbhītamatharvāṇamathāśritam | arcayāmāsurevainamatharvāṇaṃ surādayaḥ

But seeing the seers, he again entered the great ocean out of fear. When he was lost, the frightened world took refuge with Atharvan, and the gods and the rest worshipped that Atharvan.

Note on the text: This verse is CE 3.212.16cd and 17 (Wikisource divides the lines differently; it reads सुरादयः for surarṣayaḥ). Corrected ऋषीनभयाच्चापि → ऋषीन्भयाच्चापि (misprint in Wikisource; the inserted अ turned "out of fear" into "out of fearlessness"; critical edition ṛṣīn bhayāc cāpi).

Verse 19 (3.224.19)

अथर्वाणं श्रिताँल्लोकानात्मन्यालोच्य पावकः । मिषतां सर्वभूतानामुन्ममज्ज महार्णवात् ॥

atharvāṇaṃ śritām̐llokānātmanyālocya pāvakaḥ | miṣatāṃ sarvabhūtānāmunmamajja mahārṇavāt

The fire, reflecting that the worlds had taken refuge with Atharvan, rose up out of the great ocean in the sight of all beings.

Note on the text: Wikisource's reading differs from CE 3.212.18 (atharvā tv asṛjal lokān ātmanālokya pāvakam … unmamātha mahārṇavam) and is kept.

Verse 20 (3.224.20)

एवमग्निर्भगवता नष्टः पूर्वमथर्वणा । आहूतः सर्वभूतानां हव्यं वहति सर्वदा ॥

evamagnirbhagavatā naṣṭaḥ pūrvamatharvaṇā | āhūtaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ havyaṃ vahati sarvadā

Thus the fire, once lost, was summoned by the blessed Atharvan, and ever since he carries the oblation of all beings.

Note on the text: Corrected सर्वूतानां → सर्वभूतानां (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara; critical edition sarvabhūtānāṃ).

Verse 21 (3.224.21)

एवं त्वजनयद्धिष्ण्यान्वेदोक्तान्विबुधान्बहून् । विचरन्विविधान्देशान्भ्रममाणस्तु तत्र वै ॥

evaṃ tvajanayaddhiṣṇyānvedoktānvibudhānbahūn | vicaranvividhāndeśānbhramamāṇastu tatra vai

In this way, wandering and roaming through many regions, he begot many Dhishnya fires, deities spoken of in the Veda.

Verse 22 (3.224.22)

सिन्धुवर्ज्याः पञ्च नद्यो देविकाऽथ सरस्वती । गङ्गा च शतकुम्भा च सरयू गण्डसाह्वया ॥

sindhuvarjyāḥ pañca nadyo devikā'tha sarasvatī | gaṅgā ca śatakumbhā ca sarayū gaṇḍasāhvayā

The five rivers apart from the Sindhu; the Devika, the Sarasvati, the Ganga, the Shatakumbha, the Sarayu and the river called Ganda;

Verse 23 (3.224.23)

चर्मण्वती मही चैव मेध्या मेधासृतिस्तदा । इरावती वेत्रवती नद्यस्तिस्रोऽथ कौशिकी ॥

carmaṇvatī mahī caiva medhyā medhāsṛtistadā | irāvatī vetravatī nadyastisro'tha kauśikī

the Charmanvati, the Mahi, the Medhya, the Medhasriti, the Iravati, the Vetravati, the three rivers, and the Kaushiki;

Note on the text: Corrected नद्यतिस्रोऽथ → नद्यस्तिस्रोऽथ (misprint in Wikisource; the स् of नद्यः had dropped; critical edition nadyas tisro 'tha). The river names मेधासृतिः and इरावती differ from the critical edition (medhātithiḥ, tāmrāvatī) and are kept.

Verse 24 (3.224.24)

तमसा नर्मदा चैव नदी गोदावरी तथा । वेण्णा प्रवेणी भीमा च मरुदा चैव भारत ॥

tamasā narmadā caiva nadī godāvarī tathā | veṇṇā praveṇī bhīmā ca marudā caiva bhārata

the Tamasa, the Narmada, the river Godavari, the Venna, the Praveni, the Bhima and the Maruda, O Bharata;

Verse 25 (3.224.25)

भारती सुप्रयोगा च कावेरी मज्जुरा तथा । तुङ्गवेणा कृष्णवेणा कपिला शोण एव च ॥

bhāratī suprayogā ca kāverī majjurā tathā | tuṅgaveṇā kṛṣṇaveṇā kapilā śoṇa eva ca

the Bharati, the Suprayoga, the Kaveri, the Majjura, the Tungavena, the Krishnavena, the Kapila and the Shona:

Note on the text: This verse is CE 3.212.24ab–cd, with different river names (murmurā for मज्जुरा; kṛṣṇā ca kṛṣṇaveṇṇā ca for तुङ्गवेणा कृष्णवेणा); Wikisource's names are kept.

