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A large number of mantras of the [[Rigveda (ऋग्वेदः)|Rigveda]] are devoted to describing and praising Agni. Some of the attributes are summarized as follows<ref name=":1">Vettam. Mani, (1975). ''[https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft Puranic encyclopaedia : A comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature].'' Delhi:Motilal Banasidass.</ref>:  

A large number of mantras of the [[Rigveda (ऋग्वेदः)|Rigveda]] are devoted to describing and praising Agni. Some of the attributes are summarized as follows<ref name=":1">Vettam. Mani, (1975). ''[https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft Puranic encyclopaedia : A comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature].'' Delhi:Motilal Banasidass.</ref>:  

*    '''पञ्चभूतः ॥ Panchabhuta''' : Fire is one of the Panchabhutas or the five traditional elemental forces that make up the world of matter.   

*    '''पञ्चभूतः ॥ Panchabhuta''' : 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 Yajnika Offerings''' : The presiding deity of tejas (fire and heat), Agni is revered as the receiver of oblations and yajnas of men on behalf of the devatas.  

*    '''First Rigveda Sukta''' :  Fire has a very prominent place since the Vedic period and the Rigveda starts with the Agni sukta (अग्निसूक्तम् ie. Agnimeele purohitam...). Agni is second only to [[Indra (इन्द्रः)|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 (वरुणः)|Varuna]] and Indra, he is one of the supreme gods in the Rigveda.

*    '''First Rigveda Sukta''' :  Fire has a very prominent place since the Vedic period and the Rigveda starts with the Agni sukta (अग्निसूक्तम् ie. Agnimeele purohitam...). Agni is second only to [[Indra (इन्द्रः)|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 (वरुणः)|Varuna]] and Indra, he is one of the supreme gods in the Rigveda.

*    '''दिक्पालकः ॥ Dikpalaka''' : He is the one of the [[Ashtadikpalakas (अष्टदिक्पालकाः)|Ashtadikpalakas]] (अष्टदिक्पालाकाः) or the presiding deities of the eight directions as described in Devi bhagavata (Chap. 8). Among them, He is the Agneyadishadhipati (आग्नेयदिशाधिपतिः), the sovereign guardian of the Agneya direction or the south-east quarter.

*    '''दिक्पालकः ॥ Dikpalaka''' : He is the one of the [[Ashtadikpalakas (अष्टदिक्पालकाः)|Ashtadikpalakas]] (अष्टदिक्पालाकाः) or the presiding deities of the eight directions as described in Devi bhagavata (Chap. 8). Among them, He is the Agneyadishadhipati (आग्नेयदिशाधिपतिः), the sovereign guardian of the Agneya direction or the south-east quarter.

* According to Kanva Shatapatha Brahmana (काण्वशतपथब्राह्मणम्)(1.2.4.2)<ref name=":8">Swaminathan. C. R. (2000). ''[http://ignca.nic.in/eBooks/KANVASATAPATHABRAHMAAAM_Vol_I.pdf Kanvasatapathabrahmanam, Volume 1.]'' New Delhi : Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts and Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd</ref>   

* According to Kanva Shatapatha Brahmana (काण्वशतपथब्राह्मणम्)(1.2.4.2)<ref name=":8">Swaminathan. C. R. (2000). ''[http://ignca.nic.in/eBooks/KANVASATAPATHABRAHMAAAM_Vol_I.pdf Kanvasatapathabrahmanam, Volume 1.]'' New Delhi : Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts and Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd</ref>   

<blockquote>स वा एषोऽग्रे देवतानामजायता तस्मादग्रिर्नामाग्रिर्ह वै नामैतद्यदग्निरित्याहुः स उ जातः पूर्वः प्रयाय तद्वैवास्य द्वितीयमग्रित्वं पूर्वं्हि यन्तमाहुरग्र एतीति ॥ (Kanv. Shat. Brah. 1.2.4.2)</blockquote><blockquote>sa vā eṣo'gre devatānāmajāyatā tasmādagrirnāmāgrirha vai nāmaitadyadagnirityāhuḥ sa u jātaḥ pūrvaḥ prayāya tadvaivāsya dvitīyamagritvaṃ pūrvaṃhi yantamāhuragra etīti ॥ (Kanv. Shat. Brah. 1.2.4.2)</blockquote>Meaning : This ( Agni) was born before the devatas. Therefore, he is known as Agri (अग्री). It is indeed Agri which they say as 'Agni'. Being born, he went ahead of others. That is indeed his second 'aheadness/firstness'. They say (of) one who goes first (before others) 'he goes ahead'.

