Critical Edition
वैशंपायन उवाच श्रुत्वेमां धर्मसंयुक्तां धर्मराजः कथां शुभाम् पुनः पप्रच्छ तमृषिं मार्कण्डेयं तपस्विनम्
M. N. Dutt: Vaishampayana said : Having heard this excellent discourse on religion, Dharmaraja (Yudhishthira) again
युधिष्ठिर उवाच कथमग्निर्वनं यातः कथं चाप्यङ्गिराः पुरा नष्टेऽग्नौ हव्यमवहदग्निर्भूत्वा महानृषिः
M. N. Dutt: Yudhishthira said: Why did in the days of yore, Agni hide himself in water and why did the greatly effulgent Angirasa convey the oblations by becoming Agni, when Agni had disappeared?
अग्निर्यदा त्वेक एव बहुत्वं चास्य कर्मसु दृश्यते भगवन्सर्वमेतदिच्छामि वेदितुम्
M. N. Dutt: O exalted one, there is but one fire, but it is seen, according to the nature of its actions as many. I desire to hear all this.
कुमारश्च यथोत्पन्नो यथा चाग्नेः सुतोऽभवत् यथा रुद्राच्च संभूतो गङ्गायां कृत्तिकासु च
M. N. Dutt: How Kumara (Kartikeya) was born, how he came to be known as the son of Agni and how he was begotten by Rudra (Shiva) on Ganga and Krittika?
एतदिच्छाम्यहं त्वत्तः श्रोतुं भार्गवनन्दन कौतूहलसमाविष्टो यथातथ्यं महामुने
M. N. Dutt: O best of the Bhrigu race, O great Rishi, I desire to hear all this in detail. I am filled with great curiosity.
Supplementary Passages:
3.207.5 After 5, B2 Dc Dn3 ins.: *1047 वक्तुमर्हसि मे ब्रह्मन्नितिहासमिमं शुभम्
मार्कण्डेय उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् यथा क्रुद्धो हुतवहस्तपस्तप्तुं वनं गतः
M. N. Dutt: Markandeya said : This is the old history cited as an instance, in which (is related) why Agni in wrath went to the forest to perform asceticismi.
यथा च भगवानग्निः स्वयमेवाङ्गिराभवत् संतापयन्स्वप्रभया नाशयंस्तिमिराणि च
M. N. Dutt: And why the exalted, Angirasa, transforming himself into Agni, destroyed all the darkness and distress (the world) by his splendour.
Supplementary Passages:
3.207.7 After 7, N (except B2.3) G3 ins.: *1048 पुराङ्गिरा महाबाहो चचार तप उत्तमम्
आश्रमस्थो महाभागो हव्यवाहं विशेषयन् तथा स भूत्वा तु तदा जगत्सर्वं प्रकाशयन्
M. N. Dutt: O mighty-armed hero, in the days of yore Angiras performed severe asceticism in his herinitage. That highly exalted one even excelled Agni. Becoming such he illuminated the whole universe.
तपश्चरंश्च हुतभुक्संतप्तस्तस्य तेजसा भृशं ग्लानश्च तेजस्वी न स किंचित्प्रजज्ञिवान्
M. N. Dutt: Agni was then performing asceticism and he became greatly aggrieved with that effulgence. That greatly powerful deity was greatly sorry, but he did not know what to do.
अथ संचिन्तयामास भगवान्हव्यवाहनः अन्योऽग्निरिह लोकानां ब्रह्मणा संप्रवर्तितः अग्नित्वं विप्रनष्टं हि तप्यमानस्य मे तपः
M. N. Dutt: The exalted one thus reflected, “Another Agni was created by Brahma.
कथमग्निः पुनरहं भवेयमिति चिन्त्य सः अपश्यदग्निवल्लोकांस्तापयन्तं महामुनिम्
AI Translation: "And he thought, ""How can I become fire again?"" He saw the great sage who was tormenting the world like fire.
सोपासर्पच्छनैर्भीतस्तमुवाच तदाङ्गिराः शीघ्रमेव भवस्वाग्निस्त्वं पुनर्लोकभावनः विज्ञातश्चासि लोकेषु त्रिषु संस्थानचारिषु
M. N. Dutt: "Soon become Agni, the protector of the world, you are celebrated over the three stable worlds.
त्वमग्ने प्रथमः सृष्टो ब्रह्मणा तिमिरापहः स्वस्थानं प्रतिपद्यस्व शीघ्रमेव तमोनुद
M. N. Dutt: You Agni was first created by Brahma to dispel darkness. O destroyer of darkness, do you quickly occupy your own place."
अग्निरुवाच नष्टकीर्तिरहं लोके भवाञ्जातो हुताशनः भवन्तमेव ज्ञास्यन्ति पावकं न तु मां जनाः
M. N. Dutt: Agni said : My reputation has been destroyed in this world, you have become the fire, people will know you as Agni and not me.
निक्षिपाम्यहमग्नित्वं त्वमग्निः प्रथमो भव भविष्यामि द्वितीयोऽहं प्राजापत्यक एव च
M. N. Dutt: I have relinquished my god-hood of fire, do you become primeval fire. I shall act as the second Prajapatya fire.
अङ्गिरा उवाच कुरु पुण्यं प्रजास्वर्ग्यं भवाग्निस्तिमिरापहः मां च देव कुरुष्वाग्ने प्रथमं पुत्रमञ्जसा
M. N. Dutt: Angiras said: O deity of fire, do you become the fire-god and the destroyer of darkness. Do you attend to your sacred duty of clearing people's way to heaven. O god, make me your first child.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच तच्छ्रुत्वाङ्गिरसो वाक्यं जातवेदास्तथाकरोत् राजन्बृहस्पतिर्नाम तस्याप्यङ्गिरसः सुतः
M. N. Dutt: Markandeya said : O king, having heard the words of Angiras, Agni did as desired; Angiras had a son, named Brihaspati.
ज्ञात्वा प्रथमजं तं तु वह्नेराङ्गिरसं सुतम् उपेत्य देवाः पप्रच्छुः कारणं तत्र भारत
M. N. Dutt: O descendant of Bharata, knowing him to be the first son of Angiras by Agni, the celestials came and enquired about the mystery.
स तु पृष्टस्तदा देवैस्ततः कारणमब्रवीत् प्रत्यगृह्णंस्तु देवाश्च तद्वचोऽङ्गिरसस्तदा
M. N. Dutt: Having been thus addressed by the celestials, he told them the reason; and the celestials accepted the explanation of Angiras.
अत्र नानाविधानग्नीन्प्रवक्ष्यामि महाप्रभान् कर्मभिर्बहुभिः ख्यातान्नानात्वं ब्राह्मणेष्विह
M. N. Dutt: I shall (now) describe to you various sorts of fire of great effulgence which are known to the Brahmanas by their respective names.