Agni

For other uses, see Agni (disambiguation).

ifesting in the waters and seated in the lap of the winding waters, aming upward, increases; and that Agni was
born by the prowess of Tvashtr (Rig Veda I.95.5). He
may have originally been the same as Apam Napat, the
supreme god of creation, who is also sometimes described
as re arising from water. Hydrogen burns easily and
Oxygen is required to iname the re. This is the important physiological phenomenon in any living body, which
in a natural explanation may have referred to ames from
natural gas or oil seepages surfacing through water, or
as the seven rays or seven bands of light of a rainbow.
Other Rig-vedic names, epithets or aspects of Agni include Matarishvan, Jatavedas, or Bharata.

Agni (Sanskrit: Agni), pronounced " gn ",[1] is the

Rigvedic deity of re[2] and the conveyor of sacrices to
the Gods. He is also a god of divine knowledge, who leads
man to the gods. He was one of the most important of the
Vedic gods.

Etymology

The word agni is Sanskrit for re (noun), cognate

with Latin ignis (the root of English ignite), Russian
(ogon), Polish ogie", Slovenian ogenj, SerboCroatian oganj, and Lithuanian ugnisall with the mean3 Vedic conception of Agni
ing re, with the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European
root being hgni-. Agni has three forms: 're', 'lightning'
Agni is the god of re and sacrice, of divine knowledge,
and the 'Sun'.[3]
and is also associated with water.[note 1] Agni, identied
Sthaulthvi informs us that Agni is the drying agent
with energy and action, is the rst emanation and the sawhich neither wets nor moistens anything. akapni tells
cred spark hidden within all beings. Agni is second only
us that the word Agni is derived from three verbs from
to Indra in the power and importance attributed to him
'going', from 'shining or burning', and from 'leading'; the
in Vedic mythology, with 218 out of 1,028 hymns of the
letter a () is from root i which means 'to go', the
Rigveda dedicated to him. With Varuna and Indra he is
letter g () is from the root aj meaning 'to shine' or
one of the supreme gods in the Rig Veda.
dah meaning 'to burn', and the last letter is by itself the
root n" () which means 'to lead'.[4] Yaskacharya explains that it is called (Agni) because it is 3.1 Vedic god of re and sacrice
(Agrani), the forward leader who is the ever awake disseminator of knowledge and the rst principle of thought
3.1.1 Sacricial re and high-priest
which manifests as Speech; it is carried at the front in all
ritualistic undertakings (yajnas).
Agni is the personication of the sacricial re. He is
Yaskacharya explains that the re-god is called associated with Vedic sacrice, taking oerings to the
(Agni) because he is (Agrani), the forward leader other world in his re. He is the priest of the gods, and
who is the ever awake disseminator of knowledge and the the god of the priests. Through yajna he carries the oblarst principle of thought which manifests as Speech; it is tions to the gods, to ensure the continuance of conditions
carried at the front in all ritualistic undertakings (yajnas). favourable to mankind. No god is approachable without
Agni, and no divinity is without the presPippalda, the sage of the Prashna Upanishad, merely the medium of[note
2]
ence
of
Agni.
highlights the (the Sole person) status of Agni
when he tells Kbandhi Katayna " That very one, Surya
who is Aditya, rises up who is Prana and Agni, who is
identied with all creatures and who is possessed of all
fame.

Agni is the chief terrestrial deity personied by the sacricial re which is the centre of the ritual poetry of the
Rig Veda. The earth enveloped in darkness and the sky,
become visible when Agni is born; the acquisition of re
by man is regarded as a gift of the gods. Agni is only
compared and not identied with the Sun.

