In the ancient times, the lineage of Agni, the sacred fire, was renowned for its many forms and functions. Among them, Saharakṣa, the son of the ocean-dwelling one, stood distinguished, dwelling in the mouth of the submarine fire after drinking its waters. Saharakṣa himself took residence in the homes of men, fulfilling their desires, and his own son, the flesh-eating fire, consumed the bodies of the dead among mankind. The wise twice-born proclaimed these sons of Pāvaka Agni, but some of his powerful offspring were carried away by Gandharvas and Asuras. In the forests, the fire churned and found its fuel, and the blessed one named Āyus was led to the animal, becoming part of sacrificial rites. Āyus’s son, mighty and burning, became the fire that consumes the offerings in the cooking sacrifice. This son, consuming oblations and ancestral offerings from all the worlds of the gods, was accompanied by the wondrous Agni, celebrated for his renown. Another son, proud in expiatory rites, consumed the stolen oblation, and the heroic son of Adbhuta was remembered among the gods as a great one. From these, various fires arose. The great sage emerged as a son, and from the sons of these diverse fires, eight fires were born due to their intense heat. Among those who excelled in desired offerings and who destroyed demons and enemies were Surabhi, Vasuman, Nada, Haryashva, Rukmavan, Pravargya, and Kṣemavan—eight in total, proclaimed as the progeny of the pure fire. Altogether, fourteen fires were counted. Thus, the fires were described—those established in sacrifice, those present in previous creations, and those among the best of the gods of the night. In the earlier interval of Svāyambhuva, these proud fires existed, moving among the animate and inanimate. The Agnīdhra priests, steadfast in their stations, once bore the oblations, and those fires of desired and occasional types became established in rites. In the Manvantara that has passed, along with the Shukras and Yamas, these fires, together with the divine hosts, existed in the first interval of Manu. The origins, called stations, of the knowers of fire were established, to be understood throughout the seven Savarni cycles, beginning with Svarocisha. Thus, the characteristics of the knowers of fire were enumerated for all past and future Manvantaras. In every Manvantara, the fires exist in various forms and purposes, together with the present Yamas and gods. With the gods yet to come, those fires will also dwell, and so the succession of fires was told in order and detail. Then, the sages asked, “Tell us in detail that supreme and highest matter which Viṣṇu spoke when asked—the full account of righteousness and unrighteousness.” In the single ocean, Janārdana, in the form of a fish, narrated the origin and the entire re-creation. The soul of the universe spoke to Manu, the son of the Sun, explaining the discipline of action and Sāṃkhya, properly and in detail. The sages implored, “We wish to hear, O Sūta, the characteristics of the discipline of action, for nothing in the world is unknown to you, O virtuous one.” Sūta replied, “I will explain the discipline of action as described by Viṣṇu, for indeed, the discipline of action is praised above a thousand disciplines of knowledge. Knowledge arises from action; therefore, that is the supreme state. Brahman arises from action and knowledge, but not from knowledge without action.” Thus, one whose mind is steadfast in action attains the eternal truth. The entire Veda is the root of dharma, as is the conduct of those who know it. In this discipline, eight qualities of the self are established as primary: compassion toward all beings, forbearance toward those who seek protection, absence of envy in the world, inward and outward purity for the twice-born, performing duties without hardship, and observance of auspicious conduct. There should be no miserliness regarding wealth, even if acquired in distress, and one should always be free from desire for others’ possessions and others’ wives. These eight qualities of the self were declared by the knowers of the Purāṇas; this alone is the discipline of action, which leads to the path of knowledge. Without the discipline of action, knowledge is not seen in anyone here. One should diligently practice the dharma taught in the śruti and smṛti. One must always satisfy the gods, ancestors, and humans daily with offerings and rites that gratify beings, sages, and hosts of spirits. The seers are worshipped with study, ancestors with prescribed oblations, beings with offerings of food, and spirits with ritual offerings. These five sacrifices are prescribed to remove the five household slaughters—caused by the mortar, grinding stone, hearth, water pot, and broom. These slaughters belong to the householder, and because of them, he does not attain heaven. For the destruction of that sin, these five sacrifices are proclaimed. Even one endowed with the twenty-two and eight sacraments, if devoid of the qualities of the self, does not attain liberation. Therefore, one endowed with the qualities of the self should perform scripturally enjoined actions, always acting for the welfare of cows and Brahmins with his wealth. With cows, land, gold, garments, fragrant flowers, and water, one should worship the auspicious One—who is Brahmā, Viṣṇu, the Sun, Rudra, Fire, and the Self. Through vows, fasts, proper rituals, and faith, free from envy, one worships the One who is beyond the senses, peaceful, subtle, unmanifest, eternal, Vāsudeva, the form of the universe—from whom these manifestations arise. Brahmā, Viṣṇu, the Blessed One, the Sun, the Lord of Bulls, the eight Vasus, the eleven leaders of hosts, the guardians of the worlds, the ancestors, and the mothers—all these powers, endowed with the moving and unmoving, have their root in the Lord of the Unmanifest, Brahmā and the others, four in number. Thus, the story of the fires and the supreme discipline of action was told, revealing the path of righteousness, the essence of sacrifice, and the unity of all divine manifestations.