In the sacred assembly, the divine names and roles of Agni, the fire god, were revealed with reverence and clarity. It was explained that since the house is likened to the body and Agni is now its lord, he should become the Gārhapatya fire, the sacred flame that resides in the household. As the one who guides all people towards righteousness through offerings, Agni’s name would be Vaiśvānara, as declared in the scriptures. Agni, the giver of wealth and strength, is also known as Draviṇodā, for it is he who bestows draviṇa, the material riches, upon his devotees. Ever watchful and protective of both the physical and subtle bodies, Agni is called Tanūnapāt, the guardian of all forms. His omniscience, knowing all that is born and yet to be born, earns him the name Jātavedas, the knower of all creation. The waters, common to all, are especially sacred to the twice-born, and since they praise Agni, he is known as Nārāśaṃsa. The term "Agas" refers to that which is hidden, silent, and constant, and as Agni pervades all, he is called Agni. When fuel is kindled and the sound of blowing fills the air, Agni appears; thus, he is also named Idhma. These many names are Agni’s in the great sacrifices, and men, desiring blessings, worship him through these names, thereby pleasing him. Thus, the glory and greatness of Viṣṇu had been recounted, and now, the sage Mahātapā invited the king to listen to the greatness of the lunar days. The tale continued with the birth of the great fire, Agni, who emerged from Brahmā’s wrath and addressed Brahmā himself: “Grant me a lunar day, O Lord, by which I may be renowned throughout the universe.” Brahmā replied that among gods, yakṣas, and gandharvas, Agni, known as Pāvaka, was first born on Pratipadā, the first lunar day. From Agni’s feet, at each step, other deities would arise, and so this day would henceforth be called Pratipadā. On Pratipadā, through offerings in the prājāpatya form, ancestors and all gods are worshipped and pleased. The four kinds of beings—humans, animals, asuras, and all the gods with the gandharvas—are satisfied when Agni is honored. Whoever, devoted to Agni, observes a fast or subsists on milk on Pratipadā, attains a great reward: for thirty-six yugas, he is honored in heaven, radiant, handsome, and wealthy. In this very life, such a person becomes a king, and after death, is honored in heaven. Thus, Agni, remaining silent, attained the abode granted by Brahmā. Moreover, whoever rises early each morning and listens daily to the account of Agni’s birth is freed from sins, without doubt. The wise Prajāpāla then asked: “O Brahman, the birth of the great-souled Agni has been described. How did the two gods, the Aśvins, arise as the breaths of life?” The story unfolded: Marīci, son of Brahmā, and Brahmā himself took form in fourteen ways, and among them, Marīci attained the highest rank. His son was the radiant sage Kaśyapa, himself a progenitor, father of the gods. Kaśyapa’s sons were the twelve Ādityas, born of Aditi, and thus called Ādityas. Among them, the illustrious Mārttaṇḍa was renowned throughout the worlds; the twelfth, possessing the essence of Nārāyaṇa, was especially proclaimed. These Ādityas are the months themselves, and the year is Hari; thus, these twelve Ādityas, with Mārttaṇḍa as their chief, are established in the cosmos. To Mārttaṇḍa, Tvaṣṭṛ gave his radiant daughter Saṃjñā in marriage. From her were born two children: Yama and Yamunā. Unable to endure the brilliance of her husband, Saṃjñā, swift as thought, left her own shadow behind and departed for the northern Kurus. The Sun, Mārttaṇḍa, took that shadow, identical in form, as his wife; from her too were born two children—Śani and Tapatī. However, when the shadow-wife showed favoritism among her children, the blessed Sun, his eyes reddened with anger, admonished her: “Partiality must not be shown among your own children, O beautiful one.” When she was thus addressed, and partiality no longer pleased her, Yama, distressed, spoke to his father: “This woman is not our mother, father; she is always like an enemy to us—like a co-wife, behaving falsely, yet affectionate to her own children.” Hearing these words, Chāyā, the shadow-wife, overcome with anger, cursed Yama: “You shall become the lord of the dead, as if without delay.” Hearing this, Mārttaṇḍa, desiring his son’s welfare, spoke: “You shall become the mediator between righteousness and sin, and you shall be a guardian of the worlds, my son, shining in heaven.” Mārttaṇḍa, agitated by Chāyā’s anger, then cursed Śani: “You shall have a cruel gaze, my son, because of your mother’s fault.” Having spoken thus, Bhānu, the Sun, rose up, intent on seeing Saṃjñā through yogic vision; but he did not find her, for she, in the form of a mare, was in the northern Kurus. Taking the form of a horse himself, he went to the northern Kurus, and by the path of the progenitors, united with her. In that mare-form, belonging to Tvaṣṭṛ, Mārttaṇḍa of intense radiance discharged his seed, which blazed and fell in two parts. There, the vital breath and the downward breath, victorious over themselves by a boon, again became embodied. Those two, born from the mare-form of Tvaṣṭṛ, became the best of men; therefore, those two gods are renowned as the Aśvins, sons of the Sun. The Sun himself is the progenitor; Tvaṣṭrī is the supreme power, both manifest and unmanifest. In her body, as before, the formless ones took form, thus completing the divine tale of Agni and the Aśvins, the breaths of life.