Origins

Agni as the immortal guest is the witness of all actions,

supremely powerful, all consuming and unresistible but
The Rig Veda often says that Agni arises from water or who commands all earthly and heavenly riches i.e. all
dwells in the waters; the Vedic sage says that Agni man- temporal good.[6]
1

4 TEXTUAL APPEARANCE

Agni is the receiver, holder and distributor of energy,

who leads the devtas to victory in their battles against the
asuras, and confers wealth of various kinds to the performers of yajnas. Born in the human aspirant he awakens the gods, and burns the opposing foes, the demons.

says[note 3] that in the conditions prevalent prior to the formation of water, Agni, which was the rst visible manifestation of the Unmanifested, was the giver and the taker,
both, because as energy it had transformed into matter,
beginning with water.[12]

3.1.2

4 Textual appearance

Jataveda and Kravyd

Agni has two forms: Jataveda and Kravyada:

4.1 Vedas
Jtaveda is invoked to burn and carry the oerings (except esh) to the respective Gods, in which In the Vedic pantheon, Agni occupies, after Indra, the
case Agni is light identied with knowledge and with most important position. Agni occupies a prominent
place in the Vedas and particularly the Brahmanas. In the
Brahman.
Rig Veda there are over 200 hymns addressed to and in
Kravyd is invoked to burn the esh (corpses and praise of Agni. Agni is the Rishi ('hymn-seer') of Sukta
animal parts) in the Pitri-yajna for which purpose X.124 of the Rig Veda, and along with Indra and Surya
Agni is obtained from the rays of the Sun.
makes up the Vedic triad of deities.[13]
In the Jtaveda form, He who knows all creatures, Agni
acts as the divine model for the sacricial priest. He is the
messenger who carries the oblation from humans to the
gods, bringing the Gods to sacrice, and interceding between gods and humans (Rig Veda I.26.3). When Agni is
pleased, the gods are generous. Agni represents the cultivated, cooked and cultured aspects of Vedic ritual. Together with Soma, Agni is invoked in the Rig Veda more
than any other gods.[7]
Kravyd () is the form of Agni which eats
corpses, the re of the funeral pyre; the re that eats
corpses can eat everything. This is the impure form which
is much feared.[8] In this form, after ones death and at
the time of cremation, Agni heats up and burns the body
only, the body which is the impure human condition (SB
2.2.4.8).[9]

3.2

Knowledge

Agni is the rst word of the rst hymn of the Rig Veda
(Sukta I.i.1) revealed to Rishi Madhuchchandah Vaishvamitah in Gyatri metre.[note 4] This mantra is a prayer
to Agni:
I aspire intensely for Agni, the adorable, the
leader who carries out the yajna; who does and
gets done the yajna in due season, who is the
summoning priest capable of bringing the gods
to the yajna performed here, and the one who
establishes excellent felicities in the aspirants.
In the Rig Veda (I.95.2), a Rishi prays -
- for the ten eternal powers to
bless Tvashtr (the supreme mind which creates all things)
with the birth of Agni, which is a reference to the ten
undisclosed powers that nourish Agni.[14]
Shatapatha Brahmana (SB 6.1.1.1) tells us that Prajapati
was generated through the tapas of the rishis (equated
with the non-existent of the Beginning), thereafter,
through his own tapas Prajapati generated all the gods and
all the creatures. He also generated Agni as the sacricial re and as the second self having wearied himself his
glow and essence of him heated up and developed Agni
(SB 10.6.5.2). Ritually Agni, as the altar built by the sacrice, reconstitutes Prajapati.

Agni is Abhimni, from Sanskrit: abhi (towards) + man

(the verbal root man 'to think', 'reect upon') meaning
dignied, proud; longing for, thinking. Agni is the 'Mystic Fire', who leads man on the journey to God. Agni
is worshipped as the symbol of piety and purity; as expression of two kinds of energy i.e. light and heat, he is
the symbol of life and activity. Agni-rahasya, the secret
of re, is the key to all knowledge because Agni is the
power of inner and outer illumination.
4.2

3.3

Water

Upanishads

The Isha Upanishad focuses on the tradition of Agni as

the Divine Will and action.[15] The sage of this Upanishad
surrenders the lower egoistic human nature, and prays to
Agni to guide and lead him to That (Brahman), the establishment, origin, and refuge of all that is (Isha Upanishad.18).[16]

