CHAPTER – 99
Markandeya said: – Hear now of origin of Bhoutya, of the gods, Rishis, his sons and the kings. (1) Angiras had a highly wrathful disciple by name Bhuti. For a trifle he used to imprecate a dreadful curse and he never knew what a sweet word was. (2) In his hermitage the wind could not blow high, the sun could not pour fierce rays and the clouds could not discharge rain in such a way as to create much mud. (3) Even the moon, when full, used to pour not very cold rays. Afraid of that fierce and wrathful (Rishi) the seasons, renouncing their natural order, used to cover, at his command, all the trees of his hermitage with the fruits and flowers of all seasons. (4-5) Afraid of the powers of that high-souled one the waters, near his hermitage, used always to enter into his kamandalu at his pleasure. (6) O Vipra, he was highly wrathful and could not bear the least inconvenience. That great man had no issue and therefore made up his mind to carry on devout penances. (7) He thought, “Desirous of having a son and accordingly restraining my diet and being exposed to cold, wind and fire I shall carry on devout penances” and accordingly he made up his mind so. (8) Then the moon began to pour not very cold rays, the sun not very warm rays and the wind blew not very roughly, O great Muni. (9) When not assailed by contraries that foremost of Munis, Bhuti did not attain his wished for object he desisted from his penances. (10) His brother Suvarcha undertook a sacrifice and invited him to perform it. Desirous of goining there he said to his highly intelligent disciple, Shanti by name, who was of a quiescent mind, humble, ever ready for his preceptor’s work, of good conduct, generous and the foremost of Munis. (11-12)
Bhuti said: – O Santi, I shall be present at the sacrifice of my brother Suvarchas. Hear, what thou shalt have to do. (13) Always awake thou shalt, with every care, so keep the fire in my hermitage that it may not be extinguished. (14)
MARKANDEYA said: – Having thus commanded him and his disciple Santi saying ‘so be it’ the preceptor, invited by his elder brother, proceeded to be present at his Yajna. (15) And Santi too collected, from the forest, twigs, flowers and fruits for the maintenance of his high-souled preceptor. (16) When filled with devotion to his preceptor he engaged in other actions the fire, that was kept up by Bhuti, was extinguished. (17) Beholding that fire extinguished Santi was greatly sorry and afraid of Bhuti the highly intelligent one began to think in many ways. (18) “What shall I do? How will the preceptor come here? What shall I do to-day? By doing what shall I reap good? (19) If by my luck the preceptor beholds his fire extinguished he will throw me to-day into dreadful misery. (20) If I place another fire here in the room of this fire he will surely reduce me to ashes for he sees everything. (21) Sinful as I am I have thus become the subject of both the anger and curse of my preceptor. I do not grieve so much for myself as do I for the iniquity committed towards the preceptor. (22) Forsooth, beholding the fire extinguished the preceptor will imprecate a curse on me or even the fire worked up with anger for that twice-born one is equally powerful. (23) He, terrified by whose prowess even the celestials carry on his behest for what reason will he not curse me who have committed a sin? (24)
Markandeya said: – Thinking thus in many way, he, the foremost of the intelligent and always afraid of his preceptor, sought refuge with the fire. (25) Then controlling his mind and kneeling down he, with whole-mindedness and folded hands, began to recite the following hymn. (26)
Santi said: – Om! Salutation unto the high-souled (Agni) who is the stay of all creatures, who residest at the Rajshyua sacrifice in sixfold forms. (27) Salutation unto fire who gives maintenance to all the deities, who is highly effulgent, who is in the form of Shukra and who is the supporter of the endless world. (28) Thou art the mouth of all the gods, through thee the Lord taketh sacrificial offerings and pleaseth the entire host of the celestials; thou art the life of all the gods. (29) The Havi, that is offered unto thee, becomes highly pure and is then converted into air. (30) By it are created all the plants. O thou the charioteer of the wind, all the creatures live happily on all these endless plants. (31) With the plants created by thee men perform sacrifices. And by these sacrifices O fire, the gods, Daityas and Rakshasas are pleased. O fire, thou art the supporter of all these sacrifices. O fire, thou art the source of all and identical with all. (22-33) The gods Danavas, Yakshas, men, beasts, trees, wild animals, birds, reptiles are all satisfied and nourished by thee, O fire. They all originate from thee and meet with dissolution in thee. (34-35) O God, thou dost create the water and thou dost drink it up; and all the (plants) when rotten by thee conduce to the nourishment of creatures. (36) Thou dost reside as effulgence in the midst of the gods, as physical grace in the midst of the Siddhas, as poison with the serpents and as air in the midst of the birds. (27) Thou art anger amongst men, stupidity in the beasts and birds. Thou art the stay in trees and hardness in the earth. (38) O lord, thou art the liquid element in water, the velocity in the air, the space in the sky and as the soul every where. (39) Thou dost travel in the hearts of all creatures and protect them. O fire, the poets sometimes describe thee as one and again as three. (40) And again designating thee as eight the Prime Purusha undertook the sacrifice. The great Rishis say that this universe has been created by thee. (41) O fire, without thee, this whole universe at once meets with dissolution. By adoring thee with Havya and Kavya and with the recitation of Swaha and Swadha a twice-born one attains to a position ascertained by his own actions. Thou art also worshiped by the immortals. Having emanated from thee, the scintillations, the end, soul and energy of creatures, burn down the entire elemental creation. Thou art Jataveda, thou art highly effulgent. – thou hast created this universe. (42-44) Thou art the author of Vedic rites and the universe, identical with all the elements. Salutation unto thee, O Anala, O Pingaksha, O Hutasana. (45) Salutation unto thee, O Pavaka, who art the beginning of all; Salutation unto thee, O Havyavahana (the carrier of sacrificial offerings). Thou dost cook what is eaten or drunk; thou dost purify the entire universe. (46) Thou dost make the corns ripe – thou art the nourisher of the universe – the cloud, the air, the seed of the corns.
