भृग्वङ्गिरादिभिर्भूयस्तपसोत्थापितस्तदा। भृशं जज्वाल तेजस्वी तपसाऽऽप्याधितः शिखी
Then, roused by the austerities of Bhṛgu, Aṅgiras, and others, he blazed forth intensely, radiant and kindled by penance, with flames.
दृष्ट्वा ऋषीनभयाच्चापि प्रविवेश महार्णवम्। तस्मिन्नष्टे जगद्भीतमथर्वाणमथाश्रितम्। अर्चयामासुरेवैनमथर्वाणं सुरादयः
Seeing the sages and out of fear, he entered the great ocean; when he was lost, the world was afraid, and the gods, led by Atharvan, worshipped him.
अथर्वाणं श्रिताँल्लोकानात्मन्यालोच्य पावकः। मिषतां सर्वभूतानामुन्ममज्ज महार्णवात्
Pāvaka, reflecting on the worlds that had taken refuge in Atharvan, rose up from the great ocean before the eyes of all beings.
एवमग्निर्भगवता नष्टः पूर्वमथर्वणा। आहूतः सर्वूतानां हव्यं वहति सर्वदा
Thus, Agni, who had formerly vanished through Atharvan, now, when invoked by all beings, always carries the offering.
एवं त्वजनयद्धिष्ण्यान्वेदोक्तान्विबुधान्बहून्। विचरन्विविधान्देशान्भ्रममाणस्तु तत्र वै
In this way, he generated many hearth-fires as declared in the Vedas, wandering through various regions, ever moving there.
सिन्धुवर्ज्याः पञ्च नद्यो देविकाऽथ सरस्वती। गङ्गा च शतकुम्भा च सरयू गण्डसाह्वया
Except for the Sindhu, five rivers are named: Devikā, Sarasvatī, Gaṅgā, Śatakumbhā, and Sarayū called Gaṇḍasāhvayā.
चर्मण्वती मही चैव मेध्या मेधासृतिस्तदा। इरावती वेत्रवती नद्यतिस्रोऽथ कौशिकी
The rivers Carmaṇvatī, Mahī, Medhyā, Medhāsṛti, Irāvatī, and Vetravatī—these three rivers, and also the Kauśikī—
तमसा नर्मदा चैव नदी गोदावरी तथा। वेण्णा प्रवेणी भीमा च मरुदा चैव भारत
The Tamasā, Narmadā, and likewise the river Godāvarī; Veṇṇā, Praveṇī, Bhīmā, and also Marudā, O Bhārata—
भारती सुप्रयोगा च कावेरी मज्जुरा तथा। तुङ्गवेणा कृष्णवेणा कपिला शोण एव च
Bhāratī, Suprayogā, Kāverī, and also Majjurā; Tuṅgaveṇā, Kṛṣṇaveṇā, Kapilā, and likewise Śoṇa—
एता नद्यस्तु धिष्ण्यानां मातरो याः प्रकीर्तिताः
These rivers are proclaimed as the mothers of the dhiṣṇyas (sacrificial altars).
अद्भुतस्य प्रिया भार्या तस्याः पुत्रो विडूरथः। यावन्तः पावकाः प्रोक्ताः सोमास्तावन्त एव तु
Adbhutā is the beloved wife, and her son is Viḍūratha; as many as the fires are mentioned, so many are the Somās as well.
अत्रेश्चाप्यन्वये जाता ब्रह्मणो मानसाः प्रजाः। अग्निः पुत्रान्स्रष्टुकामस्तानेवात्मन्यधारयत्
And in the lineage of Atri, the mind-born offspring of Brahmā were also born; desiring to create sons, Agni held them within himself.
तस्य तद्ब्रह्मणः कायान्निर्हरन्ति हुताशनाः। एवमेते महात्मानः कीर्तितास्तेऽग्नयो यथा
From the body of that Brahman, the fires emerge; thus these great souls, these fires, have been described as they are.
अप्रमेया यथोत्पन्नाः श्रीमन्तस्तिमिरापहाः। अद्भुतस्त तु माहात्म्यं यथा वेदेषु कीर्तितम्
Immeasurable, born as they were, splendid and dispellers of darkness; and the greatness of Adbhuta is as celebrated in the Vedas.
तादृशं विद्धि सर्वेषामेको ह्येषु हुताशनः। एक एवैष भगवान्विज्ञेयः प्रथमोऽङ्गिराः
Know that among all these, there is truly one Fire; he alone is to be understood as the blessed, the first Aṅgirā.
