Agni (Samskrit: अग्निः) is the god of fire, sacrifice and divine knowledge, and a large number of mantras and suktas are devoted to describing and praising Agni in various texts. 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. Through yagna or sacrificial fires he carries the oblations to the gods, to ensure the continuance of conditions favorable to mankind.
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== परिचय || Introduction ==
== परिचय || Introduction ==
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Agni (Samskrit: अग्निः) is the god of fire, sacrifice and divine knowledge, and a large number of mantras and suktas are devoted to describing and praising Agni in various texts. 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. Through yagna or sacrificial fires he carries the oblations to the gods, to ensure the continuance of conditions favorable to mankind.
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Agni next to Indra, occupies a very important place as the carrier of sacrificial offerings. Agni is thus, significantly highlighted in the Rig veda with many suktas rendered to propitiate Him. Further as we gradually progresses towards the Upanishads, Agni is personified as the Knower of Brahman. The sacrificial fires attain the position of Guru of Upakosala, in the Chandogya Upanishad, wherein they preach [[Brahmavidya (ब्रह्मविद्या)|brahmavidya]] to Upakosala.
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This aspect of Agni is significantly highlighted in the Rig veda and gradually as one progresses towards the Upanishads Agni is personified as the Knower of Brahman. The sacrificial fires attain the position of Guru of Upakosala, in the Chandogya Upanishad, wherein they preach [[Brahmavidya (ब्रह्मविद्या)|brahmavidya]] to Upakosala.
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Thus, as the sacred bearer of offerings, to the sacred agnihotras tended by the householder, to the feared Kravaaya form of Fire which is invoked to burn corpses, to the more subtle form of representation of Jnana , Agni is the crucial lifeline of a grihastha engaged in Bharataeeya samskriti.