(47) Thou dost nourish all creatures and thou art the past, present and future; thou art the light in all the elements – and art Aditya and Vibhavasu. (48) Thou art the day and the night and two Sandhyas. O Vanhi, thou art Hiranyaretas and thou art the cause of the origin of Hiranya. (49) Thou art Hiranyagarbha – thou art bright like gold – art the moment and Khana (lesser division
of the time); thou art Truti and Lava. (50) O lord of the universe, thou dost exist in the shape of Kata, Kashtha, Nimesha and other divisions of time. Thou art the entire universe and Kala identical with the dissolution of all. (51) O lord, do thou protect us from all fear, sin and the great dread of this world as well as of the next with thy tongue called Kali which is the support of Kala. (52) Do thou save us from all sins and the great terror of this world with thy tongue called Karala which is the instrument of the great dissolution. (53) Do thou save us from all sins and the great dread of this life with thy that tongue which is called Manojava gifted with the quality of Laghima. (54) Do thou save us from all sorts of sins and the great fear of this life with thy that tongue which is called Sulohita and grants the desires of all creatures.
(55) Do thou save us from all sorts of sins and the great fear of this world with thy that tongue which is called Dhrumravarna and which is the cause of the diseases of all creatures. (56) Do thou save us from all sins and the great fear of this world with that thy tongue which is called Sphulaga and is the root of the well-being of all. (57) Do thou save us from all sins and the great fear of this life with thy that tongue which is called Vishwa and which gives peace to all creatures. (58) Thou art Pingaksha (yellow-eyed) Lohitagriva (dark-necked) of black hue and Hutashana. Do thou save me from all sins and the great danger of this world. (59) O Vahni, O Saptarchi, O Krishanu, O Havyavahan, be thou pleased. I recite thy eight names as Agni, Pavaka, Sukra etc. (60) Be thou propitiated, O Agni, O the first born of all the elements, O Vibhavasu, O Habyavaha, O eternal and O thou identical with hymns. (68) Thou art eternal, incomprehensible Vahni, prosperous, greatly fierce and hard to bear. Thou art undecaying, dreadful and dost destroy all the worlds. Thou art highly powerful and hast a form. (62) Thou art most excellent, the heart of all energies, art endless and worshipped of all. From thee has emanated this universe, mobile and immobile. O Hutashana, thou art one and many. (63) Thou art undecaying, art this earth with mountains and forests, art the sky with the sun and the moon, art the time with the day and night and art the forest-fire lying in the womb of the great ocean. By thy great lustre thou dost reside in the rays. (64) The great saints, observant of regulations, always worship thee as Hutasana in the great sacrifice. Invited at the sacrifice thou dost drink the soma Juice and Havi after reciting Vasatkara for the prosperity (of the creatures). (65) For reaping fruits the Brahmanas always worship thee on this earth. Thou art being chanted in all the Vedas and their branches. With a view to worship thee all the leading twice-born ones always master the Vedas. (66) Thou art Brahma ever intent on performing sacrifices; thou art Vishnu, Siva, Indra, Arjama and Varuna. Being pleased with Havyas the sun, the moon, the celestials and Asuras all obtain their desired for fruits. (67) Objects, however impure they may be, are at once purified by the touch of thy rays. Even when bathed with thy ashes one attains to highest purification. For this the Munis adore thee in the evening. (68) Be thou, who art Vahni Sachi, propitiated. Thou art Pavaka Vaidyuta and Prime – be propitiated and save me, O thou the eater of Havya. (69) Like unto a father protecting his own begotten son, do thou, O Vahni, protect us with thy all auspicious form and seven tongues. I do chant thy glories. (70)