भूतेष्वभावं संचिन्त्य ये तु बुद्धेः परं गताः। न शोचन्ति कृतप्रज्ञाः पश्यन्तः परमां गतिम्
But those who have attained the highest understanding, contemplating the impermanence of beings, do not grieve, for their wisdom perceives the supreme goal.
न शोचामि रमे विद्वन्कालाकाङ्क्षी स्थितोस्म्यहम्। एतैर्निदर्शनैर्ब्रह्मन्नावसीदामि सत्तम
O wise one, I do not grieve; I remain awaiting the right time. By these examples, O Brahman, I do not lose heart, best of the good.
कृतप्रज्ञोसि मेधावी बुद्धिश्च विपुला तव। पापान्निवृत्तोसि सदा ज्ञानवृद्धोसि धर्मवित्
You are wise, intelligent, and your understanding is vast; you always refrain from evil, you are mature in knowledge, and you know righteousness.
आपृच्छे त्वां स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु धर्मस्त्वां परिरक्षतु। अप्रमादस्तु कर्तव्यो धर्मे धर्मभृतांवर
I take leave of you; may well-being be yours. May righteousness protect you, and may you, foremost upholder of righteousness, always act with vigilance in dharma.
बाढमित्येव तं व्याधः कृताञ्जलिरुवाच ह। प्रदक्षिणमथो कृत्वा प्रस्थितो द्विजसत्तमः
The hunter, with joined palms, replied, 'So be it.' Then, having circumambulated him, the best of the twice-born set out.
स तु गत्वाद्विजः सर्वां शुश्रूषां कृतवांस्तदा। मातापितृभ्यामन्धाभ्यां यथान्यायं सुसंशितः
Having gone, the Brahmin then performed all service, thoroughly and properly, for his blind mother and father.
एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं निखिलेन युधिष्ठिर। पृष्टवानसि यं तात धर्मं धर्मभृतांवर
Thus, O Yudhishthira, I have told you everything in detail about the dharma you inquired about, best among upholders of dharma.
पतिव्रताया माहात्म्यं ब्राह्मणस्य च सत्तम। मातापित्रोश्च शुश्रूषा धर्मव्याधेन कीर्तिता
The greatness of a devoted wife, the excellence of the Brahmin, and the service to mother and father have been praised by the righteous hunter.
अत्यद्भुतमिदं ब्रह्मन्धर्माख्यानमनुत्तमम्। सर्वधर्मविदांश्रेष्ठ कथितं मुनिसत्तम
This account of righteousness, O Brahman, is truly wonderful and supreme, narrated by you, best among those who know all dharma.
सुखश्राव्यतया विद्वन्मुहूर्त इव मे गतः। न हि तृप्तोस्मि भगवञ्शृण्वानो धर्ममुत्तमम्
Because it was so pleasant to hear, O wise one, the time passed as if in a moment; indeed, O venerable one, I am not satisfied, hearing this supreme dharma.
श्रुत्वेमां धर्मसंयुक्तां धर्मराजः कथां शुभाम्। पुनः पप्रच्छ तमृषिं मार्कण्डेयमिदं तदा
Having heard this auspicious story filled with righteousness, King Yudhishthira again asked the sage Markandeya this:
कथमग्निर्वनं यातः कथं चाप्यङ्गिराः पुरा। नष्टेऽग्नौ हव्यमहवदग्निर्भूत्वा महाद्युतिः
How did Agni go to the forest, and how did Angiras do so in ancient times? When the fire was lost, how did Agni, of great brilliance, become the sacrificial fire?
अग्निर्यदा चैक एव बहुत्वं चास्य कर्मसु। दृश्यते भगवन्सर्वमेतदिच्छामि वेदितुम्
O venerable one, when Agni is one, how does he become many in his functions? I wish to know all this.
कुमारश्च यथोत्पन्नो यथा चाग्नेः सुतोऽभवत्। यथा रुद्राच्च संभूतो गङ्गायां कृत्तिकासु च
How was the boy born, and how did he become the son of Agni? How was he produced from Rudra, from Ganga, and from the Krittikas?
एतदिच्छाम्यहं त्वत्तः श्रोतुं भार्गवसत्तम। कौतूहलसमाविष्टो याथातथ्यं महामुने
O best of the Bhargavas, I wish to hear all this from you, O great sage, exactly as it happened, for I am filled with curiosity.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। यथा क्रुद्धो हुतवहस्तपस्तप्तुं वनं गतः
Here too, they recite an ancient legend: how, being angry, the fire-god went to the forest to perform austerities.
