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==    परिचयः ॥ Introduction ==

==    परिचयः ॥ Introduction ==

A large number of mantras of the Rig veda 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 मन्त्राः ॥ mantras of the ऋग्वेदः ॥ [[Rigveda]] are devoted to describing and praising अग्निः ॥ 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>:  

*    '''Panchabhutas''' : 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 पञ्चभूत-s || 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 तेजस् ॥ tejas (fire and heat), अग्निः ॥ Agni is revered as the receiver of oblations and sacrifices of men on behalf of the देवताः ॥ Devatas.  

*    '''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.

*    '''First Rigveda Sukta''' :  Fire has a very prominent place since the Vedic period and the Rigveda starts with the अग्निसूक्तम् || Agni sukta (Agnimeele purohitam...). अग्निः ॥ Agni is second only to इन्द्रः ॥ [[Indra (इन्द्रः)|Indra]] in power and importance attributed to him in Vedic literature, with 218 out of 1,028 hymns of the ऋग्वेदः ॥ Rigveda dedicated to him. With वरुणः ॥ [[Varuna]] and इन्द्रः ॥ Indra, he is one of the supreme gods in the ऋग्वेदः ॥ Rigveda.

*    '''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.

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

*    '''Swaroopa/Nature''' : Agni manifests as follows in nature

*    स्वरूपम् ॥ '''Swaroopa (Nature)''' : अग्निः ॥ Agni manifests as follows in nature

<blockquote>सूर्यः द्युस्थानः । वायुः वा इन्द्रः वा अन्तरिक्षस्थानः । अग्निः पृथिवीस्थानः ।(Nirukta 7.5)<ref name=":0">Nirukta ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 7])</ref></blockquote>

<blockquote>सूर्यः द्युस्थानः । वायुः वा इन्द्रः वा अन्तरिक्षस्थानः । अग्निः पृथिवीस्थानः ।(Nirukta 7.5)<ref name=":0">Nirukta ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8B%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83 Adhyaya 7])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>sūryaḥ dyusthānaḥ । vāyuḥ vā indraḥ vā antarikṣasthānaḥ । agniḥ pṛthivīsthānaḥ ।(Nirukta 7.5)</blockquote>Meaning: Self illumine bodies such as Surya in the अन्तरीक्षम् ॥ Antariksha (heavenly Cosmic regions), Lightning in the आकाशः ॥ Akasha or Sky (वायुः ॥ Vayu and इन्द्रः ॥ Indra representing wind and lightning). Fire (Flame or अग्निः ॥ Agni) on the पृथिवी ॥ Prithivi (Earth).

<blockquote>Self illumine bodies such as Surya in the Antariksha or heavenly Cosmic regions. Lightning in the Aakasha or Sky (Vayu and Indra representing wind and lightning). Fire (Flame or Agni) on the Prithivi or Earth</blockquote>

 

<blockquote>बडवाग्निः ॥ Badavaagni (Vadavagni) in water (underground volcanic structures) as given in Shabdakalpadruma, बडवायाः समुद्रस्थितायाः घोटक्या मुखस्थोऽग्निः । समुद्रस्थाग्निः ।<ref>Shabdakalpadruma ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%AC बडवाग्निः])</ref></blockquote>

बडवाग्निः ॥ Badavagni (Vadavagni) in water (underground volcanic structures) as given in शब्दकल्पद्रुमः ॥ Shabdakalpadruma, <blockquote>बडवायाः समुद्रस्थितायाः घोटक्या मुखस्थोऽग्निः । समुद्रस्थाग्निः ।<ref>Shabdakalpadruma ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%AC बडवाग्निः])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>baḍavāyāḥ samudrasthitāyāḥ ghoṭakyā mukhastho'gniḥ । samudrasthāgniḥ ।</blockquote>जठराग्निः ॥ Jataragni (hunger) in all mortal beings as fire that cooks food in the stomach as given in वाचस्पत्यम् ॥ Vachaspatya, <blockquote>जठरस्थितोऽग्निः । कौक्षेये अन्नादिपाचके वह्नौ “अन्नरसोजठराग्निना पच्यमानोरक्ततां प्रतिपद्यते”।<ref>Vachaspatyam ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%9C जठराग्निः])</ref></blockquote><blockquote>jaṭharasthito'gniḥ । kaukṣeye annādipācake vahnau "annarasojaṭharāgninā pacyamānoraktatāṃ pratipadyate"।</blockquote>Thus, as an element that lights up and consumes everything He plays a very significant role in सृष्टिः ॥ Srishti.

<blockquote>जठराग्निः ॥ Jataraagni (hunger) in all mortal beings as fire that cooks food in the stomach as given in Vachaspatyam, जठरस्थितोऽग्निः । कौक्षेये अन्नादिपाचके वह्नौ “अन्नरसोजठराग्निना पच्यमानोरक्ततां प्रतिपद्यते”।<ref>Vachaspatyam ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%9C जठराग्निः])</ref> Thus, as an element that lights up and consumes everything He plays a very significant role in Sristi.</blockquote>

*  '''देवतास्वरूपम् ॥ Devataswaroopa''' : He is prominent as the twin brother of इन्द्रः ॥ Indra and the husband of स्वाहा ॥ Svaha and स्वधा ॥ Svadha, and the father of दक्षिणम् ॥ Dakshina, गार्हपत्यम् ॥ Garhapatya and आहवनीयम् ॥ Ahavaniya.  

*  '''Devataswaroopam''' : He is prominent as the twin brother of Indra and the husband of Svaha and Svadha, and the father of Daksiham, Garhapatyam and Ahavaniyam.  

*  '''ज्ञानतत्त्वम् ॥ Jnana Tattva''' : He is also known as the devata for ज्ञानम् ॥ Jnana (Knowledge). Knowledge or nature of every object is known only in the presence of Light or दीपः ॥ Deepa. But Fire is, by nature, self illuminating and does not need another lamp to reveal its nature.   

*  '''Jnana Tattvam''' : He is also known as the devata for Jnana or Knowledge. Knowledge or nature of every object is known only in the presence of Light or Deepam. But Fire is, by nature, self illuminating and does not need another lamp to reveal its nature.   

==  व्युत्पत्तिः || Etymology ==

==  व्युत्पत्तिः || Etymology ==

* '''[[Amarakosha]]''' defines the following about Agni in स्वर्गवर्गः (Prathama kanda Slokas 53 - 57, Page No 12 of Reference 5)<ref>[http://www.sanskritebooks.org/2009/07/amara-kosa-the-sanskrit-thesaurus-with-notes-index/ Amarakosha]</ref>

* '''[[Amarakosha]]''' defines the following about Agni in स्वर्गवर्गः (Prathama kanda Slokas 53 - 57, Page No 12 of Reference 5)<ref>[http://www.sanskritebooks.org/2009/07/amara-kosa-the-sanskrit-thesaurus-with-notes-index/ Amarakosha]</ref>