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'''Panchagnividyā''' ([[Sanskrit (संस्कृत)|Sanskrit]]: पञ्चाग्निविद्या) deals with the essential principle of how life is seen in [[Sanatana Dharma (सनातन धर्म)|सनातन धर्म || Sanatana Dharma]].  Every aspect of life is a Yagna or divine activity, not just an action or labour.  Yagna is a continuous activity offered to divinity on a moment to moment basis. ''Panchagni vidyā'' is a specific kind of ''[[vidyā|विद्या || vidyā]]'' taught by the royal sage, [[प्रावहन  जैवली| Prāvāhana Jaivali]] to [[श्वेतकेतु|Svetaketu]], the son of [[Aruni|Uddālaka Āruni]].  

'''Panchagnividyā''' ([[Sanskrit (संस्कृत)|Sanskrit]]: पञ्चाग्निविद्या) deals with the essential principle of Origin of Life in [[Sanatana Dharma (सनातन धर्म)|सनातन धर्म || Sanatana Dharma]].  Every aspect of life is a Yagna or divine activity, not just an action or labour.  Yagna is a continuous activity offered to divinity on a moment to moment basis.  

''Panchagni vidyā'' belonged to the [[Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय)|क्षत्रिय || Kśatriyas]]. Uddālaka Āruni was the first ब्राह्मण || [[Brahmin]] to receive this knowledge. Pravāhana Jaivali, who was well-versed in उद्गीथ || [[Samaveda|udgitha]], held that the Universe exhibits at every stage the principle of sacrifice.

''Panchagni vidyā'' is a specific kind of ''[[Vidyā|विद्या || vidyā]]'' taught by the royal sage,  [[प्रावहन जैवली|Prāvāhana Jaivali]] to [[श्वेतकेतु|Svetaketu]], the son of [[Aruni|Uddālaka Āruni]].  It was vested with the [[Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय)|क्षत्रिय || Kśatriyas]]<nowiki/>and Uddālaka Āruni was the first ब्राह्मण || [[Brahmin]] to receive this knowledge. Pravāhana Jaivali, who was well-versed in उद्गीथ || [[Samaveda|udgitha]], held that the Universe exhibits at every stage the principle of sacrifice.  

== परिचय || Introduction ==

== परिचय || Introduction ==

This ''vidyā'' or knowledge appears in the छान्दोग्य उपनिषद् || [[Chandogya Upanishad]] (Chapter V 3-10) and the [[बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद |बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् || Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]] (Chapter VI.2).  

''Panchagni'' ''vidyā'' or knowledge appears in the छान्दोग्य उपनिषद् || [[Chandogya Upanishad]] (Chapter V 3-10) and the [[बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद|बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् || Brihadaranyaka Upanishad]] (Chapter VI.2).  

The [[Chandogya Upanishad]], which belongs to the कौथुम शाखा || ''Kauthuma Śākhā'' of the [[Samaveda|Sāma Veda]], conceives the whole universal activity of creation as a kind of ''[[yajna]]'' ('sacrifice') where everything is connected; this sacrifice/knowledge is known as the ''Panchagni vidyā''.

The [[Chandogya Upanishad]], which belongs to the कौथुम शाखा || ''Kauthuma Śākhā'' of the [[Samaveda|Sāma Veda]], conceives the whole universal activity of creation as a kind of ''[[yajna]]'' ('sacrifice') where everything is connected; this sacrifice/knowledge is known as the ''Panchagni vidyā''.

As an introduction to पञ्चाग्निविद्या, the [[Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय) | क्षत्रिय || Kshatriya]] King told the brahmin, "you are the first one among the Brahmans to receive this knowledge, until now it was known only to Kshatriyas." 

Panchagni means Five Agnis or Fires. In vedic and puranic literature Panchagni has been used for performing severe austerities. There are many instances of penance or tapas for thousands of years, performed by different celestial beings including Kubera, Parvati and asuras such as Mahisha and Tarakasura, by standing or sitting in the midst of five sets of fires called Panchagni.  Such a penance is said to be very austere and is performed with an intention to please Brahma or the others in Trinity for obtaining material boons.  

According to Puranic Encyclopaedia, RohinI, a daughter and Soma, a son and an Agni, were born to Nisha the third wife of Manu. Besides them they begot five sons in the form of Agni ( fire ) and these five are called Panchagnis. They are Vaisvanara,Visvapati, Sannihita, Kapila and Agranii.

This is how the King explains the essence of the BrahmaVidya. The Pancha Yagya (5 types of Fire) are,  

* [[द्युलोक|द्युलोक || dyulok]]: in this [[अग्नि|अग्नि || agni]] (fire), [[आदित्य|आदित्य || aditya]] (one of Sun’s twelve names) is the firewood, his rays are smoke in the fire, the Day are the flames, the moon is the ambers, stars are the sparks and in that fire the [[देवता|देवता || devata]] offer faith as oblation and perform the यज्ञ || यज्ञ. This is how the first level of creation, King [[सोम|सोम || Soma]] is born.   

 

* [[द्युलोक|द्युलोक || dyulok]]: in this [[अग्नि|अग्नि || agni]] (fire), [[आदित्य|आदित्य || aditya]] (one of Sun’s twelve names) is the firewood, his rays are smoke in the fire, the Day are the flames, the moon is the ambers, stars are the sparks and in that fire the [[देवता|देवता || devata]] offer faith as oblation and perform the यज्ञ || यज्ञ. This is how the first level of creation, [[सोम|सोम || Soma]] is born.   

