Shloka 80
Pitṛ-śrāddha-haviḥ-phala-nirdeśa
Offerings for Ancestors and Their Stated Results
इन्हीं समस्त कर्मों और गुणोंके कारण देवता तथा ऋषि संसारमें अग्निको हिरण्यरेताके नामसे पुकारते हैं। उस समय अग्निजनित हिरण्य (वसु) धारण करनेके कारण पृथ्वीदेवी वसुमती नामसे विख्यात हुईं ।।
etaiḥ samastaiḥ karmabhiḥ guṇaiś ca devā ṛṣayaś ca loke agniṃ hiraṇyaretā iti nāmnā pravadanti | tadā agnijātaṃ hiraṇyaṃ (vasu) dhārayitvā pṛthivīdevī vasumatī iti vikhyātābhavat || sa tu garbho mahātejā gāṅgeyaḥ pāvakodbhavaḥ | divyaṃ śaravaṇṇaṃ prāpya vavṛdhe ’dbhuta-darśanaḥ ||
Bhishma said: Because of these many deeds and qualities, the gods and seers in the world address Agni by the name Hiraṇyaretā, “he whose seed is golden.” At that time, since the Earth-goddess bore within herself the golden essence (Vasu) born of Agni, she became renowned as Vasumatī, “the possessor of riches.” That radiant embryo—Gāṅgeya, born from the Fire—then reached the divine forest of reeds (Śaravaṇa) and grew there, appearing wondrous to behold.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage links names and epithets to moral-spiritual qualities: Agni is praised as ‘Hiraṇyaretā’ due to his potent, auspicious creative power, and Earth is called ‘Vasumatī’ because she bears and sustains wealth/essence. It underscores a dharmic worldview where cosmic functions (purification, fertility, sustenance) are honored through meaningful names.
Bhīṣma explains why Agni is called Hiraṇyaretā and how Earth gained the epithet Vasumatī by bearing Agni-born golden essence (Vasu). He then describes a radiant embryo—Gāṅgeya, born from Agni—reaching the divine reed-forest Śaravaṇa and growing there with a wondrous appearance.