<blockquote>स वा एषोऽग्रे देवतानामजायता तस्मादग्रिर्नामाग्रिर्ह वै नामैतद्यदग्निरित्याहुः स उ जातः पूर्वः प्रयाय तद्वैवास्य द्वितीयमग्रित्वं पूर्वं्हि यन्तमाहुरग्र एतीति ॥ (Kanv. Shat. Brah. 1.2.4.2)</blockquote><blockquote>sa vā eṣo'gre devatānāmajāyatā tasmādagrirnāmāgrirha vai nāmaitadyadagnirityāhuḥ sa u jātaḥ pūrvaḥ prayāya tadvaivāsya dvitīyamagritvaṃ pūrvaṃhi yantamāhuragra etīti ॥ (Kanv. Shat. Brah. 1.2.4.2)</blockquote>Meaning : This ( Agni) was born before the devatas. Therefore, he is known as Agri (अग्री). It is indeed Agri which they say as 'Agni'. Being born, he went ahead of others. That is indeed his second 'aheadness/firstness'. They say (of) one who goes first (before others) 'he goes ahead'.

* Agni is the god of fire and sacrifice, of divine knowledge, and is also associated with water. Agni, identified with energy and action, is the first emanation and the sacred spark hidden within all beings. Agni has three forms: 'fire', 'lightning' and 'the Sun'. Agni is the drying agent which neither wets nor moistens anything.   

* Agni is the god of fire and yajna, of divine knowledge, and is also associated with water. Agni, identified with energy and action, is the first emanation and the sacred spark hidden within all beings. Agni has three forms: 'fire', 'lightning' and 'the Sun'. Agni is the drying agent which neither wets nor moistens anything.   

== अग्निः यज्ञाः च ॥ Agni and Yajnas ==

== अग्निः यज्ञाः च ॥ Agni and Yajnas ==

=== एकाग्निः ॥ Ekagni (One Fire) ===

=== एकाग्निः ॥ Ekagni (One Fire) ===

Grhyagni (गृह्याग्निः)  is also called aupasanagni (औपासनाग्निः) since the daily rite of Aupasana (औपासनम्) is performed in it by the grhastha. It is the fire contained in one "kunda" and so it is called "ekagni ". Rites conducted in the family are included in the chapter called "Ekagni-kanda (एकाग्निकाण्डम्)" in the Apastamba-sutra <ref>Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamiji, (2000) ''[http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part5/chap5.htm Hindu Dharma (Collection of Swamiji's Speeches between 1907 to 1994)]''Mumbai : Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan</ref>. Agni acts as the intermediary between man and devatas as the divine sacrificial priest.  

Grhyagni (गृह्याग्निः)  is also called aupasanagni (औपासनाग्निः) since the daily rite of Aupasana (औपासनम्) is performed in it by the grhastha. It is the fire contained in one "kunda" and so it is called "ekagni ". Rites conducted in the family are included in the chapter called "Ekagni-kanda (एकाग्निकाण्डम्)" in the Apastamba-sutra <ref>Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamiji, (2000) ''[http://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part5/chap5.htm Hindu Dharma (Collection of Swamiji's Speeches between 1907 to 1994)]''Mumbai : Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan</ref>. Agni acts as the intermediary between man and devatas as the divine yajnika priest.  

In Rigveda, the first sukta, where  Agni is praised for his presence, he brings in all other deities to bless the yajnakarta (यज्ञकर्ता | performer of the vedic ritual) with abundance, wealth and fulfill the desires when pleased. Grhyagni  (गृह्याग्निः) or Aupasana Agni (औपासनाग्निः)and Shrautagni (श्रौताग्निः) are thus maintained by the grhasthas, and offerings (ghee, rice, purnahuti | पूर्णाहुतिः etc) are made to Agnideva to fulfill the worldly desires. The Taittiriya samhita (तैत्तिरीयसंहिता) outlines the different activities of a householder as the one who tends the Grhyagni for the welfare of nature, animals and plants and fellow human beings.  

