SECTION –CCXVIII
(Markandeya-Samasya Parva Continued)
"Markandeya continued, 'Vrishaspati had a
wife (called Tara) belonging to the lunar world. By her, he had six sons
partaking of the energy of fire, and one daughter. The fire in whose honour
oblations of clarified butter are offered at the Paurnamasya and other
sacrifices, was a son of Vrishaspati called Sanju; he was of great ascetic
merit. At the Chaturmasya (four-monthly) and Aswamedha (horse) sacrifices,
animals are offered first in his honour, and this powerful fire is indicated by
numerous flames. Sanju's wife was called Satya, she was of matchless beauty and
she sprang from Dharma (righteousness) for the sake of truth. The blazing fire
was his son, and he had three daughters of great religious merit. The fire
which is honoured with the first oblations at sacrifices is his first son called
Bharadwaja. The second son of Sanju is called Bharata in whose honour oblations
of clarified butter are offered with the sacrificial ladle (called Sruk) at all
the full moon (Paurnamasaya) sacrifices. Beside these, three sons of whom
Bharata is the senior, he had a son named Bharata and a daughter called
Bharati. The Bharata fire is the son of Prajapati Bharata Agni (fire). And, O
ornament of Bharata's race, because he is greatly honoured, he is also called
the great. Vira is Bharadwaja's wife; she gave birth to Vira. It is said by the
Brahmanas that he is worshipped like Soma (with the same hymns) with offerings
of clarified butter. He is joined with Soma in the secondary oblation of
clarified butter and is also called Rathaprabhu, Rathadhwana and Kumbhareta. He
begot a son named Siddhi by his wife Sarayu, and enveloped the sun with his
splendour and from being the presiding genius of the fire sacrifice he is ever
mentioned in the hymns in praise of fire. And the fire Nischyavana praises the
earth only; he never suffers in reputation, splendour and prosperity. The
sinless fire Satya blazing with pure flame is his son. He is free from all
taint and is not defiled by sin, and is the regulator of time. That fire has
another name Nishkriti, because he accomplished the Nishkriti (relief) of all
blatant creatures here. When properly worshipped he vouchsafes good fortune.
His son is called Swana, who is the generator of all diseases; he inflicts
severe sufferings on people for which they cry aloud, and moves in the intelligence
of the whole universe. And the other fire (Vrihaspati's third son) is called
Viswajit by men of spiritual wisdom. The fire, which is known as the internal
heat by which the food of all creatures is digested, is the fourth son of
Vrihaspati known through all the worlds, O Bharata, by the name of Viswabhuk.
He is self-restrained, of great religious merit, and is a Brahmacharin and he
is worshipped by Brahmanas at the Paka-sacrifices. The sacred river Gomati was
his wife and by her all religious-minded men perform their rites. And that
terrible water-drinking sea fire called Vadava is the fifth son of Vrihaspati.
This Brahmic fire has a tendency to move upwards and hence it is called
Urdhvabhag, and is seated in the vital air called Prana. The sixth son is
called the great Swishtakrit; for by him oblations became swishta (su,
excellently, and ishta, offered) and the udagdhara oblation is always made in
his honour. And when all creatures are claimed, the fire called Manyauti
becomes filled with fury. This inexorably terrible and highly irascible fire is
the daughter of Vrihaspati, and is known as Swaha and is present in all matter.
(By the respective influence of the three qualities of sattwa, rajas and tamas,
Swaha had three sons). By reason of the first she had a son who was equalled by
none in heaven in personal beauty, and from this fact he was surnamed by the
gods as the Kama-fire. 1 (By reason of the second) she had a son called the
Amogha or invincible fire, the destroyer of his enemies in battle. Assured of
success he curbs his anger and is armed with a bow and seated on a chariot and
adorned with wreaths of flowers. (From the action of the third quality) she had
a son, the great Uktha (the means of salvation) praised by (akin to) three Ukthas.
2 He is the originator of the great word 3 and is therefore known as the
Samaswasa or the means of rest (salvation).'"
Footnotes
448:1 Kama is the name of the god of love, Indian
Cupid.
448:2 The body, the exciting Cause of our actions
is an uktha, the soul of the vivifier of the body is the second uktha, and the
Supreme Spirit, the inciter of the soul is the third.
448:3 The word of God.
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