SECTION CCXVIII
"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.[65] (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.[66] He is the originator of the great
word[67] and is therefore known as the Samaswasa or the means of rest
(salvation).'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 3 : UPA-PARVA 218 ---------------------