In Rigveda, the first sukta, where  Agni is praised for his presence, he brings in all other deities to bless the yajnakarta (यज्ञकर्ता | performer of the vedic ritual) with abundance, wealth and fulfill the desires when pleased. Grhyagni  (गृह्याग्निः) or Aupasana Agni (औपासनाग्निः)and Shrautagni (श्रौताग्निः) are thus maintained by the grhasthas, and offerings (ghee, rice, purnahuti | पूर्णाहुतिः etc) are made to Agnideva to fulfill the worldly desires. The Taittiriya samhita (तैत्तिरीयसंहिता) outlines the different activities of a householder as the one who tends the Grhyagni for the welfare of nature, animals and plants and fellow human beings.  

Pleased with their offer of help, Agni gave Arjuna an arrow case which would never be empty, a chariot bearing Hanuman on the flag and four white horses and the famous Gandiva (गाण्डीवः) bow. To Krishna he gave the Chakrayudha (चक्रायुधः | discus). With the help of these military equipment,Krishna and Arjuna created a canopy of arrow against the downpour created by Indra and thus, Agni burned incessantly for fifteen days, and was cured of his stomach ailments.   

Pleased with their offer of help, Agni gave Arjuna an arrow case which would never be empty, a chariot bearing Hanuman on the flag and four white horses and the famous Gandiva (गाण्डीवः) bow. To Krishna he gave the Chakrayudha (चक्रायुधः | discus). With the help of these military equipment,Krishna and Arjuna created a canopy of arrow against the downpour created by Indra and thus, Agni burned incessantly for fifteen days, and was cured of his stomach ailments.   

==== हव्यवाहनः ॥ Havyavahana  ====

==== हव्यवाहनः ॥ Havyavahana  ====

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 yajnika fire. He is associated with Vedic yajna, 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 ॥ Agnirhota ====

==== अग्निर्होता ॥ Agnirhota ====

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 drashta | मन्त्रद्रष्टा ) 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 Rigveda. The first mantra of the Rigveda (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. Rigveda mantras (1.26.1 to 10) extol the role of Agni as the Varenya (वरेण्य: | distinguished or chief ), Purvya hota (पूर्व्यहोता), Sanatana Yajnakarta  (सनातन-यज्ञकर्ता)<ref name=":7">Pt. Sripada Damodara Satavalekar. (1985). ''Rigved ka Subodh Bhashya, Volume 1'', Parady: Svadhyaya Mandali</ref>.     

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 drashta | मन्त्रद्रष्टा ) 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 Rigveda. The first mantra of the Rigveda (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. Rigveda mantras (1.26.1 to 10) extol the role of Agni as the Varenya (वरेण्य: | distinguished or chief ), Purvya hota (पूर्व्यहोता), Sanatana Yajnakarta  (सनातन-यज्ञकर्ता)<ref name=":7">Pt. Sripada Damodara Satavalekar. (1985). ''Rigved ka Subodh Bhashya, Volume 1'', Parady: Svadhyaya Mandali</ref>.     

== मन्त्राः अर्थः च ॥ Verses and Meanings ==

== मन्त्राः अर्थः च ॥ Verses and Meanings ==

Rig veda mantras 1.26.1 to 10<ref>Rig Veda ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%82_%E0%A5%A7.%E0%A5%A8%E0%A5%AC Mandala 1, Sukta 26])</ref> praise Agni as the bearer of yajna havishya (यज्ञहविष्यम् । sacrificial offerings) from मर्त्याः (humans) to अमर्त्याः (celestial beings).

Rig veda mantras 1.26.1 to 10<ref>Rig Veda ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%8B%E0%A4%97%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%82_%E0%A5%A7.%E0%A5%A8%E0%A5%AC Mandala 1, Sukta 26])</ref> praise Agni as the bearer of yajna havishya (यज्ञहविष्यम् । yajnika offerings) from मर्त्याः (humans) to अमर्त्याः (celestial beings).