Agni is also called Arka, water, the accessory to worship, and the cause of re that covers all food which covers all life(Yajurveda V.vii.5).[10][11] Rishi Tritapti (Rig
Veda X.v.3), in a mantra in praise of Agni, refers to the
bearers of water, the most subtle and the most rened In the Kena Upanishad, Agni reveals his identity as the
aspects of manifestations. In a subsequent mantra he heat energy and the ever-burning ame of the conscious

5.2

Cultural artefacts

force in matter, that makes up the entire world.[17] The

gods sent rst Agni to nd out the nature of Brahman,
which means it is Agni that releases the energy which is
latent in all beings. Moreover, the sage of the Kena Upanishad refers to the functional dierentiation and specialization of body parts, on which account the life-stream
progresses, when he speaks of Agni becoming the speech
and entering the mouth, and Vayu becoming breath and
entering the nostrils.[18]
The Katha Upanishad tells how Yama taught Nachiketa
the secrets of the re that leads to heaven, and what bricks
were required to build the altar.[19]
The Chandogya Upanishad describes the Panchagni
Vidya, the meditation on the ve res. It explains the interconnectivity of everything that exists, with creation as
a kind of sacrice. Each manifestation, the microcosm,
is a manifestation of Prakrti, the macrocosm.[20]

Depiction

3
destructive and benecent qualities, and with black eyes
and hair, three legs and seven arms.[22] He rides a ram, or
a chariot pulled by goats or, more rarely, parrots.
Agni has two mothers,[23] or has two parts of the redrill
used to start the re. He has ten servant maids, the ngers
of the man who is lighting the re or the ten undisclosed
powers that nourish Agni.[24]
Seven rays of light emanate from his body. One of his
names is Saptajihva, the one having seven tongues.[25]
He has seven ery tongues with which he licks the sacricial butter. In the Mundaka Upanishad (I.ii.1-5) it is
said that Agni, here meant the havaniya Fire, has seven
tongues or ames Kl ('black'), Karl ('terrible'),
Manojava ('speedy as the mind'), Sulohita ('very red'),
Sudhumravarna ('coloured like thick smoke'), Sphulingini
('emitting sparks) and Vishwaruchi ('having the fuel as
the Sun' (II.i.5)).
The ancient seers divided Agni into three parts grhapatya (for general domestic usage), havaniya (for inviting
and welcoming a personage or deity) and dakshinagni (for
ghting against all evil).[26] Yska states that his predecessor Skapuni regarded the threefold existence of Agni as
being in earth, air and heaven as stated by the Rig Veda,
but a Brhmana considered the third manifestation to be
the Sun.

5.2 Cultural artefacts

In the collection at Bharat Kal Kendra (Benares Hindu
University), there is a First century CE, red sandstone
sculpture identiable as Agni shown in the garb of a Brahmin, very much like sage Kashyapa, on the Govindanagar
Rsyasrnga door-jamb. In the Panchala coins of Agnimitra
there is deity with a halo of ames. On Kushana coins
there is engraved an Iranian deity under the name of
Athos (Agni?). In Gupta sculptures, Agni is shown as
a Brahmanical deity with a halo of ames round the body
and also with a beard, pot-bellied and holding amrtaghata
(nectar-pot) in his right hand.[27]

6 Legends
6.1 Birth
Agni with his consort Svaha.

5.1

Iconography

In Hindu scriptures, Agni is depicted with two or seven

hands, two heads and three legs. One head marks immortality, and the other marks an unknown symbol of life. He
rides a ram[21] or a chariot harnessed by ery horses. Agni
is represented as red and two-faced, suggesting both his

Agni is the eldest son of Brahma. In the Visnu Purana,

Agni, called Abhimni is said to have sprung from the
mouth of the Virat purusha, the Cosmic Man. In another
version, Agni is the son of Dharma (Eternal Law) and
Vasubhry (daughter of Light).
A sage of the Rig Veda (Sukta IV.iii.11) states that the
Sun became visible when Agni was born.[28]
In some Hindu symbolism, Agnis parents are said to be
the two components of the redrill used to start the re,
and when young he was said to be cared for by ten servants

