THE MAHABHARTA ADI PARVASECTION VII
(Pauloma
Parva continued)
"Sauti said, 'the god of fire enraged at the curse
of Bhrigu, thus addressed the Rishi, 'What meaneth this rashness, O Brahmana,
that thou hast displayed towards me? What transgression can be imputed to me
who was labouring to do justice and speak the truth impartially? Being asked I
gave the true answer. A witness who when interrogated about a fact of which he
hath knowledge, representeth otherwise than it is, ruineth his ancestors and
descendants both to the seventh generation. He, too, who, being fully cognisant
of all the particulars of an affair, doth not disclose what he knoweth, when
asked, is undoubtedly stained with guilt. I can also curse thee, but Brahmanas
are held by me in high respect. Although these are known to thee, O Brahmana, I
will yet speak of them, so please attend! Having, by ascetic power, multiplied
myself, I am present in various forms, in places of the daily homa, at
sacrifices extending for years, in places where holy rites are performed (such
as marriage, etc.), and at other sacrifices. With the butter that is poured
upon my flame according to the injunctions prescribed in the Vedas, the Devas
and the Pitris are appeased. The Devas are the waters; the Pitris are also the
waters. The Devas have with the Pitris an equal right to the sacrifices called
Darshas and Purnamasas. The Devas therefore are the Pitris and the Pitris, the
Devas. They are identical beings, worshipped together and also separately at
the changes of the moon. The Devas and the Pitris eat what is poured upon me. I
am therefore called the mouth of the Devas and the Pitris. At the new moon the
Pitris, and at the full moon the Devas, are fed through my mouth, eating of the
clarified butter that is poured on me. Being, as I am, their mouth, how am I to
be an eater of all things (clean and unclean)?
"Then Agni, alter reflecting for a while, withdrew
himself from all places; from places of the daily homa of the Brahmanas, from
all long-extending sacrifices, from places of holy rites, and from other
ceremonies. Without their Oms and Vashats, and deprived of their Swadhas and
Swahas (sacrificial mantras during offerings), the whole body of creatures
became much distressed at the loss of their (sacrificial) fire. The Rishis in
great anxiety went to the gods and addressed them thus, 'Ye immaculate beings!
The three regions of the universe are confounded at the cessation of their
sacrifices and ceremonies in consequence of the loss of fire! Ordain what is to
be done in tins matter, so that there may be no loss of time.' Then the Rishis
and the gods went together to the presence of Brahma. And they represented to
him all about the curse on Agni and the consequent interruption of all
ceremonies. And they said, 'O thou greatly fortunate! Once Agni hath been
cursed by Bhrigu for some reason. Indeed, being the mouth of the gods and also
the first who eateth of what is offered in sacrifices, the eater also of the
sacrificial butter, how will Agni be reduced to the condition of one who eateth
of all things promiscuously?' And the creator of the universe hearing these
words of theirs summoned Agni to his presence. And Brahma addressed Agni, the
creator of all and eternal as himself, in these gentle words, 'Thou art the
creator of the worlds and thou art their destroyer! Thou preserves! the three
worlds and thou art the promoter of all sacrifices and ceremonies! Therefore
behave thyself so that ceremonies be not interrupted. And, O thou eater of the
sacrificial butter, why dost thou act so foolishly, being, as thou art, the
Lord of all? Thou alone art always pure in the universe and thou art its stay!
Thou shall not, with all thy body, be reduced to the state of one who eateth of
all things promiscuously. O thou of flames, the flame that is in thy viler
parts shall alone eat of all things alike. The body of thine which eateth of
flesh (being in the stomach of all carnivorous animals) shall also eat of all
things promiscuously. And as everything touched by the sun's rays becometh
pure, so shall everything be pure that shall be burnt by thy flames. Thou art,
O fire, the supreme energy born of thy own power. Then, O Lord, by that power
of thine make the Rishi's curse come true. Continue to 'receive thy own portion
and that of the gods, offered at thy mouth.'
'Sauti continued, 'Then Agni replied to the Grandfather,
'So be it.' And he then went away to obey the command of the supreme Lord. The
gods and the Rishis also returned in delight to the place whence they had come.
And the Rishis began to perform as before their ceremonies and sacrifices. And
the gods in heaven and all creatures of the world rejoiced exceedingly. And
Agni too rejoiced in that he was free from the prospect of sin.
"Thus, O possessor of the six attributes, had Agni
been cursed in the days of yore by Bhrigu. And such is the ancient history connected
with the destruction of the Rakshasa, Pauloma and the birth of Chyavana.'"
Thus endeth the seventh section of the Pauloma Parva of
the Adi Parva of the blessed Mahabharata.