आजीगर्तिः शुनःशेप स कृत्रिमो वैश्वामित्रो देवरातः। अग्निः,। गायत्री।<blockquote>वसि॑ष्वा॒ हि मि॑येध्य॒ वस्त्रा॑ण्यूर्जां पते । सेमं नो॑ अध्व॒रं य॑ज ॥१</blockquote><blockquote>नि नो॒ होता॒ वरे॑ण्य॒: सदा॑ यविष्ठ॒ मन्म॑भिः । अग्ने॑ दि॒वित्म॑ता॒ वच॑: ॥२</blockquote><blockquote>आ हि ष्मा॑ सू॒नवे॑ पि॒तापिर्यज॑त्या॒पये॑ । सखा॒ सख्ये॒ वरे॑ण्यः ॥३</blockquote><blockquote>आ नो॑ ब॒र्ही रि॒शाद॑सो॒ वरु॑णो मि॒त्रो अ॑र्य॒मा । सीद॑न्तु॒ मनु॑षो यथा ॥४</blockquote><blockquote>पूर्व्य॑ होतर॒स्य नो॒ मन्द॑स्व स॒ख्यस्य॑ च । इ॒मा उ॒ षु श्रु॑धी॒ गिर॑: ॥५</blockquote><blockquote>यच्चि॒द्धि शश्व॑ता॒ तना॑ दे॒वंदे॑वं॒ यजा॑महे । त्वे इद्धू॑यते ह॒विः ॥ ६</blockquote><blockquote>प्रि॒यो नो॑ अस्तु वि॒श्पति॒र्होता॑ म॒न्द्रो वरे॑ण्यः । प्रि॒याः स्व॒ग्नयो॑ व॒यम् ॥७</blockquote><blockquote>स्व॒ग्नयो॒ हि वार्यं॑ दे॒वासो॑ दधि॒रे च॑ नः । स्व॒ग्नयो॑ मनामहे ॥८</blockquote><blockquote>अथा॑ न उ॒भये॑षा॒ममृ॑त॒ मर्त्या॑नाम् । मि॒थः स॑न्तु॒ प्रश॑स्तयः ॥९</blockquote><blockquote>विश्वे॑भिरग्ने अ॒ग्निभि॑रि॒मं य॒ज्ञमि॒दं वच॑: । चनो॑ धाः सहसो यहो ॥१०</blockquote>Transliteration: ājīgartiḥ śunaḥśepa sa kṛtrimo vaiśvāmitro devarātaḥ। agniḥ,। gāyatrī।<blockquote>vasiṣvā hi miyedhya vastrāṇyūrjāṃ pate । semaṃ no adhvaraṃ yaja ॥1॥ </blockquote><blockquote>ni no hotā vareṇyaḥ sadā yaviṣṭha manmabhiḥ । agne divitmatā vacaḥ ॥2॥ </blockquote><blockquote>ā hi ṣmā sūnave pitāpiryajatyāpaye । sakhā sakhye vareṇyaḥ ॥3॥ </blockquote><blockquote>ā no barhī riśādaso varuṇo mitro aryamā । sīdantu manuṣo yathā ॥4॥ </blockquote><blockquote>pūrvya hotarasya no mandasva sakhyasya ca । imā u ṣu śrudhī giraḥ ॥5॥ </blockquote><blockquote>yacciddhi śaśvatā tanā devaṃdevaṃ yajāmahe । tve iddhūyate haviḥ ॥6॥ </blockquote><blockquote>priyo no astu viśpatirhotā mandro vareṇyaḥ । priyāḥ svagnayo vayam ॥7॥ </blockquote><blockquote>svagnayo hi vāryaṃ devāso dadhire ca naḥ । svagnayo manāmahe ॥8॥ </blockquote><blockquote>athā na ubhayeṣāmamṛta martyānām । mithaḥ santu praśastayaḥ ॥9॥ </blockquote><blockquote>viśvebhiragne agnibhirimaṃ yajñamidaṃ vacaḥ । cano dhāḥ sahaso yaho ॥10॥</blockquote>Ishavasyopanishad Mantras (ईशावास्योपनिषद् मन्त्राः) 17 and 18<ref>Isavasyopanishad from [http://vedicheritage.gov.in/upanishads/ishavasyopanishad/ Vedic Heritage Portal]</ref> praise Agni as the witnessing divinity to all actions of individuals and guides the soul on path of immortality.