6 LEGENDS

who are represented by the ten ngers of the man who 6.5 Kartikeya
starts the re.
Agni hid from the gods, but Atharvan found him and The Puranas associate with Agni the origin of Krittika
raised him, thus combining the divine and the human nakshatra (the Pleiades star-cluster) and the birth of
worlds, transforming the sublime and the subtle to the Kartikeya. It is said that Agni received Shivas energy
from Parvati as alms that he had to share with others, begross and the material.
ing the carrier of all oblations to the gods. Agni gave this
energy to the six wives of the saptarishis, who wanted to
warm themselves, and for this they were cursed by their
husbands to become nakshatras, the six nakshatras that
6.2 Ascend and family
make up the Krittikas, the 3rd of the twenty-seven Lunar
mansions. Thereafter, these six wives gave the energy
At the command of Bhrigu, Agni was brought down from
they had received from Agni to the Himalayas, which then
the heavens for mans use by Matarishvan, in the later
owed down as one to be distributed to the reeds from
writings Agni is described as a son of Angiras who hapwhich the six-headed boy, Kartikeya was born.
pened to discover re and its uses.
Another version of this legend states that Kartikeya was
Agni married Svh (invocation oering) and fathered
initially born from Shiva and Parvatis combined power
three sons - Pvaka (purier), Pvamna (purifying) and
as an eulgent orb of energy, so radiant so as to burn the
uchi (purity) who in their turn had forty-ve children, all
universe. Agni stole it so as to keep the child safe and
dierent aspects of re.[29][30] Agnis three sons, accordkept running across the universe to escape the vile Asura
ing to the Vayu Purana, stand for three dierent aspects
Taraka who was to be destroyed by Kartikeya. Parvati
of Agni (re): Pvaka is the electric re, Pvaman is the
awoke from her meditative state and found out that her
re produced by friction, and uchi is the solar re. Every
son was missing. She was enraged and came rushing out
re has a corresponding relation to one of the human psyof the cave to which she encountered the Devas and their
chic faculties. They also represent body, spirit and soul,
preceptor, Brihaspati. They informed her that Agni had
and body.[31] Abhimni, his three sons, and their 45 sons
taken her son and only did so to ensure their sons proconstitute the 49 mystic res of the Puranas, especially
tection. This made Parvati extremely furious and she atthe Agni Purana.
tained her Adishakti form which caused lightning and all
Agneya is the daughter of Agni and the Hindu Goddess other calamities to begin on Earth. In anger, she cursed
of Fire. Medh (intelligence) is Agnis sister.[29]
the Devas that their wives would be infertile and never
enjoy parental happiness furthermore. She cursed Agni
that he would be an all-consumer, adding that he would
be unable to dierentiate between pure and impure and
6.3 Purier
that all who touched him would turn into ash (bhasma)
and because of the impurities in his food, he would be
Oended by Agni, Bhrigu had cursed Agni to become surrounded by thick black smoke forever. At the nick of
the devourer of all things on this earth, but Brahma mod- time, Shiva came out of the cave and calmed down Paried that curse and made Agni the purier of all things vati promising her that he himself would nd their son.
She assumed her normal form and went back inside the
he touched.[32]
cave. Shiva later found Agni and blessed him that despite
Parvatis curse, he would always be holy.[34]

6.4

The Khandava Forest

6.6 King Shibi

In the Khandava-daha Parva (Mahabharata CCXXV),

Agni in the guise of a Brahmin is seen to approach
Krishna and Arjuna seeking sucient food for gratication of his hunger; and on being asked about the kind
of food which would gratify, Agni expressed the desire
to consume the forest of Khandava protected by Indra
for the sake of Takshaka, the chief of the Nagas, Agni
wanted to regain his own nature which him having drunk
claried butter for twelve years had dulled at the sacrice
of Swetaki. Aided by Krishna and Arjuna, Agni consumed the Khandava Forest, which burnt for fteen days,
sparing only Aswasena, Maya, and the four birds called
sarangakas; later, as a boon Arjuna got all his weapons
from Indra and also the bow, Gandiva, from Varuna.[33]

There is the story about King Shibi who was tested by

Agni assuming the form of a pigeon and by Indra assuming the form of a hawk; Shibi oered his own esh to
the hawk in exchange of pigeons life. The pigeon which
had sought Shibis shelter was thus saved by the kings
sacrice.[35]

