The Fire God Agni

Anjan Baskota

(anjanbaskota11@gmail.com)

The Sruti and the Smriti have been recognized as the basis of Indian literature, art, culture, philosophy and civilization. The most ancient Indian literature such as the Puranas is the most popular and widely read literature based on the Srutis or Vedas. So the Vedas have been recognized as the sole foundation of Indian culture, literature, tradition and society. It is believed that the Vedas are the eternal voice of the ultimate Soul, transmitted as a vibration language. The Rishis heard the eternal voice of the ultimate soul during their meditation. Thus, the Vedas come to our reach through the practice of learning and listening. Likewise, the Vedas are popularly known as Sruti (hearing). On the contrary, the Smriti means that scripture which records the codes of conduct for society. The Smriti, therefore, has been placed just after the Veda in Indian tradition.

Agni is the most popular god of the Rig Veda as is evident from the number of hymns addressed to him in the scripture. Fire is central to all Vedic rituals. In terms of importance, he is next only to Indra, the lord of the Vedic deities and Indra's heaven. All the offerings in the Vedic sacrifices are invariably offered to Agni and through him to other gods.

The term 'Veda' is derived from the root 'Vid' with the suffix 'ach' which means spiritual knowledge, subject knowledge. The Vedas are four in number, viz; Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda. The word 'Veda' also includes Samhitas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads and Vedangas.

Samhita indicates the Mantra part of the four Vedas. The Sanskrit word Mantra is derived from the root word 'man' which means to think. There are two Brahmanas (the prose texts and rituals) and two Aranyakas (the texts which knowledge is earned in wild place) of the Rig Veda, viz; Aitareya Brahmana and Kausitaki Brahmana; and Aitareya Aranyaka and Kausitaki Aranyaka. Again the same Veda has two Upanishads – Aitareya Upanishad and Kausitaki Upanishad.

The fifth part of the Veda is the Vedanga. 'Vedanga' means the part or limbs of the Veda. There are six Vedangas, viz; Siksa (that scripture where the rules of phonological use of the Mantras of the Vedas are quoted), Kalpa (the rituals), Nirukta (that scripture where the etymological history of the Vedic terms is quoted), Vyakarana (the Vedic grammar), Chanda (the Vedic metre) and Jyotisa (the Vedic astronomy).

Yajur Veda is the second of the four Vedas. Yajur Veda is a compound Sanskrit word, composed of 'Yajus' and 'Veda'. 'Yajus' means reference, worship, sacrifice, mantras muttered in a peculiar manner at a sacrifice, while 'Veda' means knowledge.

The Yajur Veda is the Veda prose Mantras. An ancient Vedic Sanskrit text is a compilation of ritual offering formulas that were said by a priest while an individual performed ritual actions such as those before the Yajna fire.

Yajur Veda mainly deals with the mode of conduct, human psychology, activity and ways and means for infinite improvement in order to achieve the highest goal of life (Moksha). It emphasizes how to convert knowledge gained into useful activities and impart the same to other human beings. It has 40 Adhayas and 1975 Yaju Mantras (kandikayein). Unlike Rig Veda, Yajur Veda is more Prodo-poetry which are called 'kandikayein'.

According to Veda, Indra; the king of Gods, Vayu- the God of air, Kubera- the God of wealth, Kama Deva- the God of love, Soma Deva-the moon God, Varuna- the God of oceans, Visvakarma- the God of architect, Yamuna-river Goddess, Yama- the God of death, Rudra- the God of thunder and thunderbolt. Like the above-mentioned deities, the God of fire, Agni is one of the most important of the Vedic Deities. Agni is the primary recipient of all Vedic sacrifices.

The theonym Agni derives from the root 'Agni', one of the proto- Indo- European words for 'fire', which can be easily linked to other Indo- European words referring to fire such as Latin ignis (the root of the English ignite). It has also been shown that the very similar name AK/gnis was used to identify a god of destruction in a Hittite text found at Bagazkoy, Turkey. Although fire plays an important role in many systems of myths and rituals that took root in the Indo- European lineage, such as the Irish, Roman and Iranian traditions, the divine persona of Agni was just as likely to have been spawned as a result of the sheer importance of fire in Vedic ritual.

In Vedic mythology, Agni is a deva, second only to Indra in importance. He is Indra's twin brother, and therefore a son of Dyaus pita, the sky god, and his consort Prithvi. However, many alternative accounts of his progenitors exist. In some versions, he is a son of Kashyap and Aditi or else a queen who kept her pregnancy secret from her husband.

The worshippers pray as the illuminator of the sacrifice and the messenger of gods. 200 hymns are attributed to him.