आजीगर्तिः शुनःशेप स कृत्रिमो वैश्वामित्रो देवरातः। अग्निः,। गायत्री।<blockquote>वसि॑ष्वा॒ हि मि॑येध्य॒ वस्त्रा॑ण्यूर्जां पते । सेमं नो॑ अध्व॒रं य॑ज ॥१</blockquote><blockquote>नि नो॒ होता॒ वरे॑ण्य॒: सदा॑ यविष्ठ॒ मन्म॑भिः । अग्ने॑ दि॒वित्म॑ता॒ वच॑: ॥२</blockquote><blockquote>आ हि ष्मा॑ सू॒नवे॑ पि॒तापिर्यज॑त्या॒पये॑ । सखा॒ सख्ये॒ वरे॑ण्यः ॥३</blockquote><blockquote>आ नो॑ ब॒र्ही रि॒शाद॑सो॒ वरु॑णो मि॒त्रो अ॑र्य॒मा । सीद॑न्तु॒ मनु॑षो यथा ॥४</blockquote><blockquote>पूर्व्य॑ होतर॒स्य नो॒ मन्द॑स्व स॒ख्यस्य॑ च । इ॒मा उ॒ षु श्रु॑धी॒ गिर॑: ॥५</blockquote><blockquote>यच्चि॒द्धि शश्व॑ता॒ तना॑ दे॒वंदे॑वं॒ यजा॑महे । त्वे इद्धू॑यते ह॒विः ॥ ६</blockquote><blockquote>प्रि॒यो नो॑ अस्तु वि॒श्पति॒र्होता॑ म॒न्द्रो वरे॑ण्यः । प्रि॒याः स्व॒ग्नयो॑ व॒यम् ॥७</blockquote><blockquote>स्व॒ग्नयो॒ हि वार्यं॑ दे॒वासो॑ दधि॒रे च॑ नः । स्व॒ग्नयो॑ मनामहे ॥८</blockquote><blockquote>अथा॑ न उ॒भये॑षा॒ममृ॑त॒ मर्त्या॑नाम् । मि॒थः स॑न्तु॒ प्रश॑स्तयः ॥९</blockquote><blockquote>विश्वे॑भिरग्ने अ॒ग्निभि॑रि॒मं य॒ज्ञमि॒दं वच॑: । चनो॑ धाः सहसो यहो ॥१०</blockquote>Transliteration: ājīgartiḥ śunaḥśepa sa kṛtrimo vaiśvāmitro devarātaḥ। agniḥ,। gāyatrī।<blockquote>vasiṣvā hi miyedhya vastrāṇyūrjāṃ pate । semaṃ no adhvaraṃ yaja ॥1॥ </blockquote><blockquote>ni no hotā vareṇyaḥ sadā yaviṣṭha manmabhiḥ । agne divitmatā vacaḥ ॥2॥ </blockquote><blockquote>ā hi ṣmā sūnave pitāpiryajatyāpaye । sakhā sakhye vareṇyaḥ ॥3॥ </blockquote><blockquote>ā no barhī riśādaso varuṇo mitro aryamā । sīdantu manuṣo yathā ॥4॥ </blockquote><blockquote>pūrvya hotarasya no mandasva sakhyasya ca । imā u ṣu śrudhī giraḥ ॥5॥ </blockquote><blockquote>yacciddhi śaśvatā tanā devaṃdevaṃ yajāmahe । tve iddhūyate haviḥ ॥6॥ </blockquote><blockquote>priyo no astu viśpatirhotā mandro vareṇyaḥ । priyāḥ svagnayo vayam ॥7॥ </blockquote><blockquote>svagnayo hi vāryaṃ devāso dadhire ca naḥ । svagnayo manāmahe ॥8॥ </blockquote><blockquote>athā na ubhayeṣāmamṛta martyānām । mithaḥ santu praśastayaḥ ॥9॥ </blockquote><blockquote>viśvebhiragne agnibhirimaṃ yajñamidaṃ vacaḥ । cano dhāḥ sahaso yaho ॥10॥</blockquote>Ishavasyopanishad Mantras (ईशावास्योपनिषद् मन्त्राः) 17 and 18<ref>Isavasyopanishad from [http://vedicheritage.gov.in/upanishads/ishavasyopanishad/ Vedic Heritage Portal]</ref> praise Agni as the witnessing divinity to all actions of individuals and guides the soul on path of immortality.