6.7 Fire ordeal

Agnipariksh or 'the Fire ordeal' has Agni as the witness.
Sita was forced to undergo this ordeal to prove her virtue.
Agni redeemed the original Sita from the wrath and con-

7.2

Paubandha - animal sacrice

demnation of her husband and her community.[36]

Rituals

5
7.1.2 Contemporary re ritual
Hindus consider it as the duty of a man to perform Agnihotra. The main oering is milk, and at the end, the
sacricer oers four water oblations, to the gods, to father and the fathers, to the seven seers and to Agni on
earth.[39]
The priest invokes Agni through Agni in his sacricial
form; the sacricial form of Agni is the Sun which shining
brightly appears to all men. The priest also invokes Vayu
which is Agnis own greatness. Therefore, Agni as the
deity is treated dierently from Agni, the messenger who
carries oblations to the gods. The sacricial form of Agni
is Aditya and Vayu.[40]
7.1.3 Ritual versus knowledge

Shankara in his commentary on the Brahma Sutras states

that the rightful observance of the agnihotra and other
rites are meant for those desirous of attaining Heaven
Vedic rituals all involve Agni. Agni is present in many and other enjoyments, and the understanding of the rightphases of life such as honouring of a birth (diva lamp), ful doctrine of the Soul is meant for those desirous of
[41]
prayers (diva lamp), at weddings (the yajna where the emancipation.
bride and groom circle the re seven times) and at death
(cremation).
A Hindu Marriage Ceremony in progress.

7.2

7.1

Agnihotra yajna - sacricial re

Main article: Agnihotra

The Agnihotra is the sacricial re. Agnihotra is believed to free the yajmna (the performer of the yajna)
from evil and death, both signied by Agni.[37] Prajapati
had to create milk as food for the hungry Agni and perform the rst act of Agnihotra to avoid death and preserve
his own existence.[37]

Paubandha - animal sacrice

During Vedic times, Pasuyaja, animal sacrices to propriate Agni, were frequently made. The animal to be sacriced was tied to an octoganal wooden stake called yupa,
be it a he-goat, a horse or a bull. The entire ceremony
was supervised and co-ordinated by an adhvaryu, because
this ritual called for the completeness of the sacrice to
meet the demands of the liturgical rules.[42] Niruddhapasubandhayajna involving immolation of a he-goat was
an obligatory rite performed once in six months or once a
year with the aid of six priests to appease Indra and Agni,
with Surya and Prajapati as deities.[43]

The Rig Veda does not make a direct reference to animal

sacrice,[44] but in Rig Veda mantra VIII.43.11,[note 6]
7.1.1 Vedic times
which is addressed to Agni, rishi Virupa Angirasa invites
The Agnihotris once maintained a perpetual re in their all devout to pray to Agni, who is called ukshnna and
is, the eater of bulls (uksha) and barren
homes. This ritual ceremony was conducted on important vanna, that
[note 7][45]
cows
(va).
and auspicious occasions. In many homes prayers are still
oered to Agni (re).
The Shatapatha Brahmana (VI.ii.1.2-3) speaks about the
The sage of the Atharvaveda (Sukta 19.55.3) prays to the ve animals or sacricial victims, man, bull, horse, ram
re for happiness and peace, for a happy temperament, and he-goat, which Agni enters and becomes. The same
who is sacriced as animal
resolve and good health, for strength and mental content- text explains that it is Agni
[46]
victim
(SB
XIII.ii.7.13).
ment, and as the ladder to spirituality. The sage also states
that Agnihotra destroys enemies.[note 5]
Shatapatha Brahmana (SB 3.1.3.18) tells us that Agnihotra should be performed by the performer knowing that he
will gain the strength and victories gained by Agni who
conquered the earth, Vayu, the air and Surya, the sky,
with whom he shares the world; and the same text further
tells us that the Agnihotra, doubtless, is the Sun.[38]