Agni is an integral part of all sacrifices. Without Agni, a priest cannot perform any sacrifice. He is called 'Rtvik'. He is the first god, known as 'purohita'. He is called 'Hota'. The fire god carries the sacrifices to the other deities and is the excellent bestower of wealth.

Agni is the well-bred for earthly beings as the illuminator. Agni has the capacity of brightening the dark place smoothly. He is the protector of sacrifice and is the shining one, growing in the sacrificial altar.

Agni is the good wisher to his worshippers as their father. He is easy for them as a father. So, the worshippers pray him as their good bread.

Agni, the God of fire, carries the offerings to other deities. The sacrifices made to gods reach through Agni. It is the Agni who receives the offerings first. He is the 'purohita' of Gods and works as a mediator between worshipers and deities. The god of fire occupies an important and great place in the Indian hierarchy of gods, from the ancient age to today. He has been dominating all ceremonies of a person beginning from womb to tomb.

The one or two-headed fire deity is represented as a red man having three legs, seven arms, six gloomy red eyes, big tummy. In his seven hands carry a spear, a fan, a cap and many other tools used for sacrifice. Flames issues from his seven tongues with which he licks up the butter which worshipper offers to the sacrificial fire. The priest or worshipper while pouring butter in the sacrificial fire has to pronounce 'Svaha'. 'Svaha' and 'svdha' are the consorts of Agni.

Yajur Veda is the Veda of yajana or worship. It refers to acts of worship such as oblations made into Agni or Fire. It has two branches, Krishna or Black and Shukla or White. While both contain mantras or incantations to be chanted at rituals, Black Yajur Veda also has many explanations. The recensions of Black Yajur Veda are Taittirya, Kattaka, Maitrayani and Kapishtthala. Those of white Yajur Veda are Madhayanadina and Kanva. The literary value of Yajur Veda is mostly for its prose, which consists of short terse sentences full of meaning and cadence.

As we know that Yajur Veda mainly deals with the Mantras and the methodology of worship. Agni is the prime deity through whom a priest creates a connection between human beings and god through a sacrificial ceremony.

Agni plays a pivotal role in our day-to-day life. The bright side of Agni is light, illumination and progress, on the other hand, the dark side of Agni includes destruction, decay and demolition.

Here is some sloka from Yajur Veda so far Agni is concerned.

BHAVATAM NAHA SAMNASO SACHET SAVARE PASO

MA YAGYAM HIMSISTHTAM MA YAGYAPATIM

JATVEDASO SHIVO DHAVATMADYA NAHA…… (5/3, Yajur Veda)

O Agni! Make our mind stable, egalitarian and may you destroy the illusion. Do not destroy the Yagya and may you not destroy the yagyapati. We pray to Agni so that he may give us similarity in thought, there is no doubt and illusion. May he does not destroy the religious sacrifice offered and also the performer of the religious sacrifice.

SEM VASTHAM SWAVIDA SAMICHI URASTMANA AGNIMANTRA

BHARISHYANTI JYOTISHAMANTAM JARASRAMIT…….. (11/31, Yajur Veda)

You realize the self, become calm and stable and swallow that Agni which is always fiery and keep that Agni within always enkindled. Realize yourself through self-analysis & introspection. By concentration, unkindled the flame of knowledge within the body and do not let it extinguish. This is a sure way to self-development and prosperity.

PUNAR URJA NI VARTTASVA PURA AGNA

ISHA YUSHA PUNARAHA DAHMAM HASAHA… (12/9, Yajur Veda)

O Agni! I invoke you along with your energy. Give us food, bless us with long life and protect us from sin. The ultimate objective of human life is to be free from sin. Therefore, one should desire enhancement of strength, food and long life. One should always be free from any type of deficiency because this want leads us to sin.

From the above discussion, it can be said that Agni, the God of Fire is a well-bread for a human being. Without Agni performing the daily rituals and sacrifices are impossible. He is the fire, which consumes food for human beings.

Fire is a natural element that has united primitive people. The invention of fire is the main basis that precedes the process of settlement, civilization etc. The fire was worshipped by the primitive people for their safety in ancient days. Apart from the Vedic and Aryan civilizations fire is still worshipped by people from different creeds, religions, civilizations around the globe. So far the Vedic trend is concerned; it is Agni Deva who occupied a distinguished place amongst the Hindu gods.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

(1) Apte, Vaman Shivarama, Sanskrit- Hindi Kosh, Choukhamba Sanskrit Series Office, Varanasi, 2009.

(2) Bose, Jogiraj, Bedar Parichay, Dr Rafiquzzaman, Guwahati, 2008.

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(8) Article: The Concept of the Fire God and God Rudra in Rig Veda: A study, by Upadhayaya, Dhundi Raj in European Academic Research, Vol. III and Issue 9/Dec 2015.