the carrier of oblations, in splendour and in that state he illumined the whole universe.  At that time the fire-god was also performing a penance and was greatly distressed by his (Angirasa’s) effulgence.  He was greatly depressed, but did not know what to do.  Then that adorable god thought within himself, ’Brahma has created another fire-god for this universe.  As I have been practising austerities, my services as the presiding deity of fire have been dispensed with; and then he considered how he could re-establish himself as the god of fire.  He beheld the great muni giving heat to the whole universe like fire, and approached him slowly with fear.  But Angiras said to him, ’Do thou quickly re-establish yourself as the fire animating the universe, thou art well-known in the three stable worlds and thou wast first created by Brahma to dispel darkness.  Do thou, O destroyer of darkness, quickly occupy thine own proper place.’  Agni replied, ’My reputation has been injured now in this world.  And thou art become the fire-god, and people will know thee, and not me, as fire.  I have relinquished my god-hood of fire, do thou become the primeval fire and I shall officiate as the second or Prajapatyaka fire.’  Angiras replied, ’Do thou become the fire-god and the destroyer of darkness and do thou attend to thy sacred duty of clearing people’s way to heaven, and do thou, O lord, make me speedily thy first child.’  Markandeya continued, ’Hearing these words of Angiras, the fire-god did as desired, and, O king, Angiras had a son named Vrihaspati.  Knowing him to be the first son of Angiras by Agni, the gods, O Bharata, came and enquired about the mystery.  And thus asked by the gods he then enlightened them, and the gods then accepted the explanation of Angiras.  In this connection, I shall describe to thee religious sorts of fire of great effulgence which are here variously known in the Brahmanas[63] by their respective uses.”

SECTION CCXVII

Markandeya continued, ’O ornament of Kuru’s race, he (Angiras) who was the third son of Brahma had a wife of the name of Subha.  Do thou hear of the children he had by her.  His son Vrihaspati, O king, was very famous, large-hearted and of great bodily vigour.  His genius and learning were profound, and he had a great reputation as a counsellor.  Bhanumati was his first-born daughter.  She was the most beautiful of all his children.  Angiras’s second daughter was called Raga.[64] She was so named because she was the object of all creature’s love.  Siniwali was the third daughter of Angiras.  Her body was of such slender make that she was visible at one time and invisible at another; and for this reason she was likened to Rudra’s daughter.  Archismati was his fourth daughter, she was so named from her great refulgence.  And his fifth daughter was called Havishmati, so named from her accepting havis or oblations.  The sixth daughter of Angiras was called Mahismati the pious.  O keen-witted being, the seventh daughter of Angiras is known by the name of Mahamati, who is always present at sacrifices of great splendour, and that worshipful daughter of Angiras, whom they call unrivalled and without portion, and about whom people utter the words kuhu kuhu wonder, is known by the name of Kuhu.’