* [[पर्जन्य|पर्जन्य || parjanya]]: here Wind God is wood, Clouds are the smoke, lightning is the Flame,  thunder is embers, the rumbling of the clouds is the spark of the fire. The just-created [[सोम|सोम || Soma]] at the first level is offered by the देवता as oblation to [[पर्जन्य|पर्जन्य || parjanya]]. That born during the second stage of creation is Rain.  

* [[पर्जन्य|पर्जन्य || parjanya]]: here Wind God is wood, Clouds are the smoke, lightning is the Flame,  thunder is embers, the rumbling of the clouds is the spark of the fire. The just-created [[सोम|सोम || Soma]] at the first level is offered by the देवता as oblation to [[पर्जन्य|पर्जन्य || parjanya]]. That born during the second stage of creation is Rain.  

* [[पृथ्वी|पृथ्वी || prithvi]] (Earth): In this fire, संवत्सर || sanvatsar (One year) is the firewood,  the Sky is smoke, Nights are the flame, the directions are embers, the उपदिशा || upadisha (sub-directions) are sparks. The देवता || devta offer Rain, created at the second stage as oblation into पृथ्वी || prithvi. And from this fire, अन्न || Anna (all that is consumable, related to the sensorial level) is born.   

* [[पृथ्वी|पृथ्वी || prithvi]] (Earth): In this fire, संवत्सर || sanvatsaram (One year) is the firewood,  the Sky is smoke, Nights are the flame, the directions are embers, the उपदिशा || upadisha (sub-directions) are sparks. The देवता || devatas offer Rain, created at the second stage as oblation into पृथ्वी || prithvi. And from this fire, अन्न || Anna (all that is consumable, related to the sensorial level) is born.   

 

* [[स्त्री|स्त्री || stri]] (Woman). Into this fire, देवता || devta offer the वीर्य || virya (semen) of the पुरुष || purusha as oblation. In this fire, अपा || apaa (here denotes वीर्या || viryaa) is transformed into the masculine form and power of speech. This is the final stage, and the Creation born of this fire is encompassed by जरायु || Jarayu (old age) and stays within for nine or ten months and after birth until its life span. Before departing to परलोक || paraloka, it returns to the same source that it was created from, i.e. अग्नि || Agni.  

* [[पुरुष|पुरुष || purusha]]: वाक् || vak (power of speech) is the firewood, प्राण || prana is smoke, the tongue is the flame, the eyes are embers, the ears are the sparks. In the पुरुषाग्नि || purushagni (personified fire), the Devas offer अन्ना || anna (a grain) as oblation and from this appears वीर्य || Virya (semen).  

The activity of creation (or of manifestation of any object) begins with the birth of the child (or with the production of an atom or molecule) whom the cosmos produces and not parents alone, then the child’s presence is felt everywhere mainly because the universe is intimately inter-connected. The ''[[Shastra|शस्त्र || Śāstras]]'' teach that the macrocosm is in the microcosm; each manifestation is the quintessence of every particle of ''[[Prakṛti|प्रकृति || Prakrti]]'', and that ''Prakrti'' on its own accord takes care of each manifestation or birth and withdraws those manifestations as a part of the operation of the universal laws. This is the philosophical background of this ''vidyā'' which deals all events of manifestation not merely as the birth of a human child alone, and which ''vidyā'' is the contemplation of the mind in perceiving the reality that is transcendent to the visible parts of the inner sacrifice.

The activity of procreation (or of manifestation of any object) begins with the birth of the child (or with the production of an atom or molecule) whom the cosmos produces and not parents alone, then the child’s presence is felt everywhere mainly because the universe is intimately inter-connected. The ''[[Shastra|शस्त्र || Śāstras]]'' teach that the macrocosm is in the microcosm; each manifestation is the quintessence of every particle of ''[[Prakṛti|प्रकृति || Prakrti]]'', and that ''Prakrti'' on its own accord takes care of each manifestation or birth and withdraws those manifestations as a part of the operation of the universal laws. This is the philosophical background of this ''vidyā'' which deals all events of manifestation not merely as the birth of a human child alone, and which ''vidyā'' is the contemplation of the mind in perceiving the reality that is transcendent to the visible parts of the inner sacrifice.

== सम्वाद || Discussion ==

== सम्वाद || Discussion ==

While Panchagni Vidya is a part of Creation in Brahma Vidya as explained by the Chaandogya Upanishad, Chap 6, Naasadiya Sukta of the Rig veda explains more about the Creation of the Universe.   

While Panchagni Vidya is a part of Creation in Brahma Vidya as explained by the Chaandogya Upanishad, Chap 6, Naasadiya Sukta of the Rig veda explains more about the Creation of the Universe.   

==References (need 1-2 more)==

== References (need 1-2 more) ==

# Narayanacharya, K. S. (2011). ''Veda Sanskritiya Parichaya, Part I''. Hubli:​Sahitya Prakashana​.

# Narayanacharya, K. S. (2011). ''Veda Sanskritiya Parichaya, Part I''. Hubli:​Sahitya Prakashana​.

# Sharma, B. D. (). ''New Perspectives on Vedic and Ancient Indian Civilization''. World Assn. of Vedic Studies.

# Sharma, B. D. (). ''New Perspectives on Vedic and Ancient Indian Civilization''. World Assn. of Vedic Studies.