ब्रह्मोवाच त्वयैव सृष्टं सृष्टेश्च समारम्भे जगद्गुरो ।। 4.48.
Brahmā said: O teacher of the world, at the beginning of creation, it was you alone who created.
आशुतोष महाभाग प्रसीद भक्तवत्सल
O easily pleased, greatly fortunate one, be gracious, lover of devotees.
ब्रह्मस्वरूप भगवन्सृष्टिस्थित्यन्तकारण
O Lord, embodiment of Brahman, cause of creation, maintenance, and dissolution,
स्वयं ब्रह्मा स्वयं शेषो धर्मः सूर्यो हुताशनः
You yourself are Brahmā, you are Śeṣa, Dharma, the Sun, and Fire.
ऋषयो मुनयश्चैव त्वां निषेव्य तपोधनाः
Sages and ascetics, rich in austerity, worship you.
इत्येवमुक्त्वा ब्रह्मा तं सूर्यमानीय भक्तितः
Having thus spoken, Brahmā brought the Sun with devotion.
शंभुस्तमाशिषं कृत्वा विधिं नत्वा जगद्विधिः
Śaṃbhu, having bestowed that blessing, the creator of the world bowed to the Creator.
इति धातृकृतं स्तोत्रं संकटे यः पठेन्नरः
Whoever recites this hymn composed by the Creator in times of distress—
राजद्वारे श्मशाने च मग्नपोते महार्णवे
—at the king’s gate, in a cremation ground, when sinking in a boat, or in the great ocean—
इति श्रीब्रह्मवैवर्ते महापुराणे श्रीकृष्णजन्मखण्डे नारायणनारदसंवादे श्रीकृष्णराधासंवादे अष्टचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the forty-eighth chapter in the dialogue of Nārāyaṇa and Nārada, and of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā, in the Śrī Kṛṣṇa-janma section of the great Purāṇa, Śrī Brahmavaivarta.
सूर्यः प्रणम्य ब्रह्माणं मुदायुक्तस्तदाज्ञया
The Sun, joyfully, by the command of Brahmā, bowed to him.
अथ वह्नेरुपाख्यानं सावधानं निशामय
Now, listen attentively to the story of Fire.
त्रैलोक्यं भस्मसात्कर्तुमेकदाऽग्निः समुद्यतः
Once, Fire arose with the intent to reduce the three worlds to ashes.
क्षुभितः कुपितश्चैव भृगोः शापस्य कारणात्
Agitated and enraged, because of the curse of Bhṛgu, he was so.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे विष्णुराजगामावलीलया
At that moment, Viṣṇu arrived playfully.
मायया शिशुरूपी च तमुवाच जनार्दनः
Assuming the form of a child through his Māyā, Janārdana spoke to him.
शिशुरुवाच त्रैलोक्यं भस्मसात्कर्तुमुद्यतोऽसि निरर्थकम्
The child said: ‘Your attempt to burn the three worlds to ashes is futile.’
त्वमेव भृगुणा शप्तो भृगोश्च दमनं कुरु
‘You yourself were cursed by Bhṛgu; pacify Bhṛgu’s curse.’
विश्वं च ब्रह्मणा सृष्टं तस्य पाता स्वयं हरिः
‘The universe was created by Brahmā, and its protector is Hari himself.’
तत्कथं भस्मसात्कर्तुमीश्वरे शंकरे स्थिते 4.49.
‘So how can you reduce it to ashes while the Lord Śaṃkara remains?’
इत्युक्त्वा ब्राह्मणबटुः शरपत्रं पुरः स्थितम्
Having spoken thus, the brāhmaṇa boy placed a dry leaf before him.
दृष्ट्वा शुष्केन्धनो वह्निर्लेलिहानो भयानकः
Seeing the dry leaf, Fire, terrifying and licking with flames, gazed at it.
न च दग्धं शुष्कपत्रं लोमैकं च शिशोस्तथा
Yet the dry leaf was not burned, nor even a single hair of the child.
कृत्वा वह्नेर्दर्पभङ्गमन्तर्धानं चकार सः
Having broken Fire’s pride, he vanished from sight.
उक्तो वह्नेर्दर्पभङ्गः परं वै श्रोतुमिच्छसि
I have told you of the breaking of Agni’s pride; now you wish to hear more.
श्रीराधिकोवाच कथापीयूषधारांते श्रुत्वा तृप्येत को भुवि
Śrī Rādhikā said: Who on earth could ever be satisfied after hearing the nectar-stream of such a story?
श्रीनारायण उवाच कथां कथितुमारेभे श्रुत्वा रम्यां पुरातनीम्
Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: I began to narrate that delightful and ancient tale, having heard your wish.
इति श्रीब्रह्मवैवर्ते महापुराणे श्रीकृष्णजन्मखण्डे नारायणनारदसंवादे अग्निदर्पमोचनं नामैकोनपञ्चाशत्तमोऽध्यायः
Thus ends the fifty-ninth chapter, called ‘The Humbling of Agni’s Pride,’ in the Śrī Brahmavaivarta Mahāpurāṇa, in the section on the birth of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, within the dialogue of Nārāyaṇa and Nārada.
दुर्वाससो दर्पभङ्गं कथयामि शृणु प्रिये
Now I shall tell you of the breaking of Durvāsas’s pride; listen, beloved.
एकदा चाम्बरीषश्च कृत्वा च द्वादशीव्रतम्
Once, King Ambarīṣa performed the vow of Dvādaśī.