Post By: Vishwanath Iyer Published on: June 24, 2024 Reading time: 14 minutes
Pañcabhūta – Agni (the presiding deity of the fire-element)
How is fire (Agni) relevant to Bhārat?
Introduction: Since the advent to the Rig Vedic period, the fire (Agni, which is a Saṁskṛta cognate of the English word ignite) has been central to Bhārat’s civilisation. Let us look at the most important mantra (invocation) to Agni from the Rig-Veda.
ॐ अग्निमीळे पुरोहितं यज्ञस्य देवमृत्विजम् ।होतारं रत्नधातमम् ॥१॥
Om agni-mīḷe-purohitam yajñasya devaṁḥrtvijam l hotāram ratna dātamam ll 1ll
Meaning: Hail Agni who is the Purohita (priest) of the yajña (sacrifice), as well as the source of ḥrtvij, (ḥrta means excellence), the supervising priest who guides the yajña, which is directed towards the devas (various deities), and is also the hotara (offering which is contained within the sacrifice), and in addition is also the bestower of wealth.
Reference 2 – How Sri Krsna describes himself in terms of excellence as agni in Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā Chapter 10, verse 23 (वसूनां पावकश्चास्मि – purifier (pāvaka) among the Vasus (deities governing the material elements).
In another verse from the Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā (chapter 9 verse 16), he says that he is embedded in every aspect of the sacrifice – enunciating that I am the purpose (ahaṃ kratu), I am sacrifice (ahaṃ yajñaḥ), I am the oblation (svadhāham), I am medicine (ahamauṣadham), I am mantra (mantro’ham), I am also ghee (ahamevājyam), I am fire (ahamagni), I am that which is sacrificed or the offering (ahaṃ hutam).
So, it is evident that the fire (Agni) has been considered a very important deity since time immemorial (going back before 4000 BCE) in Bhārat’s civilisation.
How did Agni become so important? What is the role of Agni in Bhārat’s civilisation?
Fire is one of the first primordial elements to be controlled by man, starting around 50-100 thousand years ago. Fire was used for many purposes, for heating, cooking and as protection from predators.
From this evolved the house-fire (gṛhyāgni) and along with it, the worship of fire.
What is Agni’s role?
It is clear that Agni has been a very important God since the time of the Rigveda. Agni has always been central to all Vedic rituals. In fact, in terms of importance, Agni is next only to Indra, the Lord of the Vedic deities. This is due to the fact that Agni is the primary recipient of all sacrifices in Vedic rituals and through him offered to other gods. In this form he is known by the name Vahni and is eulogized as he acts as a vehicle between the worshipper and the chosen deity (deva).
As the most potent and visible form of energy, useful but destructive at the same time, he was both feared and revered by the Vedic people. Additionally, almost every mandala or division of the Rigveda starts with a hymn to Agni. Furthermore, all hymns praise him abundantly often describing him as the supreme god and creator.
Agni is the chosen Priest, God, minister of sacrifice, the hotar, who lavishes wealth and dispels the darkness. Also, Agni along with Indra, the lord of the heavens and Surya, the lord of the skies, constitute the first trinity of Hinduism (their places were latter assigned to Siva, Brahma and Vishnu respectively). He is the thunderbolt of Indra’s weapon, the light of the Surya. In fact, in the later Vedic period he became one of the Ashtadikpalas as lord of the southeast quarter.
However, in the Puranas, Agni is subordinated to other gods. Additionally, over time, we see in them a clear decline in his popularity and significance.
What are the various forms of Agni?
Agni is one of the primordial elements (pañcabhūta) and emerges from air element (vāyu). Agni’s halo is called agnimitra.
According to tradition Agni has ten forms – of these the first five are his material or natural forms and the next five his ritual forms. The five natural forms are, (1) the Sun (2) ordinary fire (3) lightning (4) the digestive fire (jaṭharāgni comprising pachakāgni, ranjakāgni, alochakāgni, sādhakāgni and bhrajakāgni) and (5) destructive fire (forest fire).
Additionally, the five ritual or derived forms are (1) fire produced using sticks for the purpose of sacrificial rituals or agnimanthana (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/agnimanthana) (2) fire given to a student at the time of his initiation (upanayana) ceremony called samithāgni (3) the fire kept in the house for domestic rituals (gṛhyāgni and agnihotra) (4) the southern fire of the ancestors used in certain rituals (aupāsanāgnī) and (5) the funeral fire used in the cremation rituals (dahanāgni).
