Panchajanya Created from the Austerities of Five Sages

Five sages resolved to do something extraordinary. Kashyapa, Vasishtha, Prana's son Prana, Agni Angiras, and Chyavana Trishuvarchaka — each already a figure of immense spiritual power — sat down together and began to perform austerities. They did not stop for years. Their goal was singular: to obtain a son. Not just any son. A son who followed dharma, who would be famous, who would be equal to Brahma himself. They uttered the five great vyahritis — the sacred syllables that span the cosmic realms: bhuh, bhuvah, svah, mahah, janah. The sounds themselves are acts of creation. From their combined austerities, a fire emerged. It was not like any fire seen before. It had five colors. Its head was made of the fire that comes from kindling — the first spark, the smallest beginning. Its arms blazed like the sun. Its complexion was golden, but its feet were black. Each of the five sages had given it one of these colors through the force of their own penance. The Vedas came to know this fire as Panchajanya — "the five-born" — and he became the origin of the five lineages of sacrificial fire. But Panchajanya did not rest. He performed his own austerities for ten thousand years. Then, from the power accumulated through that penance, he began to create. He created beings. He created the terrible fire of the ancestors — the flame that consumes the offerings made to the departed. From his head and his mouth, he created brihat and rathantara, two great chants that steal the vigour of those who hear them improperly. From his navel, he created Shiva. From his strength, Indra. From his breath of life, Vayu and Agni. From his two arms, the two accents — the udatta and anudatta that shape the chanting of the Vedas. From himself, he created the universe and all beings. Then he created the five sons of the ancestors: Pranidhi, son of Brihadurjas; Brihattara, son of Kashyapa; Bhanu, the brave son of Angiras; Soubhara, son of Varcha; and Anudatta, son of Prana. These five became the founders of five lineages of fire. Austerities created fifteen gods who obstruct sacrifices — the sacrifice itself, the dawn, Abhima, Atibhima, and Bhimabalabala. Austerities created five gods for sacrifices: Sumitra, Mitravat, Mitrajna, Mitravardhana, and Mitradharma. Austerities also produced five more: Surapravira, Vira, Sukesha, Suvarcha, and Surahanta. These three groups of five are separately established. Placed here on earth, they obstruct those who wish to perform sacrifices in heaven. They cause obstructions and steal large quantities of oblations. They do this insolently, even as the oblations are carried by the fire. But if the fire has been skilfully placed — if the sacrificer knows the proper rites — they cannot approach the oblations on the altar. They cannot go near the fire. On both sides, the fire then carries the offerings safely. And if pacified through mantras, they do not steal at all. Brihaduktha, another son of austerities, lives on earth. He is worshipped by those who observe agnihotra properly. Rathantara is another fire, also born of austerities. Learned adhvaryus — priests who perform the manual aspects of the sacrifice — know that his offerings are meant for Mitravinda. Panchajanya was satisfied with his immensely famous sons.