यथा च भगवानग्निः स्वयमेवाङ्गेराऽभवत्। संतापयंश्च प्रभया नाशयंस्तिमिरावलिम्
Just as the venerable Agni arose by himself from Angiras, burning with his radiance and dispelling the mass of darkness,
पुराङ्गिरा महाबाहो चचार तप उत्तमम्। आश्रमस्थो महाभागो हव्यवाहं विशेषयन्। यथाग्निर्भूत्वा तु तदा जगत्सर्वं व्यकाशयत्
Long ago, O mighty-armed one, Angiras performed supreme austerity, dwelling in his hermitage, the illustrious one distinguishing the fire-offerer; then, having become Agni, he illuminated the entire world.
तपश्चरंस्तु हुतभुक्संतप्तस्तस्य तेजसा। भृशं ग्लानश्चतेजस्वी न च किंचित्प्रजज्ञिवान्
While the fire-god was engaged in austerity, scorched by his own energy, he became greatly weakened, his brilliance diminished, and he was no longer aware of anything.
अथ संचिन्तयामास भगवान्हव्यवाहनः। अन्योऽग्निरिव लोकानां ब्रह्मणा संप्रकल्पितः
Then the venerable fire-offerer began to reflect: 'Another fire, it seems, has been established by Brahma for the worlds.'
अग्नित्वं विप्रनष्टं हि तप्यमानस् मे तपः। कथमग्निः पुनरहं भवेयमिति चिन्त्य सः
'My status as Agni has been lost, for my austerity has consumed me; how might I become Agni again?'—thus he pondered.
अपश्यदग्निवल्लोकांस्तापयन्तं महामुनिम्। सोपासर्पच्छनैर्भीतस्तमुवाच तदाङ्गिराः
He saw the worlds, like fire, tormenting the great sage; approaching him quietly and in fear, he was then addressed by Angiras.
शीघ्रमेव भवस्वाग्निस्त्वं पुनर्लोकभावनः। विज्ञातश्चासि लोकेषु त्रिषु संस्थानचारिषु
'Quickly become Agni again, the nourisher of the worlds; you are known among the three realms that move through the stations.'
त्वमग्ने प्रथमः सृष्टो ब्र्हमणा तिमिरापर्हः। स्वस्थानं प्रतिपद्यस्व शीघ्रमेव तमो नुद
'You, Agni, were first created by Brahma, destroyer of darkness; return swiftly to your own place and drive away the darkness.'
नष्टकीर्तिरहं लोके भवाञ्जातो हुताशनः। भवन्तमेव ज्ञास्यन्ति पावकं न तु मां जनाः
'I have lost my fame in the world, while you have arisen as the fire-consumer; people will know you as Pāvaka, not me.'
निक्षिपम्यहमग्नित्वं त्वमग्निः प्रथमो भव। भविष्यामि द्वितीयोऽहं प्राजापत्यक एव च
'I relinquish my status as Agni; you become the first Agni. I shall be the second, belonging to the progeny of Prajapati.'
कुरु पुण्यं प्रजास्वर्ग्यं भवाग्निस्तिमिरापहः। मां च देव कुरुष्वाग्ने प्रथमं पुत्रमञ्जसा
'Perform meritorious acts for the people, leading them to heaven; be Agni, the dispeller of darkness. And, O god Agni, make me your first son without delay.'
तच्छ्रुत्वाङ्गिरसो वाक्यं जातवेदास्तथाऽकरोत्। राजन्वृहस्पतिर्नाम तस्याप्यङ्गिरसः सुतः
Hearing Angiras's words, Jātavedas did accordingly; O king, and Bṛhaspati was the name of Angiras's son.
ज्ञात्वा प्रथमजं तं तु वह्नेरङ्गिरसं सुतम्। उपेत्य देवाः पप्रच्छुः कारणं तत्र भारत
Recognizing Angiras, the firstborn son of the fire-god, the gods approached and questioned him about the reason, O Bhārata.
स तु पृष्टस्तदा देवैस्तत कारणमब्रवीत्। प्रत्यगृह्णन्त देवाश्च तद्वचोऽङ्गिरसस्तदा
When questioned by the gods, he explained the reason; and the gods then accepted the words of Angiras.