Changes

*    '''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 Veda 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 [[Astadikpalakas (अष्टदिक्पालकाः)|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 [[Astadikpalakas (अष्टदिक्पालकाः)|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.

Agni is the very personification of the sacrificial fire. He is associated with Vedic sacrifice, taking offerings of men to the other world in his fire. He is the priest of the gods, and the god of the priests. Through ''yajna'' he carries the oblations to the gods, to ensure the continuance of conditions favorable to mankind. No devata is approachable without the medium of Agni, and no divinity is without the presence of Agni.       

Agni is the very personification of the sacrificial fire. He is associated with Vedic sacrifice, taking offerings of men to the other world in his fire. He is the priest of the gods, and the god of the priests. Through ''yajna'' he carries the oblations to the gods, to ensure the continuance of conditions favorable to mankind. No devata is approachable without the medium of Agni, and no divinity is without the presence of Agni.       

=== अग्निर्होता ॥ Agni as Hota ===

=== अग्निर्होता ॥ Agni as Hota ===

In the Vedic literature, Agni occupies, after Indra, the most important position. He occupies a prominent place in the Vedas (both as a deity and as a mantra-drastha) and particularly the Brahmanas. There are over 200 hymns addressed to and in praise of Agni. Apart from that Agni also has the role of a mantra-drashta as to him are revealed many mantras of the 9th Mandala of Rig veda.     

In the Vedic literature, Agni occupies, after Indra, the most important position. He occupies a prominent place in the Vedas (both as a deity and as a mantra-drastha) and particularly the Brahmanas.   Agni also has the role of a mantra-drashta as to him are revealed many mantras of the 9th Mandala of Rig veda.     

The first mantra of the Rig veda (1.1.1) starts with the word Agni of the Agni sukta and and thereafter many mantras and suktas are given lauding his role in the existence of life forms.  Rig Veda mantras (1.26.1 to 10) extols the role of Agni as the  वरेण्य: (distinguished or chief ) पूर्व्य होता (Sanatana Yagnakarta).     

The first mantra of the Rig veda (1.1.1) starts with the word Agni of the Agni sukta and and thereafter many mantras and suktas are given lauding his role in the existence of life forms.  Rig Veda mantras (1.26.1 to 10) extol the role of Agni as the  वरेण्य: (distinguished or chief ) पूर्व्य होता (Sanatana Yagnakarta).     

The Taittiriya samhita outlines the different activities of a householder as the one who tends the Agnihotra for the welfare of nature, animals and plants and fellow human beings.     

The Taittiriya samhita outlines the different activities of a householder as the one who tends the Agnihotra for the welfare of nature, animals and plants and fellow human beings.     

=== शिबिचक्रवर्तिः ॥ Shibi Chakravarty ===

=== शिबिचक्रवर्तिः ॥ Shibi Chakravarty ===

Shibi (Usheenara) Chakravarthy, belonging to the Ikshvaku dynasty, the ancestor of Bhagavan Sri Rama, was famous for his righteousness and charity. Indradeva who wanted to test his daatrutvam (sense of charity), assumed the form of an eagle and Agnideva assumed the form of a dove who was a prey to the eagle. The dove takes sharanagati or  refuge in Shibi Charavarty, who then offered an equal weight of his own flesh to the eagle in exchange of dove's life.  Assuming the dove to weigh a little, Shibi offered a portion of his flesh, but soon he had to offer himself as the food to the eagle. Shibi's sacrifice for the bird was highly praised and both Agni and Indra offered him a place in the heavens in return (Mahabharata, Vanaparva Chapter 131).

Shibi (Usheenara) Chakravarthy, belonging to the Ikshvaku dynasty, the ancestor of Bhagavan Sri Rama, was famous for his righteousness and charity. Indradeva who wanted to test his daatrutvam (sense of charity), assumed the form of an eagle and Agnideva assumed the form of a dove who was a prey to the eagle. The dove takes sharanagati or  refuge in Shibi Charavarty, who then offered an equal weight of his own flesh to the eagle in exchange of dove's life.  Assuming the dove to weigh a little, Shibi offered a portion of his flesh, but soon he had to offer himself as the food to the eagle. Shibi's sacrifice for the bird was highly praised and both Agni and Indra offered him a place in the heavens in return (Mahabharata, Vanaparva Chapter 131).

== Ayurvedic Perspective ==

== Ayurvedic Perspective ==

Agni is an important vital entity in Ayurveda. Agni is the indispensable agent involved in the process of Paaka (Digestion and transformation).  Different Ayurvedic texts mention that Agni is Pitta, one of the tridoshas of the human body, which are vaata, pitta and kapha.  Different texts mention different numbers of Agni present in the body, however according to the function and site of action there are 13 in number - 1 Jatharagni, 5 Bhutagnis and 7 Dhatvaagni.  

Agni is an important vital entity in Ayurveda. Agni is the indispensable agent involved in the process of Paaka (Digestion and transformation).  Different Ayurvedic texts mention that Agni is Pitta, one of the tridoshas of the human body, which are vaata, pitta and kapha.  Different texts mention different numbers of Agni present in the body, however according to the function and site of action there are 13 in number - 1 Jatharagni, 5 Bhutagnis and 7 Dhatvaagni.