led the great. Vira is Bharadwaja's wife; she gave birth to Vira. It
is said by the Brahmanas that he is worshipped like _Soma_ (with the
same hymns) with offerings of clarified butter. He is joined with Soma
in the secondary oblation of clarified butter and is also called
Rathaprabhu, Rathadhwana and Kumbhareta. He begot a son named Siddhi by
his wife Sarayu, and enveloped the sun with his splendour and from being
the presiding genius of the fire sacrifice he is ever mentioned in the
hymns in praise of fire. And the fire _Nischyavana_ praises the earth
only; he never suffers in reputation, splendour and prosperity. The
sinless fire Satya blazing with pure flame is his son. He is free from
all taint and is not defiled by sin, and is the regulator of time. That
fire has another name Nishkriti, because he accomplished the _Nishkriti_
(relief) of all blatant creatures here. When properly worshipped he
vouchsafes good fortune. His son is called Swana, who is the generator
of all diseases; he inflicts severe sufferings on people for which they
cry aloud, and moves in the intelligence of the whole universe. And the
other fire (Vrihaspati's third son) is called Viswajit by men of
spiritual wisdom. The fire, which is known as the internal heat by which
the food of all creatures is digested, is the fourth son of Vrihaspati
known through all the worlds, O Bharata, by the name of Viswabhuk. He is
self-restrained, of great religious merit, and is a _Brahmacharin_ and
he is worshipped by Brahmanas at the Paka-sacrifices. The sacred river
Gomati was his wife and by her all religious-minded men perform their
rites. And that terrible water-drinking sea fire called Vadava is the
fifth son of Vrihaspati. This Brahmic fire has a tendency to move
upwards and hence it is called _Urdhvabhag_, and is seated in the vital
air called _Prana_. The sixth son is called the great Swishtakrit; for
by him oblations became _swishta_ (_su_, excellently, and _ishta_,
offered) and the _udagdhara_ oblation is always made in his honour. And
when all creatures are claimed, the fire called Manyauti becomes filled
with fury. This inexorably terrible and highly irascible fire is the
daughter of Vrihaspati, and is known as _Swaha_ and is present in all
matter. (By the respective influence of the three qualities of _sattwa,
rajas_ and _tamas_, Swaha had three sons). By reason of the first she
had a son who was equaled by none in heaven in personal beauty, and
from