Furthermore, Mundaka Upanishad (2.4) mentioned the seven tongues of Agni (sapta-jihva) as kālī (black), karālī (terrific), manojavā (as fast as cognition), sulohita (red), sudhāmravarṇā (purple), sphuliṅginī (spark emitting) and viṣvarucī / viṣvarūpa (universal nature/ form). (https://samskaaram.com/number/7)
Agni operates in two states – Jātaveda (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jataveda) and kravyada. Jātaveda means knowledge/wisdom/understanding (veda) of all existence (jāta) and kravyādāgni (क्रव्यादाग्नि, “The funeral fire”) — One of the five forms of Agni’s ritual fire. In this form of fire is lit on the funeral pyre and into which the body is offered as the final oblation. (https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kravyadagni)
The closest Vedic equivalence for the omnipotence of the Brahman is also recognised as Agni, the friend of Man, the mediator, the sacred and sacrificial fire, and at the same time the fire that is in the sun, in burning things, and in the heart of Man, everywhere the same and yet everywhere different, having varied and even almost contrary effects.
How did Agni become a prominent deity?
Importantly, there are many theories about the origins of the god Agni, some tracing it to Indo-European mythologies, others tracing to mythologies within the Indian tradition.
In the former category, Agni is one of a bird-like being that carries or brings fire from the gods to mankind, where the bird returns every day with sacrificial offerings for the gods, from the earth.
The earliest layers of the Vedic texts of Hinduism, such as Kathaka Samhita and Maitrayani Samhita state that the universe began with nothing, neither night nor day existed, what existed was just Prajapati (Brahman). Agni originated from the forehead of Prajāpati, assert these texts. With the creation of Agni came light, and with that were created day and night. These mythologies develop into more complex stories about Agni’s origins in the later layers of Vedic texts, such as Taittiriya Brahmana and Shatapatha Brahmana.
Originally, Agni was conceptualized as part of the holy triad where he ruled the Earth, while his twin Indra ruled the atmosphere as the god of storm, rain and war, and Surya ruled the sky and heavens.
In the Vedic pantheon, Agni occupies, after Indra, the most important position. Agni is prominent in the hymns of the Vedas and particularly the Brahmanas. In the Rigveda there are over 200 hymns that praise Agni. His name or synonyms appear in nearly a third of 1,028 hymns in the Rigveda.
The hymns in these ancient texts refer to Agni with numerous epithets and synonyms, such as Jātavedas (he who knows all generations), Vaiśvānara (relating to all men), Tanūnapāt (son of himself, self-made), Narāsaṃsa (who embodies men’s praise), Tripatsya (with three dwellings), and many others.
In the Puranas, Agni is the eldest son of Brahma. In the Visnu Purana, Agni, called Abhimāni is said to have sprung from the mouth of the Virat purusha, the Cosmic Man or Īswara. In another version, Agni emerged from the ritual fire produced by the wife of Dharma (eternal law) named Vasubhāryā (literally, “daughter of Light”).
(all reference here from Wikipedia)
What do we know about Agni’s family?
The Vedas describe the parents of Agni as two kindling fire sticks (araṇī), whose loving action creates him. Just born, he is poetically presented as a tender baby, who needs loving attention lest he vanishes. With care, he sparks and smokes, then flames and grows stronger than his parents, finally so strong that he devours what created him. In some texts, Medhā (intelligence) is Agni’s sister.
The Veda declares: “Put it down supinely stretched, you attentive (priest). When impregnated she gave birth to the male (Agni)”.
According to the Puranic mythology, Agni married Svāhā (invocational offering) and fathered three sons – Pāvaka (purifier), Pāvamāna (purifying) and Śuchi (purity). From these sons, he had forty-five grandchildren which are symbolic names of different aspects of a fire.
Svāhā is Agni’s wife. Her name is pronounced when offerings such as ghee are poured into the fire during homa (fire sacrifice). However, like many names in Hindu traditions, the name Svāhā embeds symbolic meanings, through its relationship with the Vedic word Svadha found in the hymns of the Rigveda: the term Svadha refers to “one’s own particular nature or inclination”, and the secondary sense of “a customary pleasure or enjoyment, a refreshment that nourishes”. Svāhā is also found in the hymns of the Vedic literature, in the sense of “welcome, praise to you”. This salutation is a remembrance of Agni, as an aspect of that which is “the source of all beings”. As a goddess and wife of Agni, Svaha represents the energy of Agni.
In the text Devi Mahatmya of Saktam, and in Hindu mythologies, Svāhā is the daughter of Daksha, Agni and Svāhā’s son grows to become god Skanda – the god of war. Other references suggest that Skanda is Kumara of the Kaumāram tradition and a son of the god Siva.
The Mahabharata also mentions that when Agni was residing at Mahishmati he fell in love with the daughter of king Nila. In the guise of a Brahmana, he asked for the hand of the princess, but the king refused and was about to punish him. Agni revealed his true form and flamed up in wrath. The frightened king apologized and bestowed his daughter on Agni. In return, Agni promised protection of the city during any invasion.
