Shloka 8
Skanda–Svāhā-saṃvāda; Gaṇa-vyutpatti and Śvetaparvata-vaibhava
Chapter 220
भरतो भरतस्याग्ने: पावकस्तु प्रजापते: । महानत्यर्थमहितस्तथा भरतसत्तम,सबका भरण-पोषण करनेवाले प्रजापति भरत नामक अग्निसे “पावक' की उत्पत्ति हुई। भरतश्रेष्ठ) वह अत्यन्त महनीय (पूज्य) होनेके कारण “महान” कहा गया है
bharato bharatasyāgneḥ pāvakastu prajāpateḥ | mahān atyarthamahitastathā bharatasattama ||
Mārkaṇḍeya said: From the fire named Bharata—belonging to Bharata—there arose Pāvaka, the Fire-god associated with Prajāpati. And because he is exceedingly revered and worthy of worship, he is also called ‘Mahān’ (the Great). The passage underscores how names arise from lineage and from recognized excellence, linking honorific titles to sustained beneficence and veneration.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Honorific names are not arbitrary: they reflect lineage and recognized qualities. Here, ‘Pāvaka’ signals Agni’s purifying function, while ‘Mahān’ is grounded in exceptional reverence earned through greatness and beneficence.
Mārkaṇḍeya explains a genealogical/etymological point about Agni: from a fire associated with Bharata arises Pāvaka, linked with Prajāpati, and Agni is also called ‘Mahān’ because he is supremely honored.