Verse 26 (3.224.26)

एता नद्यस्तु धिष्ण्यानां मातरो याः प्रकीर्तिताः ॥

etā nadyastu dhiṣṇyānāṃ mātaro yāḥ prakīrtitāḥ

these rivers are declared to be the mothers of the Dhishnya fires.

Note on the text: This one-line verse is CE 3.212.24ef.

Verse 27 (3.224.27)

अद्भुतस्य प्रिया भार्या तस्याः पुत्रो विडूरथः । यावन्तः पावकाः प्रोक्ताः सोमास्तावन्त एव तु ॥

adbhutasya priyā bhāryā tasyāḥ putro viḍūrathaḥ | yāvantaḥ pāvakāḥ proktāḥ somāstāvanta eva tu

The beloved wife of Adbhuta bore a son, Viduratha. As many fires as have been named, so many are the Somas.

Verse 28 (3.224.28)

अत्रेश्चाप्यन्वये जाता ब्रह्मणो मानसाः प्रजाः । अग्निः पुत्रान्स्रष्टुकामस्तानेवात्मन्यधारयत् ॥

atreścāpyanvaye jātā brahmaṇo mānasāḥ prajāḥ | agniḥ putrānsraṣṭukāmastānevātmanyadhārayat

In the line of Atri were born the mind-born offspring of Brahma; the fire, wishing to create sons, held them within himself.

Note on the text: This verse is CE 3.212.26ab–cd (Wikisource reads अग्निः where the critical edition has atriḥ; kept).

Verse 29 (3.224.29)

तस्य तद्ब्रह्मणः कायान्निर्हरन्ति हुताशनाः । एवमेते महात्मानः कीर्तितास्तेऽग्नयो यथा ॥

tasya tadbrahmaṇaḥ kāyānnirharanti hutāśanāḥ | evamete mahātmānaḥ kīrtitāste'gnayo yathā

From that body of Brahma the fires draw them forth. Thus have these great-souled fires been described to you, as they are:

Note on the text: This verse is CE 3.212.26ef and 27ab (Wikisource divides the lines differently and reads यथा for mayā).

Verse 30 (3.224.30)

अप्रमेया यथोत्पन्नाः श्रीमन्तस्तिमिरापहाः । अद्भुतस्य तु माहात्म्यं यथा वेदेषु कीर्तितम् ॥

aprameyā yathotpannāḥ śrīmantastimirāpahāḥ | adbhutasya tu māhātmyaṃ yathā vedeṣu kīrtitam

immeasurable, glorious, dispellers of darkness, and how they arose. As the greatness of Adbhuta is proclaimed in the Vedas,

Note on the text: This verse is CE 3.212.27cd and 28ab (Wikisource divides the lines differently). Corrected अद्भुतस्त → अद्भुतस्य (misprint in Wikisource; critical edition adbhutasya).

Verse 31 (3.224.31)

तादृशं विद्धि सर्वेषामेको ह्येषु हुताशनः । एक एवैष भगवान्विज्ञेयः प्रथमोऽङ्गिराः ॥

tādṛśaṃ viddhi sarveṣāmeko hyeṣu hutāśanaḥ | eka evaiṣa bhagavānvijñeyaḥ prathamo'ṅgirāḥ

know that the same holds for them all, for among these there is but one fire. This blessed one is to be known as one alone, the first, Angiras,

Note on the text: This verse is CE 3.212.28cd and 29ab (Wikisource divides the lines differently and reads ह्येषु for hy eṣa).

Verse 32 (3.224.32)

बहुधा निःसृतः कायाज्ज्योतिष्टोमः क्रतुर्यथा । इत्येष वंशः सुमहानग्नीनां कीर्तितो मया । पावको विविधैर्मन्त्रैर्हव्यं वहति देहिनाम् ॥

bahudhā niḥsṛtaḥ kāyājjyotiṣṭomaḥ kraturyathā | ityeṣa vaṃśaḥ sumahānagnīnāṃ kīrtito mayā | pāvako vividhairmantrairhavyaṃ vahati dehinām

who has issued from his own body in many forms, as the Jyotishtoma rite does. Thus have I recounted to you this great lineage of the fires. The fire, invoked with mantras of many kinds, carries the oblation of embodied beings.

Note on the text: This verse is CE 3.212.29cd and 30 (Wikisource divides the lines differently and reads पावको for pāvito). Corrected क्रतुर्वथा → क्रतुर्यथा (misprint in Wikisource; "as", critical edition kratur yathā).