What is Agni’s relationship with other deities (devas)?
Agni is identified with same characteristics, equivalent personality with many major and minor gods in different layers of the Vedic literature. Some of the gods that Agni is identified with are: Prajapathi (Shatapatha Brahmana), Varuna and Mitra, Indra, Rudra ( Rig Veda), Vayu and Soma ( Vedas), GayatrI (Aitareya Brahmana), Vāc (goddess of speech) and Prana (life force): in (Jaiminiya Brahmana Shatapatha Brahmana).
How is Agni represented in Bhārat?
The iconography of Agni varies by region.[The design guidelines and specifications of his iconography are described in the Hindu Agama texts. He is shown with one to three heads, two to four arms, is typically red-complexioned or smoky-grey complexioned standing next to or riding a ram, with a characteristic dramatic halo of flames leaping upwards from his crown. He is shown as a strong looking man, sometimes bearded, with a large belly because he eats everything offered into his flames, with golden brown hair, eyes and mustache to match the color of fire.
Agni holds a rosary in one hand to symbolize his prayer-related role, and a sphere in another hand in eastern states of India. In other regions, his four arms hold an axe, torch, spoon (or fan) and a flaming spear (or rosary). Seven rays of light or flames emit from his body. One of his names is Saptajihva, “the one having seven tongues”, to symbolize how rapidly he consumes ghee. Occasionally, Agni iconography is shown in Rohitasva form, which has no ram as his vahana, but where he is pulled in a chariot with seven red horses, and the symbolic wind that makes fire move as the wheels of the chariot. The number seven symbolizes his reach in all seven mythical continents in ancient Hindu cosmology or colors of a rainbow in his form as the sun.
Some texts refer to Agni as having two wives/śaktis, namely Svāhā and Svadhā who represent the oblations for the deva/Gods and pitri/ancestors respectively. Thus mantras ending in either of these two words specifically refer to the object of the offering being either God or ancestors, i.e. om agnaye svāhā or om pitṛbhyo svadhā are common uses.
https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/essay/sacrifices-ritualistic-study/d/doc1211277.html
https://www.hindupedia.com/en/Agnicayana
Importantly, Agni is one of the Panchabhūta along with prithvi, áp, vāyu and ākāśa. Also, agnikoṇa is a reference to one among the ten directions. Additionally, Agni is a Digpala (protector of direction) devatā who rules the south-eastern direction. Importantly, digpalas are devatās who rule the directions of karma and their wives are the givers of fruits of these paths or directions. Therefore Agni has a very central position in ensuring the fruits of karma.
Furthermore, Agni is associated with the consonant ra and carries significance akin to the Egyptian Sun-God. This is known as a sound of the seers/rishis as the seers are said to be channels/pathways towards the Supreme. Importantly, two paths of moving upwards towards God (ra-fire) or bringing God down to oneself (la-earth) as governed by the rishis are defined. The sound ra is commonly added to the mystic seed/bija mantras, i.e. hrīm, śrīm and krīm (viz. ka+ra+ī+m) are common uses of the same and represent this upwards movement.
Lastly, hiraṇyā hrum (Sun), gaganā srum (Moon), raktā śrum (Mars), kṛṣṇā vrum (Mercury), suprabhā lrum (Jupiter), bahurūpā rum (Venus), and atiraktā yrum (Saturn) represents the days of the week.
Additionally, the Sanskrit word for weekday is Vāra. Also, the word Vāra is short for the word Vāsara. Vāsa means to stay, abide, dwell in, whilst ra is a reference to Agni the God of fire. Hence the word Vāsara implies an abode for the God of fire. Similarly, a weekday/ Vāra is a resting place for the Agni, and all the functions of the weekdays arise from this principle.
Connection between Agni and tapas (austerity).
*Agni Mantras*
Among mantras for Agni simple mantras such as om agnaye namaḥ or om jatavedase namaḥ exist. But a more popular mantra in the traditions of Jyotish is the chaitanya/consciousness mantra, meant to bring superior awareness and consciousness to the individual. It’s also called the navarna mantra as it is nine syllables in length: om hūm rām chaitanyayai namaḥ|Agni Gayatri Mantras.
Om Mahajwalay Vidmahe Agni Madhyaya Dhimahi |Tanno Agnih Prachodayat ||
Meaning : Om, Let me meditate on the great flame, Oh, God of fire, grant me with higher intellect, Oh, let the radiant God of Fire illuminate my mind.
Om Mahajwalay Vidmahe Agni Devaya Dhimahi |Tanno Agnih Prachodayat ||
Om Vaiswanaraya Vidmahe,Laleelaya Dhimahe, Tanno Agnih Prachodayath
Om Sapthajihvaya Vidmahe, Agni Devaya Dhimahi |Tanno Agnih Prachodayat ||
