Having faithfully recounted the lineage of the Pauravas and the noble Arjuna, son of Pandu, the narrative now turns to another sacred inquiry. The sage is asked: “O Suta, tell me in order about those fires which are ever worthy of reverence among the twice-born, and describe as well their divine lineage.” Thus, the tale of the sacred fires begins. In the primordial age of Svayambhu, there existed the fire called Abhimani, remembered by the wise as the mind-born son of Brahma. From him, through Svaha, the fires known as Pavaka, Pavamana, and Shuci were brought forth. Of these, Pavamana is the fire produced by friction, while the electric fire is the son of Pavaka. Shuci, on the other hand, is the solar fire, and even the unmoving elements are sometimes so called. The fire born of Pavamana is known as Havyavaha. Pavaka, joined by Saharaksha, and Shuci—whose face is Havyavaha—are noted among the gods, with Havyavaha, son of Brahma, revered as the foremost. Saharaksha too dwells among the gods. These three—Pavaka, Pavamana, and Shuci—are the principal fires, and from them spring forth forty sons and grandsons. The sage now declares their names, distinguishing each. Pavana, the worldly fire, is the first, and also called the fire of Brahma. His son is Brahmaudanagni, renowned among the Bharatas. Vaishvanara, the carrier of offerings, bore the oblation and died, and after his passing, Atharvana was born, churned from the ocean of lotuses. Atharva is the fire of the world, known as the southern fire. From Bhrigu was born Atharva, and Angiras is also remembered as Atharvana. His fire is unworldly, yet also called the southern fire. Pavamana, the fire produced by friction, is called the household fire and is the first fire of Brahma. Then came Sabhya and Avasathya, the two sons of Samshatya. Afterward, Havyavahana, desiring to dwell among the sacred rivers, divided himself into sixteen forms and entered each river, seeking the altars. These rivers—Kaveri, Krishna-Veni, Narmada, Yamuna, Godavari, Vitasta, Chandrabhaga, Iravati, Vipasha, Kaushiki, Shatadru, Sarayu, Sita, Manasvini, Hradini, and Pavanā—became his abodes. Each altar, established in the name of a river, brought forth the Dhiṣṇavas, and because they were born in the altars, they are remembered as such. Thus, the sons of the rivers entered the altars, and among these, those who are to be enjoyed and those to be placed are named—Pravāhaṇa, Agnīdhra, and other Dhiṣṇavas established there. As one moves about at the sacred dawn, the order of the indescribable and unrestrainable fires is revealed. The fire of the Vasus, blazing and sovereign, is found on the second and northern altar—eight in number, these sons of Agni are attended by the twice-born. Parjanya and Pavamāna are the second; the fire called Pāvaka, warm and collected, dwells in the north, though unseen. The oblation-consuming fire, Śāmitra, is not to be cleansed and is distinguished among them, while Śatadhāmā, radiant with pure ghee, possesses fierce lordship. Brahmajyoti, with the earth as his domain, is established in Brahman, and the one approached by Ajaikapād is Śālāmukha, from whom he originates. Ahirbudhnya, the indescribable, dwells outside at the southern end, and these are his sons, all to be approached by the twice-born. Next, the eight fires that are to be moved about are described: the son of the Hotṛ, the fire of the sacrificial grass, the carrier of oblations. The praiseworthy fire, Pracetā, is the second, the helper; Viśvaveda, son of Agni, is known as the Brahman’s reciter. The source of waters is Svāmbhaḥ, called Setu. The Dhiṣṇya fires, brought forth thus, are worshipped with Soma by the twice-born. Then there is the fire called Pāvaka, spoken of by the virtuous as joined, known as Avabhṛtha, worshipped together with Varuṇa. The son of Agni in the heart dwells in the belly, cooking food for men, and this fiery belly is always remembered as the pierced fire. The fire arising from mutual interaction burns all beings here; the fierce Samvartaka, son of Agni, is endowed with wrath. Drinking the waters, he resides in the mouth of the submarine fire, and his son, Saharakṣa, is distinguished. Saharakṣa dwells in the homes of men, fulfilling their desires, while his son, the flesh-eating fire, consumes the dead among men. Thus are proclaimed the sons of Pāvaka Agni by the twice-born. Some of his mighty sons were carried off by Gandharvas and Asuras. The fire churned in the forest obtained its fuel, and the blessed one named Āyus is led to the animal. The son of Āyus, of great power, is the burning one who, in the cooking sacrifice, consumes the offered oblation. He is the one who accepts oblations and ancestral offerings from all the worlds of the gods, and his companion, the wondrous Agni, is renowned. The fire who is proud in expiatory rites consumes the stolen oblation; the son of Adbhuta is a hero, remembered as the great one among the gods. From him, various fires arose; his son is a great sage, and from the sons of these various fires, due to heat, eight fires are remembered as born. Among those who are proud in desired offerings and who destroy demons and enemies are Surabhi, Vasuman, Nada, Haryashva, Rukmavan, Pravargya, and Kṣemavan—eight in all, proclaimed as the progeny of the pure fire. Thus, in this sacred tradition, there are fourteen fires, their lineages and forms recounted for the reverence and understanding of the twice-born.