began to worship him. Atharvan rummaged the whole
sea in the presence of all those beings eager with expectation, and
finding out the fire, himself began the work of creation. Thus in olden
times the fire was destroyed and called back to life by the adorable
Atharvan. But now he invariably carries the oblations of all creatures.
Living in the sea and travelling about various countries, he produced
the various fires mentioned in the _Vedas_.

"'The river Indus, the five rivers (of the Punjab), the Sone, the
Devika, the Saraswati, the Ganga, the Satakumbha, the Sarayu, the
Gandaki, the Charmanwati, the Mahi, the Medha, the Medhatithi, the three
rivers Tamravati, the Vetravati, and the Kausiki; the Tamasa, the
Narmada, the Godavari, the Vena, the Upavena, the Bhima, the Vadawa, the
Bharati, the Suprayoga, the Kaveri, the Murmura, the Tungavenna, the
Krishnavenna and the Kapila, these rivers, O Bharata, are said to be the
mothers of the fires! The fire called Adbhuta had a wife of the name
of Priya, and Vibhu was the eldest of his sons by her. There are as many
different kinds of _Soma sacrifices_ as the number of fires mentioned
before. All this race of fires, first-born of the spirit of Brahma,
sprang also from the race of Atri. Atri in his own mind conceived these
sons, desirous of extending the creation. By this act, the fires came
out of his own Brahmic frame. I have thus narrated to thee the history
of the origin of these fires. They are great, resplendent, and
unrivalled in power, and they are the destroyers of darkness. Know that
the powers of those fires are the same as those of the Adbhuta fire as
related in the Vedas. For all these fires are one and same. This
adorable being, the first born fire, must be considered as one. For like
the _Jyotishtoma_ sacrifice he came out of Angiras body in various
forms. I have thus described to thee the history of the great race of
Agni (fires) who when duly worshipped with the various hymns, carry the
oblations of all creatures to the gods.'"

SECTION CCXXII

"Markandeya continued, 'O sinless scion of Kuru's race, I have described
to thee the various branches of the race of Agni. Listen now to the
story of the birth of the intelligent Kartikeya. I shall tell thee of
that wonderful and famous and highly energetic son of the Adbhuta fire
begotten of the wives of the _Brahmarshis_. In ancient times the _gods_
and _Asuras_ were very active in destroying one another. And the
t