Markandeya continued, “Mudita, the favourite wife of the fire Swaha, used
to live in water. And Swaha who was the regent of the earth and sky beget
in that wife of his a highly sacred fire called Advanta. There is a
tradition amongst learned Brahmanas that this fire is the ruler and inner
soul of all creatures. He is worshipful, resplendent and the lord of all
the great Bhutas here. And that fire, under the name of Grihapati, is
ever worshipped at all sacrifices and conveys all the oblations that are
made in this world. That great son of Swaha--the great Adbhuta fire is
the soul of the waters and the prince and regent of the sky and the lord
of everything great. His (son), the Bharata fire, consumes the dead
bodies of all creatures. His first Kratu is known as Niyata at the
performance of the Agnishtoma sacrifice. That powerful prime fire (Swaha)
is always missed by the gods, because when he sees Niyata approaching him
he hides himself in the sea from fear of contamination. Searching for him
in every direction, the gods could not (once) find him out and on
beholding Atharvan the fire said to him, ‘O valiant being, do thou carry
the oblations for the gods! I am disabled from want of strength.
Attaining the state of the red-eyed fire, do thou condescend to do me
this favour!’ Having thus advised Atharvan, the fire went away to some
other place. But his place of concealment was divulged by the finny
tribe. Upon them the fire pronounced this curse in anger, ‘You shall be
the food of all creatures in various ways.’ And then that carrier of
oblations spoke unto Atharvan (as before). Though entreated by the gods,
he did not agree to continue carrying their oblations. He then became
insensible and instantly gave up the ghost. And leaving his material
body, he entered into the bowels of the earth. Coming into contact with
the earth, he created the different metals. Force and scent arose from
his pus; the Deodar pine from his bones; glass from his phlegm; the
Marakata jewel from his bile; and the black iron from his liver. And all
the world has been embellished with these three substances (wood, stone
and iron). The clouds were made from his nails, and corals from his
veins. And, O king, various other metals were produced from his body.
Thus leaving his material body, he remained absorbed in (spiritual)
meditation. He was roused by the penance of Bhrigu and Angiras. The
powerful fire thus gratified with penance, blazed forth intensely. But on
beholding the Rishi (Atharvan), he again sought his watery refuse. At
this extinction of the fire, the whole world was frightened, and sought
the protection of Atharvan, and the gods and others began to worship him.
Atharvan rummaged the whole sea in the presence of all those beings eager
with expectation, and finding out the fire, himself began the work of
creation. Thus in olden times the fire was destroyed and called back to
life by the adorable Atharvan. But now he invariably carries the
oblations of all creatures. Living in the sea and travelling about
various countries, he produced the various fires mentioned in the Vedas.
The river Indus, the five rivers (of the Punjab), the Sone, the Devika,
the Saraswati, the Ganga, the Satakumbha, the Sarayu, the Gandaki, the
Charmanwati, the Mahi, the Medha, the Medhatithi, the three rivers
Tamravati, the Vetravati, and the Kausiki; the Tamasa, the Narmada, the
Godavari, the Vena, the Upavena, the Bhima, the Vadawa, the Bharati, the
Suprayoga, the Kaveri, the Murmura, the Tungavenna, the Krishnavenna and
the Kapila, these rivers, O Bharata, are said to be the mothers of the
fires! The fire called Adbhuta had a wife of the name of Priya, and Vibhu
was the eldest of his sons by her. There are as many different kinds of
Soma sacrifices as the number of fires mentioned before. All this race of
fires, first-born of the spirit of Brahma, sprang also from the race of
Atri. Atri in his own mind conceived these sons, desirous of extending
the creation. By this act, the fires came out of his own Brahmic frame. I
have thus narrated to thee the history of the origin of these fires. They
are great, resplendent, and unrivalled in power, and they are the
destroyers of darkness. Know that the powers of those fires are the same
as those of the Adbhuta fire as related in the Vedas. For all these fires
are one and same. This adorable being, the first born fire, must be
considered as one. For like the Jyotishtoma sacrifice he came out of
Angiras body in various forms. I have thus described to thee the history
of the great race of Agni (fires) who when duly worshipped with the
various hymns, carry the oblations of all creatures to the gods.