131 - The birth of Agni and Gold

Saunaka said- I have listened, to the extremely astonishing, secret, charming and completely new story from you.

But it is inexplicable in the Puranas, charming, beautiful, ancient and the inaccessible story.

When shall I meet with such a type of auspicious deeds, in which my life would become successful, keeping the company of the Vaishnavas. This company of the Vaishnavas is destroyer of the life in the womb, cuts at the root of the deeds, bestows toe slavehood of lord Hari and increases his devotion.

The story about the birth of Ganesha is difficult to get in the Puranas which relieves one from the company of the wicked and evil minded people and uproots the cause of the deeds. I have listened to the story about Tulasi and Radhika. Beside this, I have listened, to several other secret known and unknown stories which fulfil the desires. O lord, I have listened to everything; now I intend to listen to the story about the birth of Agni as well as the gold. O virtuous one, you kindly tell me the story about both of them.

Suta said- Of all the material of the universe water, fire and the eternal Prakruti have their own entity, similarly the Mahatattva has its own entity. As the sky and the direction are there or the universe is there, the arrogance is bom out of Prakruti and Mahat.

Agni also exists like Sabda and Tanmatras. In spite of that I would narrate to you the story about its emergence.

Once during the time of creation Ananta, Brahma and Shiva went to have an audience with Vishnu on the Sveta-dvipa, after mutual discussion. They took their seats on the lion thrones, in the court of lord Vishnu. In the court, the damsels who had emerged out of the body of Lakshmi continued dancing there, reciting the glory of the lord with their sweet voice.

Looking at their well built body, the flesh, smiling faces and the pelvic region, Brahma was infested with passion.

O Brahmana, Brahma could not control himself and his semen fell. Brahma feeling ashamed hid it in a cloth and after the music was over, Brahma getting infatuated with passion took out the cloth and threw it out in the ocean.

Thereafter, a divine immense lustre, emerged out of the water and sat in the lap of Brahma, who was feeling ashamed seated in the court of Vishnu.

In the meantime, getting angry Varuna came out of the water and bowing in reverence to the gods he tried to take away the boy with him.

The boy on the other hand started crying and caught hold of Brahma. But Brahma could not speak anything getting ashamed.

Getting enraged Varuna caught hold of the hand of the boy and dragged him. Brahma, the Prajapati, threw him away in the court.

Thereafter, the weak Varuna fell at a distance and with the anger of Brahma, he lay there like a dead person at a distance.

Lord Shiva brought him back to life with his merciful glance. After regaining consciousness, Varuna said-.

Varuna said- The boy has been born in the water and therefore he is my son. I shall carry him with me, how could Brahma beat me?

Brahma said- O lord Vishnu, O Maheshvara, this boy has come to take refuge with me. Therefore, how can I give away a crying child who has come to take refuge with me.

The fool who is unable to protect the humble person who comes to take refuge with him, he has to fall in the hell till the time of the sun and the moon.

Listening to the words of both of them, the all knowledgeable Madhusudana spoke the appropriate words.

The lord said- Looking at the body of the damsels the semen of Brahma had fallen. Feeling ashamed, he threw it out in the spotless water of the ocean. The son bom because of that is appropriately the son of Brahma, but he has also to be the son of Varuna according to the provisions of the scriptures.

Mahadeva said- Like the relationship between the knowledge and the yoni, there is no difference between a pupil and the son. This fact is quite well-known to those who are well-versed in the Vedas, in other words, as on is born with the use of yoni and the knowledge is connected with a pupil. Therefore, both of them are equals. Therefore, Vamana should provide the knowledge and mantras to this boy. This boy named Agni is the son of Brahma and would be the pupil of Varuna.

But the lord Vishnu should provide him the power of burning and becoming illustrious. This Agni would be competent enough to born everybody and Varuna should make the fire to extinguish.

At the command of Shiva, Vishnu gave him the power of burning and Varuna imparted him the knowledge of mantras and also gave him the charming garland of gems.

Varuna than took the child in his lap and then gave him to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

All the people then left for their respective abodes, bowing in reverence to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Thus I have narrated to you the story of the birth of Agni.

Once all the gods were seated in the assembly, in the heaven, where the apsaras were dancing.

Finding Rambha having beautiful figure, the god Agni became passionate and his semen fell which was covered by him in shame in the cloth.

When the cloth was thrown away by him, it turned into the shining gold and in a moment it was raised to the height of the Sumeru mountain. Thereafter the intellectuals started calling him as Agni having the lustre of gold. Thus I a have narrated to you about the birth of gold what else do you want to listen from me.