बहुधा निःसृतः कायाज्ज्योतिष्टोमः क्रतुर्वथा। इत्येष वंशः सुमहानग्नीनां कीर्तितो मया। पावको विविधैर्मन्त्रैर्हव्यं वहति देहिनाम्
Though manifested in many forms from his body, like the Jyotiṣṭoma and other sacrifices; thus I have recounted the great lineage of the fires; Pāvaka carries the offerings of embodied beings with various mantras.
अग्नीनां विविधा वंशाः कीर्तितास्ते मयाऽनघ। शुणु जन्म तु कौरव्य कार्तिकेयस् धीमतः
I have described to you, O sinless one, the various lineages of the fires; now hear, O Kauravya, the birth of the wise Kārtikeya.
अद्भुतस्याद्भुतं पुत्रं प्रवक्ष्याम्यमितौजसम्। जातं सप्तर्षिभार्याभिर्ब्रह्मण्यं कीर्तिवर्धनम्
I will tell you of the wondrous son of Adbhuta, of immeasurable energy, born from the wives of the Seven Sages, devoted to Brahman and increaser of fame.
देवासुराः पुरा यत्ता विनिघ्नन्तः परस्परम्। तत्राजयन्सदा देवान्दानवा घोररूपिणः
Long ago, when the gods and asuras were intent on destroying each other, the fierce Dānavas always defeated the gods.
वध्यमानं बलं दृष्ट्वा बहुशस्तैः पुरंदरः। स सैन्यनायकार्थाय चिन्तयामास वासवः
Seeing his army repeatedly slaughtered by them, Purandara (Indra) began to ponder deeply about appointing a commander for his forces.
देवसेनां दानवैर्हि भग्नां दृष्ट्वा महाबलः। पालयेद्वीर्यमाश्रित्य स ज्ञेयः पुरुषो मया
Seeing the army of the gods shattered by the Dānavas, the mighty one, relying on his own power, thought, 'Such a man should be known by me.'
स शैलं मानसं गत्वा ध्यायन्नर्थमिमं भृशम्। शुश्रावार्तस्वरं घोरमथ मुक्तं स्त्रिया तदा
He went to Mount Mānasā and, meditating intensely on this matter, then heard a terrible, distressed cry uttered by a woman.
अभिधावतु मां कश्चित्पुरुषस्त्रातु चैव ह। पतिं च मे प्रदिशतु स्वयं वा पतिरस्तु मे
"Let someone come to me, let a man save me! Let someone point out my husband, or let me have a husband myself!"
पुरंदरस्तु तामाह मा भैर्नास्ति भयं तव। एवमुक्त्वा ततोऽपश्यत्केशिनं स्थितमग्रतः
But Purandara said to her, "Do not fear, there is no danger for you." Having spoken thus, he then saw Keśin standing before him.
किरीटिनं गदापाणिं धातुमन्तमिवाचलम्। हस्ते गृहीत्वा कन्यां तामथैनं वासवोऽब्रवीत्
Seizing the maiden in his hand, the one crowned and bearing a mace, firm as a mountain of metal, Vasava then spoke to him:
अनार्यकर्मन्कस्मात्त्वमिमां कन्यां जिहीर्षसि। वज्रिणं मांविजानीहि विरमास्याः प्रबाधनात्
You man of unrighteous deeds, why do you desire to seize this maiden? Know me as the wielder of the thunderbolt; cease harassing her.
विसृजस्व त्वमेवैनां शक्रैषा प्रार्थिता मया। क्षमं तेजीवतो गनतुं स्वपुरं पाकशासन
Release her at once; she has been sought by me, O Shakra. It is fitting for you, blazing with energy, to return to your own city, O slayer of Vritra.
एवमुक्त्वा गदां केशी चिक्षेपेन्द्रवधाय वै। तामापतन्तीं चिच्छेद मध्ये वज्रेण वासवः
Having spoken thus, Kesi hurled his mace to slay Indra; but Vasava split it in mid-air with his thunderbolt as it came rushing down.
अथास्य शैलशिखरं केशी क्रुद्धो व्यवासृजत्। `महामेघप्रतीकाशं चलत्पावकसंकुलम्
Then, enraged, Kesi cast a mountain peak, resembling a great cloud and filled with blazing fire.
तदापन्ततं संप्रेक्ष्य शैलशृङ्गं शतक्रतुः। बिभेद राजन्वज्रेण भुवि तन्निपपात ह
Seeing that mountain summit hurtling toward him, O King, Shatakratu shattered it with his thunderbolt, and it fell to the earth.