7.3 Agni-rahasya
Agni-rahasya, the secret of re, is the esoteric interpretation of the re-altars. The re-altars are re-interpreted
as symbolic representations of the mind, and its connection the Absolute reality. In these interpretations, vari-

8 KNOWLEDGE
modes, one for each day of life spanning one hundred
years, which correlates to the mind-generated bricks of
the altar. The re is lighted up by the mind itself, thus
establishing mental connection to the prescribed Vedic
ritual acts or rites.[52]
Badarayana[note 13] and Jaimini[note 14] both agree that the
res of the mind and speech of Agni-rahasya are not parts
of any concrete ritual, but refer to conceptual res, which
are meditations, which are not subservient to rites.[53]

Yajna being performed at Vishnu Yangna Kunda on the occasion of Kumbhabhishekam of renovated Gunjanarsimhaswamy
Temple at Tirumakudal Narsipur.

8 Knowledge

One of Agnis epithets is Abhimni (from Sanskrit: abhi

(towards) + man (the verbal root man 'to think', 'reect
upon') meaning dignied, proud; longing for, thinking.
ous meanings are stringes together, to reach a new under- Agni is worshipped as the symbol of piety and purity; as
standing.
expression of two kinds of energy i.e. light and heat, he
is the symbol of life and activity.
7.3.1

Fire-altars

The terrestrial world, the air, the sky and the sun are spoken of as the re-altars, with all things on and in them
as various bricks, making up the whole of Agni. The
tenth book of the Shatapatha Brahmana[note 8] says that
the re-altar is the mind, and that the mind is prior to
breath (Prana) and speech (Vac).[47] It also describes the
benets of the Vjapeya and the Rjasya sacrices,[48]
identies the person residing in the sun with the person
residing in the right eye, and proclaims the meditation on
Brahman as the Mind.[note 9][49]
7.3.2

Tura Kvasheya

The Shatapatha Brahmana[note 10] ) and the Aitareya

Brahmana[note 11] speak of Tura Kvasheya, the teacher
of the Agni-rahasya doctrine, who built a re-altar to
the gods at Karoti. He was the purohit of Janamejaya,
son of Parikshit, to whom the Mahabharata was recited. Tura Kavasheya had received this knowledge from
Prajapati who had in his own turn received it from the
self-existent Brahman. This knowledge nally teaches
that the Ashvamedha is the yonder shining sun, which
is Agni, which is Brahman; the year is his body; Agni
is Arka and the worlds are his bodies; and both Arka
and Ashvamedha combine to become one deity, Death,
knowing this one conquers Death.[note 12] [50][51]
7.3.3

The re of the mind

The Brahmana tells us that the mind saw itself as thirtysix thousand; it saw the adorable res as belonging to itself, lighted up by the mind, and conceived as identical
with the mental modes.
There are thirty-six thousand mano-vrittis or 'mental

8.1 Fire-symbolism
Agni denotes the natural element re, the supernatural
deity symbolized by re and the inner natural will aspiring
for the highest knowledge.[54][55][56]
Heat, combustion and energy is the realm of Agni which
symbolizes the transformation of the gross to the subtle; Agni is the life-giving energy.[57] Agnibija is the consciousness of tapas (proto-cosmic energy); agni (the energizing principle); the sun, representing the Reality (Brahman) and the Truth (Satya), is Rta, the order, the organizing principle of everything that is.[58]

8.2 The one who knows

Agni, who is addressed as Atithi ('guest'), is also called
, meaning the one who knows all things that
are born, created or produced.[59] He is the god of willpower, united with wisdom. The Vedic people knew human will-power to be a feeble projection of this power
which they believed could be strengthened by the Rig
Vedic chants to Agni.[60]
The Kanvasatpathabrahmanam (SB.IV.i.iv.11) calls
Agni wisdom and the ind.[note 15][61] Rishi Bharadavaja Barhaspatya, in a mantra addressed to Agni
Vaishvanara[note 16] calls Agni the mind swiftest among
(all) those that y.[62]
Rishi Praskanva states that Agni represents great learning
and enlightening wisdom, which ought to be sought, located and humbly approached. Agni excites Buddhi (reason and intellect), the perceiving and the determining factor, and by illuminating the mind it makes one understand
and comprehend the truth
(Rig Veda I.xliv.7).

