Changes

   

   

Agni (Sanskrit: अग्निः) means Fire, Lighting, Purifier.  The Vedas place Agni, the deity of fire, in a key place in Vedic mantras.  

Agni (Sanskrit: अग्निः) means Fire, Lighting, Purifier.  The Vedas place Agni, the deity of fire, in a key place in Vedic mantras.

== Introduction ==

==   Introduction ==

A large number of them are devoted to describing and praising Him. Some of his attributes are described as follows:  

A large number of them are devoted to describing and praising Him. Some of his attributes are described as follows:  

* '''Panchabhutas''' : Fire is one of the Panchabhutas or the Five traditional elemental forces that make up the world of matter.   

*   '''Panchabhutas''' : Fire is one of the Panchabhutas or the Five traditional elemental forces that make up the world of matter.   

* '''Bearer of Sacrificial Offerings''' : The presiding deity of tejas, fire and heat, Agni is revered as the receiver of oblations and sacrifices of men on behalf of the Devatas.  

*   '''Bearer of Sacrificial Offerings''' : The presiding deity of tejas, fire and heat, Agni is revered as the receiver of oblations and sacrifices of men on behalf of the Devatas.  

* '''First Rig Suktam''' :  Fire has a very prominent place since the Vedic period and the Rig Veda starts with the Agni sukta (Agnimeele purohitam...). Agni is second only to Indra in power and importance attributed to him in Vedic literature, with 218 out of 1,028 hymns of the Rigveda dedicated to him. With Varuna and Indra he is one of the supreme gods in the Rig Veda.

*   '''First Rig Suktam''' :  Fire has a very prominent place since the Vedic period and the Rig Veda starts with the Agni sukta (Agnimeele purohitam...). Agni is second only to Indra in power and importance attributed to him in Vedic literature, with 218 out of 1,028 hymns of the Rigveda dedicated to him. With Varuna and Indra he is one of the supreme gods in the Rig Veda.

* '''Dikpalaka''' : He is the one of the [[अष्टदिक्पालकाः ॥ Astadikpalakas]] or the presiding deities of the eight directions as described in Devi bhagavatam (Chap. 8).  Among them He is the आग्नेयदिशादिपतिः ॥ Aagneyadishadhipati  or the sovereign guardian of the Aagneya direction or the south-east quarter.

*   '''Dikpalaka''' : He is the one of the [[अष्टदिक्पालकाः ॥ Astadikpalakas]] or the presiding deities of the eight directions as described in Devi bhagavatam (Chap. 8).  Among them He is the आग्नेयदिशादिपतिः ॥ Aagneyadishadhipati  or the sovereign guardian of the Aagneya direction or the south-east quarter.

* '''Swaroopa/Nature''' : He has a five-fold existence and manifests as the  

* '''Swaroopa/Nature''' : He has a five-fold existence and manifests as the  

** Fire (Flame or Agni) on the Bhuva or Earth  

** Fire (Flame or Agni) on the Bhuva or Earth  

** Lightning in the Aakasha or Sky  

** Lightning in the Aakasha or Sky  

Kravyaad (क्रव्याद) is the form of Agni which consumes corpses, the fire of the funeral pyre; the fire that burns the corpses can consume everything. In this form, after one’s death and at the time of cremation, Agni heats up and burns the body (SB 2.2.4.8) and is the fastest way to unite the body's panchabhutas (five elements) back into them. Agni thus releases the Jeevatma from the body, and the soul then starts its ascent to the higher realms based on its Karma.  

Kravyaad (क्रव्याद) is the form of Agni which consumes corpses, the fire of the funeral pyre; the fire that burns the corpses can consume everything. In this form, after one’s death and at the time of cremation, Agni heats up and burns the body (SB 2.2.4.8) and is the fastest way to unite the body's panchabhutas (five elements) back into them. Agni thus releases the Jeevatma from the body, and the soul then starts its ascent to the higher realms based on its Karma.  

=== देवता स्वरुपम् '''॥ Agnid'''evata Swaroopam ===

=== देवता स्वरुपम् '''॥ Agnid'''evata Swaroopam ===

==== Birth and Family ====

==== Birth and Family ====

There are different statements in puranas about the origin of Agni. Agni descended from Vishnu in the following order according to Puranic Encyclopedia (based on Bhagavata and Mahabharata) :  Vishnu - Brahma - Angiras - Brihaspati - Agni.  

There are different statements in puranas about the origin of Agni. Agni descended from Vishnu in the following order according to Puranic Encyclopedia (based on Bhagavata and Mahabharata) :  Vishnu - Brahma - Angiras - Brihaspati - Agni.  

Mahabharata Aanushasana parva (Chap. 85) mentions the association of the Sami tree and Agni devata.  After the curse of Bhrugu maharshi Agni hides himself in different places and ultimately devas find him in the Sami tree. Hence this tree is sacred and since this finding out of Agni after a long absence is like a rebirth, the Puranas mention it as being born from Sami Tree.   

Mahabharata Aanushasana parva (Chap. 85) mentions the association of the Sami tree and Agni devata.  After the curse of Bhrugu maharshi Agni hides himself in different places and ultimately devas find him in the Sami tree. Hence this tree is sacred and since this finding out of Agni after a long absence is like a rebirth, the Puranas mention it as being born from Sami Tree.   

=== King Shibi ===

=== King Shibi ===

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 offered his own flesh to the hawk in exchange of pigeon's life. The pigeon which had sought Shibi's shelter was thus saved by the king's sacrifice.^[35] === Fire Ordeal === ''Agniparikshā'' 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 condemnation of her husband and her community.^[36]  ==

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 offered his own flesh to the hawk in exchange of pigeon's life. The pigeon which had sought Shibi's shelter was thus saved by the king's sacrifice.^[35]  

 

=== Ramayana ===

''Agniparikshā'' 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 condemnation of her husband and her community.  

== Discussion ==

== Discussion ==

# SD 2:247

# SD 2:247

# Rig Veda I.xliv.4

# Rig Veda I.xliv.4

 

#

# Adrian Snodgrass (2007), The Symbolism of the Stupa, Motilal Banarsidass,<nowiki>ISBN 978-8120807815</nowiki>, pages 120-124, 298-300