"Sauti said, 'the god of fire enraged at the curse
of Bhrigu, thus addressed the Rishi, 'What meaneth this rashness, O Brahmana,
that thou hast displayed towards me? What transgression can be imputed to me
who was labouring to do justice and speak the truth impartially? Being asked I
gave the true answer. A witness who when interrogated about a fact of which he
hath knowledge, representeth otherwise than it is, ruineth his ancestors and
descendants both to the seventh generation. He, too, who, being fully cognisant
of all the particulars of an affair, doth not disclose what he knoweth, when
asked, is undoubtedly stained with guilt. I can also curse thee, but Brahmanas
are held by me in high respect. Although these are known to thee, O Brahmana, I
will yet speak of them, so please attend! Having, by ascetic power, multiplied
myself, I am present in various forms, in places of the daily homa, at
sacrifices extending for years, in places where holy rites are performed (such
as marriage, etc.), and at other sacrifices. With the butter that is poured
upon my flame according to the injunctions prescribed in the Vedas, the Devas
and the Pitris are appeased. The Devas are the waters; the Pitris are also the
waters. The Devas have with the Pitris an equal right to the sacrifices called
Darshas and Purnamasas. The Devas therefore are the Pitris and the Pitris, the
Devas. They are identical beings, worshipped together and also separately at
the changes of the moon. The Devas and the Pitris eat what is poured upon me. I
am therefore called the mouth of the Devas and the Pitris. At the new moon the
Pitris, and at the full moon the Devas, are fed through my mouth, eating of the
clarified butter that is poured on me. Being, as I am, their mouth, how am I to
be an eater of all things (clean and unclean)?
"Then Agni, alter reflecting for a while, withdrew
himself from all places; from places of the daily homa of the Brahmanas, from
all long-extending sacrifices, from places of holy rites, and from other
ceremonies. Without their Oms and Vashats, and deprived of their Swadhas and
Swahas (sacrificial mantras during offerings), the whole body of creatures
became much distressed at the loss of their (sacrificial) fire. The Rishis in
great anxiety went to the gods and addressed them thus, 'Ye immaculate beings!
The three regions of the universe are confounded at the cessation of their
sacrifices and ceremonies in consequence of the loss of fire! Ordain what is to
be done in tins matter, so that there may be no loss of time.' Then the Rishis
and the gods went together to the presence of Brahma. And they represented to
him all about the curse on Agni and the consequent interruption of all
ceremonies. And they said, 'O thou greatly fortunate! Once Agni hath been
cursed by Bhrigu for some reason. Indeed, being the mouth of the gods and also
the first who eateth of what is offered in sacrifices, the eater also of the
sacrificial butter, how will Agni be reduced to the condition of one who eateth
of all things promiscuously?' And the creator of the universe hearing these
words of theirs summoned Agni to his presence. And Brahma addressed Agni, the
creator of all and eternal as himself, in these gentle words, 'Thou art the
creator of the worlds and thou art their destroyer! Thou preserves! the three
worlds and thou art the promoter of all sacrifices and ceremonies! Therefore
behave thyself so that ceremonies be not interrupted. And, O thou eater of the
sacrificial butter, why dost thou act so foolishly, being, as thou art, the
Lord of all? Thou alone art always pure in the universe and thou art its stay!
Thou shall not, with all thy body, be reduced to the state of one who eateth of
all things promiscuously. O thou of flames, the flame that is in thy viler
parts shall alone eat of all things alike. The body of thine which eateth of
flesh (being in the stomach of all carnivorous animals) shall also eat of all
things promiscuously. And as everything touched by the sun's rays becometh
pure, so shall everything be pure that shall be burnt by thy flames. Thou art,
O fire, the supreme energy born of thy own power. Then, O Lord, by that power
of thine make the Rishi's curse come true. Continue to 'receive thy own portion
and that of the gods, offered at thy mouth.'
'Sauti continued, 'Then Agni replied to the Grandfather,
'So be it.' And he then went away to obey the command of the supreme Lord. The
gods and the Rishis also returned in delight to the place whence they had come.
And the Rishis began to perform as before their ceremonies and sacrifices. And
the gods in heaven and all creatures of the world rejoiced exceedingly. And
Agni too rejoiced in that he was free from the prospect of sin.
"Thus, O possessor of the six attributes, had Agni
been cursed in the days of yore by Bhrigu. And such is the ancient history connected
with the destruction of the Rakshasa, Pauloma and the birth of Chyavana.'"
Thus endeth the seventh section of the Pauloma Parva of
the Adi Parva of the blessed Mahabharata.
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