8.3

Vedic rishis

Agni is the essence of the knowledge of Existence. The

Vedic Rishis held Agni to be responsible for the manifestation of gods for the mortal beings, who then come to
know them and worship them by the mind.[note 17] They
pray[note 18] for Agni, which is the essence of the knowledge of existence, to increase its own strength or power,
which is within all human beings, to enable them to cultivate strong conviction and belief, without which there
cannot develop a meaningful faith and deep devotion to
support a dedicated mind.[63] With Agnis increase ignorance and all delusions are wholly destroyed, without nescience to be taken for granted, and the human form assumed by Brahman is erased from the mind.[64]

8.4

Upanishads

The Kena Upanishad says that Agni was the rst to discover Brahmans nature, limits and identity. The Vedic
gods manifest themselves in man, and assume the appearance of human limitations.[65] 'Knowledge', 'faith'
and 'works, these three, because of their connection
with human faculties, are not without their respective
limitations,[66] and it is the mortal body harbouring within
it the individual self and the Universal Self that remains
bound by limitations.[67]
Agni symbolises the soul; it is the power of change that
cannot be limited or overcome. Light, heat, colour and
energy are merely its outer attributes; inwardly, agni impels consciousness, perception and discernment.[68]
Raja Rishi Chitra, describing the path of Jnana, states
He (at the time of death), having reached the path of
the gods, comes to the world of agni, to the world of
vayu;"[note 19][69] this leads to the Brahmaloka, the sphere
of Brahman. This is the path taken by the enlightened
souls with transcendental knowledge.[70]

The Shiva-linga represents that pillar of re which

is Agni.[72][73]
Sarama, the Goddess of Intuition: in a hymn in
praise of Agni,[note 23] Rishi Parara ktya speaks
of Saram, the Goddess of Intuition, the forerunner of the dawn of Truth in the Human mind, who
nds the Truth which is lost.[note 24] It is Saram who
is a power of the Truth, whose cows are the rays
of the dawn of illumination and who awakens man
who nds Agni standing in the supreme seat and
goal.[74][75]
Vayu and Soma: in the Vedas, Agni, Vayu and Soma
or 're' (light and heat), 'air' (energy and action) and
'water', are the principal deities. Agni brings the
subject and the object together and establishes a relation between the two (sambandha); Vyu causes
that relation to evolve (abhidheya), and whose activity Soma directs converting forms into pleasure
that consciousness enjoys (prayojna). These three
shaktis are involved in all material and spiritual vedic
rituals.[76]
Vayu and Jala: Agni, Vayu and Jala are three of
the three-fold eight fundamental qualities of intelligence, i.e. eight in terms of the value of consciousness, eight in terms of the devata quality of consciousness and eight in terms of the chhandas quality
of consciousness.[77]
Diti: in a sukta addressed to Agni,[note 25] Vamadeva
calls Agni as Diti () which word is to be read
as Aditi, the all devouring Death.[78][note 26] Aditi is
an ancient Rig Vedic deity; she is the divine mother
of all Vedic gods and therefore, is the source of all
things. Her womb, protected by Vishnu, is the navel
of prithvi. Aditi means boundlessness.[80]

10 Agni and Hindu astrology

9

Relation with other gods

Jyotia, the study of astronomy and astrology, is one of

the six vedangas or limbs of the Vedas. The rst drekkana
of Taurus and Virgo sign is ruled by Agni, and the 10th
Agni is often identied with other gods:
shashtiamsa (1/60th part of the sign) is the Agni-amsa.[81]
Varuna and Mitra: in the evening he becomes Persons born in ery signs ruled by Agni are enthusiastic,
[82]
Varuna, when he rises in the morning he becomes energetic but accident prone. The 3rd nakshatra (constellation) beginning with Ashvin is ruled by Agni.[83]
Mitra.
Indra: Agni is Indra's twin, and therefore a son of
Dyaus Pita and Prthivi. Agni is also called VishvaVedh,[note 20] dawn, which refers both to Indra,
the Protector, and to the all-knowing Agni.[71]
Rudra: in the Rig Veda Agni is addressed as Rudra,
bringing together two distinct but destructive aspects of nature, namely storm and re.[note 21][note 22]
The Linga Purana tells us that a pillar of re
(stambha) appeared before Brahma and Vishnu.

11 Buddhism
In the Buddhism of the Far East, Agni is one of the
twelve Devas, as guardian deities, who are found in or
).[84] In Japan,
around Buddhist shrines (Jni-ten,
[85]
he has been called Ka-ten.
He joins these other
eleven Devas of Buddhism, found in Japan and other parts
of southeast Asia: Indra (Taishaku-ten), Agni (Ka-ten),

15

REFERENCES

Yama (Emma-ten), Nirrti (Rasetsu-ten), Vayu (Fu-ten), [10] IX.v.2.15

Ishana (Ishana-ten), Kubera (Tamon-ten), Varuna (Sui[11] IV.27, VII.34
ten) Brahma (Bon-ten), Prithvi (Chi-ten), Surya (Nit[86][85][87]
ten), Chandra (Gat-ten).
[12] SB X.vi.5.8-9
[13] Brahma Sutras III.iii.44

12

Ayurvedic conception

Agni is an important entity in Ayurveda. Agni is the ery

metabolic energy of digestion, allows assimilation of food
while ridding the body of waste and toxins, and transforms dense physical matter into subtle forms of energy
the body needs. Jathar-agni determines the production of
hydrochloric acid in the stomach, Bhuta-agni determines
the production of bile in the liver, Kloma-agni determines
the production of sugar-digesting pancreatic enzymes and
so forth. The nature and quality of these agnis depend on
ones dosha which can be vata, pitta or kapha.[88]

[14] Jaimini Sutras III.iii.14

[15]
[16] Rig Veda VI.ix.5
[17]
(Rig Veda (I.77.2)
[18] (Rig Veda (I.79.11)
[19]
(Kaushitaki Upanishad I.3)
[20] , appearing in the Taittiriya Samhita
(IV.iii.2.10)
, and in the Rig Veda:
*

Agni is also known as Vaisvanara, food.[note 27] Just as the

illuminating power in the re is a part of Agnis own effulgence, even so the heating power in the foods digestive
and appetizing power is also a part of Agnis energy or
[21] According to atarudriya (oblation) section of the
potency.[89]
Yajurveda

13

See also

Apris
Atar (Zoroastrian yazata of re)
Hindu deities
Eternal ame

14

Notes

[1] According to tradition, Agni rst appeared in the heavens

in the form of lightening. His second birth was among the
human beings as Jtaveda (learned by birth). His third
birth was in water (Rig Veda I.45.1).[5]

[22] In a prayer (R.V.I.27.10) addressed to Agni, the sage

prays ":
[23] (Rig Veda I.72.8)
[24] He says
Saram discovered the strong and wide
places of the hidden knowledge; this discovery brings happiness to all human beings.
[25] "

[26] The same as is stated in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

(I.ii.5): And whatever he (Death) brought forth, that he
resolved to eat; verily because he eats everything, therefore, it is Aditi (Death) called Aditi.[79]
[27] In Shrimad Bhagavad Gita (Sloka 15.14) it is said: ":

[2] See Agni Purana

[3] Rig Veda X.v.7:
[4]

agnim purhita yajasya dvam tvijam
[5] - Atharvaveda 9.2.6
[6]
[7] During those times the slaying of a barren cow was an
essential feature of funeral ceremonies.

15 References
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[4] The Nighantu and the Nirukta. Motilal Banarsidass. p.

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[9] mind is to be meditated upon as

Brahman, Chandogya Upanishad III.xviii.1

[5] Who is Agni: Prophet or Parameshwar.

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pp. 18, 21.

[52] David Shulman. More than Real. Harvard University

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[27] Sonya Rhie Quantanilla. History of Early Stone Sculpture

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p.

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16 External links
Media related to Agni (God) at Wikimedia Commons
Encyclopedia Britannica, Agni

11

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